Q: Daughter charged with Underage OVI .027
She was stopped for dim headlight on an Ohio College Campus property by Ohio State Highway officer who said he 'smelled' alcohol on her clothing. She admitted to him that she had taken sips from a cup of vodka - but he did not make note of it. He did pull out the breathilizer. She also said that the Officer said that the machine wasn't functioning properly which was the reason for the field sobiety. She said she passed but was confused about his instructions. She was not arrested and he did not inform her of the serious OVI charge. She received a ticket with the initial Headlight violation and the OVI. She has use of Student Legal Services from the University, however, she doesn't want to lose points on her driving record or have her license suspended. This is her first offense. My question is would you advise Private Legal Counsel or the University Student Legal Services. She doesn't want to take a plea and license suspension because of necessity for work transportation.
A:
I'm sorry no one answered your question in a timely fashion. I just started answering questions on this site. There are going to be a lot more answers for Ohio people now.
If she wants to fight a DUI charge she is almost certainly better off with private counsel. There are attorneys who devote a large percentage of their practice, some even devote their entire practice, to DUI litigation. This specialization gives them enormous advantages in addressing DUI issues over a lawyer with a broader practice. It is a very technical area of the law with a lot of oddities.
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