How to deal with Cops
I just ran across a blog that offers “Tips for Life”. In two articles, they provide perspectives on how to deal with police officers if you are pulled over for any reason (though they both show a focus on DUI).
The first is one lawyer’s advice: A Lawyer’s Advice: How to deal with Cops >> Dumb Little Man
The advice here is basically: keep your mouth shut and ask for a lawyer.
The second covers reactions to that advice, and further advice, from cops themselves: The Flipside: A Cop’s Advice on How to Deal with Cops
Here’s the meat of the cop’s advice:
“Here is what I tell my family and friends (I AM NOT A LAWYER, THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE):
If you drink and drive and get arrested for DUI, do everything the officer says. Take all the tests, take the breathalyzer. On the first court date, meet the prosecutor. Tell him you want to represent yourself and that you’ll plead guilty TODAY in exchange for a rescission of the summary license suspension and a small (say $500) fine. The prosecutor gets to immediately clear a case from his workload, and you get to get on with your life with a hand slap. And no greasy lawyer gets thousands of dollars of your money so you can take a plea six months from now anyway. When all is said and done, you pay $1500 in towing fees, fines, court costs, etc. rather than the $4000-$7000 you’d pay with a lawyer.”
Interesting reading. Here’s my advice, simplistic though it may be: don’t do something that gets you pulled over.
Technorati Tags: dui, traffic stops, lawyers, police, advice
Tags: blogs, driving