OVI / DUI Lawyer For Mount Gilead, Ohio

DUI/OVI In Mount Gilead, Ohio
Our firm has lawyers for OVI / DUI in Mount Gilead, Ohio, and this web page should be helpful for people charged with DUI/OVI there. It may also be useful for Mount Gilead residents charged with DUI/OVI in other central Ohio courts. Mount Gilead has a population of about 4,000 people and is classified as a village. Although the Mount Gilead area is also patrolled by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office, the village has its own law enforcement agency: the Mount Gilead Police Department. The village also has two courts which hear DUI/OVI cases: most of those cases are filed in the Morrow County Municipal Court, and some of those cases are fild in the Mount Gilead Mayor’s Court.

If you were charged with DUI/OVI in the Mount Gilead area, you probably have many questions. What is the evidence the prosecutor will use? Should I contest the charge or should I plead guilty? Should I hire a lawyer? These types of questions are addressed throughout this website, beginning with the DUI/OVI page, and continuing with additional individual pages focusing on specific DUI/OVI topics.

Additional information can be found in the book ‘Ohio DUI / OVI Guide’. That book can be purchased from bookstores online, and the e-book version can be downloaded for free here. The book is concise, so it is a quick read, but it is full of valuable information.

The Evidence In Mount Gilead DUI/OVI Cases
Evidence in these cases falls into three general categories: witness observations, audio/video, and chemical tests. Witness observations include those from law enforcement officers and from lay witnesses. Law enforcement officers are trained to look for certain clues of intoxication during a DUI/OVI investigation. Those clues may be observed while the vehicle is in motion, during personal contact with the driver, and during field sobriety testing. Audio/video evidence includes cruiser dash cameras, body cameras, and jail/police station cameras. Chemical tests are done to determine the level of alcohol or drugs in a driver’s blood, urine, or breath.

Some breath tests in Morrow County are done an Intoxilyzer 8000 breath-testing machine. Although that machine’s reliability has been the subject of challenges in other counties, Morrow County has resumed using the Intoxilyzer 8000 for breath-testing. The Dominy Law Firm is very familiar with the Intoxilyzer 8000. Founding attorney Shawn Dominy was defense counsel in a case resulted in the judge finding the Intoxilyzer 8000 is too unreliable for its results to be admitted as evidence. Both Shawn Dominy and Bryan Hawkins are currently litigating issues involving this machine.

Contesting DUI/OVI Charges In Mount Gilead
The first court appearance for a DUI/OVI occurs within a few days of the day the ticket is issued. Before attending that first court appearance, you should determine whether you will challenge the DUI/OVI charges or plead guilty. Many people seem to think challenging the charges is hopeless, so they plead guilty at the first court appearance. If you plead guilty at the arraignment, you will never know what could have happened if you contested the case. If you plead not guilty, you will at least be able to review the prosecution’s evidence, predict what evidence will be admissible, and explore defenses which may be available. Contesting the case may result in a more favorable case outcome.

Hiring A Lawyer For Mount Gilead, Ohio DUI/OVI Cases
If you hire a lawyer for an OVI / DUI in Mount Gilead, you will want to find an attorney with experience and expertise in DUI/OVI defense. The Dominy Law Firm has both. The practice is focused on DUI/OVI defense, the attorneys have completed training specific to DUI/OVI, and they use that expertise to help clients achieve favorable outcomes.

If you intend to contest your DUI/OVI in Mount Gilead and would like more information about the Dominy Law Firm, that can be found on the About Us page. If you would like to see what other clients say about the Dominy Law Firm, there are reviews on the client reviews page. To schedule a free phone consultation regarding your Mount Gilead DUI/OVI, please call 614-717-1177 or complete this CONTACT FORM.