The Moment Before You Had the Drink That Led to Your Los Angeles DUI: Why?

Given all the sturm und drang over your Los Angeles DUI arrest, you’ve had very little time to reflect about events. The little thinking you’ve done has likely been “surface level” thinking. For instance, you’ve probably spent some time puzzling out:

•    What to do about your job;
•    How to get by without a license;
•    What to tell your parents or peers about what happened;
•    How to find an effective Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer to represent your interests and help you avoid (or at least minimize) punishments for your crime, which could range widely and include tough probation terms, forced installation of an interlock ignition device in your car, mandatory CA license suspension, fees and fines and prison time.

But could you benefit from considering your Los Angeles DUI in a different kind of context? What if you tried to figure out what drove you to drink too much (if you did, indeed, drink too much)? What if you spent time puzzling out WHY you got behind the wheel while DUI?

These questions sound almost sophistic and possibly irrelevant. After all, who really cares why you did what you did? You just want to get out of trouble, stay out of jail, avoid the fines, etcetera. But reflecting on your mistakes (if you made any) is vitally important, if you hope to achieve the best outcome.

Such thinking could possibly inform your defense strategy. It could help your attorney figure out what kind of evidence to collect. It could help you figure out what you need to do to avoid future DUI trouble. For instance, let’s say you have a history of driving problems or trouble with drugs and alcohol. If you’re honest about that history, your attorney can help you find a good therapist and other resources to keep you on the straight and narrow, going forward.

So how CAN you figure out what “tipped you” into making your fateful decision?

Try to think back to the key moments of the day or evening of your DUI arrest. What were you thinking about right before you grabbed the keys and got behind the wheel? What were you thinking about right before you chose to have that fourth beer or glass of wine? What were you thinking about just before you drove away from the scene of your Los Angeles DUI accident? What were you thinking about just before you got into the verbal fight with the police officer?

Seek to understand the thoughts and emotions that triggered your strange/unwanted behavior. Your attorney can use this thought process as a springboard to contrive an intuitive and effective defense.

For help getting to the bottom of your Los Angeles DUI situation, get in touch with attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers. Mr. Kraut is a vastly experienced ex-criminal prosecutor with a long history of successes in complex criminal trials.

Have you been arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles? If so, please contact DUI defense attorney Michael Kraut at (323) 464-6453 or online. Our building is located at 6255 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1520, Los Angeles, California 90028.