Q: Does a character witness help in dui citation or can it be paid
A:
Technically, you can use a character witness to defend against a DUI change, but it is probably not advisable.
Generally, using a character witness "opens the door" for the prosecution to call other witnesses, or to present other evidence, against the defendant's character, so it is an inherently risky idea.
What value will the character witness have in a DUI charge? Will they testify that the defendant "is not the type of person who would drink and drive"? How strong would that testimony be against the scientific (or even pseudo-scientific) evidence that is usually presented by the prosecution?
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As for paying the citation, this is probably a bad idea in a DUI case, unless the facts are very bad (and this assessment should be done by a competent DUI attorney) and the offer is equal to or close to the statutory minimum penalty.
DUI's, while formally traffic violations and often addressed in traffic court, carry very serious consequences. The defendant's driver's license can be suspended, their auto-insurance rates will skyrocket, and their employment prospects will decrease, just to name a few.
Please feel free to email me if you would like some additional assistance with this case.
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