OVI / DUI Lawyer For Circleville, Ohio

DUI / OVI In Circleville, Ohio

The Dominy Law Firm represents clients charged with OVI / DUI in Circleville, Ohio. If you were charged with DUI/OVI in Circleville, Ohio, or if you are from Circleville and you were charged with DUI/OVI in another central Ohio court, you may have questions. How is DUI / OVI enforced in Circleville? What will happen in court? Should I plead guilty or should I fight the DUI/OVI?

If you have questions like these, you have come to the right place. The Dominy Law Firm website contains many pages with information about DUI/OVI, and that information applies to cases in Circleville. Additional information can be found in the e-book ‘Ohio DUI / OVI Guide’. Online bookstores sell the paperback version of the book, and you can download the e-book for free here.

Circleville DUI/OVI Enforcement And The Intoxilyzer 8000
There are many DUI/OVI cases in the Circleville area, as the area is patrolled by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Circleville Police Department, and the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office. Most of those cases are filed in the Circleville Municipal Court.

Some of those law enforcement agencies are using the Intoxilyzer 8000 breath-testing machine. Although the reliability of that machine has been repeatedly challenged, they continue to prosecute OVI / DUI cases in Circleville and Pickaway County involving the Intoxilyzer 8000. The Dominy Law Firm has experience with the Intoxilyzer 8000. Founding attorney Shawn Dominy was involved in litigation which resulted in the judge concluding the Intoxilyzer 8000 is too unreliable to be used as evidence in court. Both Shawn Dominy and Bryan Hawkins are currently involved in new litigation involving this breath-testing machine.

The Court Process For DUI/OVI Cases In The Circleville, Ohio Area
If you are charged with DUI/OVI in the Circleville area, you will appear in court within five business days of when the ticket was issued. The first court appearance is the arraignment. At the arraignment, there is ordinarily no plea bargaining, so your choices are to plead guilty, no contest, or not guilty. If you plead guilty or no contest, your case will be finished quickly. If you plead not guilty, your case will be scheduled for a second court appearance.

The second court appearance is the pretrial hearing. The purpose of the pretrial hearing is for you or your lawyer to discuss the case with the prosecuting attorney and negotiate a possible resolution. Before attending the pretrial hearing, you should engage in discovery: the exchange of evidence between the parties.

If your case is not resolved at the pretrial stage, you may have a motion hearing for the judge to make decisions regarding legal issues like the admissibility of evidence. If an agreement still is not reached, there is a trial. At the trial, a jury or judge decides if your guilt has been proven. If guilt is proven, or if you plead guilty to something, the final stage is a sentence hearing.

Should I Plead Guilty Or Fight The DUI/OVI?
Whether to plead guilty or fight the DUI/OVI depends on the importance you associate with trying to avoid an OVI conviction. If you can live with an OVI on your permanent record, you may choose to simply plead guilty. If, however, you place a high value on avoiding an OVI conviction, you will want to plead not guilty and contest the case. Making that decision will also likely help you decide whether to hire a lawyer.

Lawyers For Circleville, Ohio DUI/OVI Cases
Before you go to the first court appearance, you will need to answer those three questions: (1) plead guilty or not guilty, (2) whether to hire an attorney, and (3) which attorney to hire. To make those decisions, it may be helpful to speak with a lawyer. If you decide to hire a lawyer, you’ll want to find a lawyer with expertise and experience in DUI/OVI defense. You’ll also want a lawyer with industry recognition, favorable case results, and satisfied clients.

The Dominy Law Firm has expertise and experience in DUI/OVI defense. The attorneys are part of a small number of lawyers in central Ohio with considerable training in DUI/OVI issues such as breath testing, blood/urine testing, and field sobriety testing. The firm represents clients with DUI/OVI cases in Circleville and also represents Circleville residents with DUI/OVI cases elsewhere in central Ohio.

If you would like more information about the Dominy Law Firm, please see the About Us page of this website. You may also want to read about the Dominy Law Firm’s case results and client reviews. To schedule a free phone consultation, please email the Dominy Law Firm or call 614-717-1177.