Drunk Driving / OVI / DUI Defense

What To Do If You Were Charged With OVI / DUI In Columbus Or Central Ohio

Being charged with DUI / OVI and not knowing how this case is going to impact your future can be a stressful experience. To make matters worse, there is a lot of misinformation about drunk driving charges, and there are a lot of attorneys that advertise themselves as “DUI Lawyers” in the Columbus, Ohio area.

If you have been charged with DUI / OVI in Columbus or Central Ohio, the first thing to do is to educate yourself about the consequences and the court process. The second thing to do, after you understand the situation better, is to determine if you are going to plead guilty or contest the charge, decide if you are going to hire a lawyer, and choose what lawyer you are going to hire.  This website contains valuable information to help you learn about DUI / OVI, as well as some criteria for hiring an attorney (see the links at the bottom of the page for phones or the side of the page for laptops). Another good source of information is the Ohio DUI/OVI Guide, which you can download for free here.

Consequences For Ohio DUI / OVI Convictions

Known by many acronyms, including OVI (in Ohio), DUI, OMVI, and DWI, a drunk driving conviction may result in serious consequences.  The sentence for DUI / OVI in Ohio includes a mandatory driver’s license suspension, mandatory jail time, and a mandatory fine. It may also include yellow license plates, ignition interlock, and vehicle immobilization or forfeiture.  Having a DUI/OVI on your record will result in secondary consequences like higher auto insurance rates and effects on employment, professional licensing, health insurance, and immigration/travel.  A DUI/OVI conviction is a permanent record and cannot be sealed or expunged.

Contesting Ohio DUI / OVI Charges

You do not have to plead guilty and simply accept the DUI/ OVI conviction and its consequences.  As you can see from the Dominy Law Firm’s recent case results, pleading Not Guilty and contesting the charge(s) with an experienced DUI/OVI attorney typically improves the outcome of your case.  Hiring a good Ohio DUI/OVI lawyer may help you:

• Have your driver’s license returned: While the case is pending, you may be able to have your administrative license suspension terminated or stayed, which means you get your license back
• Obtain driving privileges: If the administrative license suspension is not terminated or stayed, you may get driving privileges for work and other limited purposes
• Avoid jail: You may be able to complete a driver intervention program instead of the minimum three-day jail sentence
• Avoid yellow license plates and ignition interlock: You may avoid the embarrassment of driving around with yellow license plates on your car and having to blow into an ignition interlock to start your car
• Avoid a DUI / OVI conviction on your record: In many of the cases the Dominy Law Firm handles, DUI / OVI charges are amended and reduced, and sometimes cases are completely dismissed, as you can see from the firm’s recent case results.

Strategies For DUI / OVI Defense

What is the Dominy Law Firm strategy for helping you improve the outcome of your DUI / OVI case?  First, we enter a plea of Not Guilty and appeal the administrative license suspension.  Then, we obtain all the evidence the prosecutor intends to introduce.  Next, we investigate the evidence and research the legal issues.  Although the evidence may point to guilt on the surface, digging into all the details of the situation may reveal weakness in the prosecution’s case.

Based on the what we find, we file motions to suppress evidence for issues such as:  Did the officer have justification for stopping your vehicle? Did the officer have justification to detain you for a DUI/OVI investigation?  Did the officer administer the field sobriety tests correctly?  Did the officer have justification to arrest you for DUI/OVI?  Did the police department follow the Ohio regulations for the breath test, blood test, or urine test?  Was the machine in proper working order?  Is the test scientifically reliable?  Were records maintained correctly and paperwork completed properly?

After reviewing the evidence and investigating issues like these, we file motions to suppress.  We then negotiate with the prosecuting attorney to reach an agreement that is acceptable.  If we do not reach an acceptable agreement, we may have a contested hearing on those motions to suppress, and we may take the case to trial.

Attorneys For Columbus And Central Ohio With Expertise In DUI / OVI

Investigating cases and asking these types of questions often yields answers that lead to charges being reduced.  The Dominy Law Firm is not asking these questions randomly.  We are certified in field sobriety testing, we have studied the science of evidential alcohol testing,  we completed courses for the two breath-testing machines used in Ohio (the Datamaster and the Intoxilyzer), and we have undergone training in blood testing and urine testing (forensic gas chromatography).  Few DUI lawyers in the Columbus, Ohio area have completed this training.

For ongoing professional development, our lawyers regularly participate in national seminars sponsored by organizations like the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD ) and the national DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA ).  They also are often asked to teach other lawyers about DUI / OVI at continuing education seminars.  Founding attorney Shawn Dominy has been practicing since 1997 and was named by SuperLawyers and Columbus Monthly as one of the Top 50 lawyers in Columbus, and he is only one of only five Columbus lawyers selected to the SuperLawyers list for the practice area of DUI defense.  The Dominy Law Firm contests DUI/OVI charges, and doing so regularly improves the outcome of clients’ cases.  Don’t just take our word for it: see the recent case results.

OVI / DUI Lawyers With Satisfied Clients

The Dominy Law Firm offers ‘personal service when results matter’.  The firm represents a limited number of clients and works each case thoroughly.  We provide each client with the level of service you would want as a client:  we communicate regularly with clients, and we respond promptly to calls and emails.  Don’t just take our word for it: see what clients say.

Contact Columbus OVI / DUI Lawyers Serving Central Ohio

The Dominy Law Firm’s fees are based on expertise, experience, and service.  We charge flat fees so you’ll know at the beginning the total cost of representation, and the firm accepts payment by credit card and debit card.  There is also financing available for qualified applicants.  For more information, please read the firm overview.  If you would like to discuss how the Dominy Law Firm can help with your DUI / OVI case, Email the Dominy Law Firm or call 614-717-1177 to arrange a free consultation.

Geographic Areas For Ohio DUI / OVI Defense

The Dominy Law Firm practices DUI / OVI defense in Municipal Courts, Common Pleas Courts, and Mayor’s Courts throughout central Ohio, including the following counties:  Franklin County, Crawford County, Delaware County, Fayette County, Fairfield County, Knox County, Licking County, Logan County, Madison County, Marion County, Morrow County, Pickaway County, Union County, and Wyandot County.

For More Information On Ohio DUI / OVI Issues: