Arapahoe County DUI Lawyer
If you have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in Arapahoe County the cornerstone and weight of the government's case against you is going to be the evidence that the police gathered at the time of your arrest. For instance, if you submitted to standardized field sobriety testing (the roadside tests), and later a blood or breath test, all of that evidence can be used against you to secure a conviction.
For decades, the dirty little secret of attorneys that handle DUIs is this: Get the client to hire us, and then later tell them that no attorney can beat the roadside tests or the blood or breath test because it's all based on science. In other words, attorneys that take DUIs have been following the path of least resistance for decades in a very lucrative area of law. For years, so many attorneys have made a killing taking client money and then using the excuse of infallible science to quickly plead an unwitting client out to a DUI or DWAI because they were so intimidated by the government's science and had no tools or experience to stand up and fight that science in court.
Science of DUI Testing
Forensic science, and certainly the science behind DUI tests (roadside tests, blood and breath testing) is not taught in law school. Therefore, to understand this science, attorneys have to sacrifice large sums of money, time and energy to learn this complicated science. As a result, most lawyers simply take the path of least resistance, yet still advertise themselves as "DUI attorneys." Some even have their own radio shows or advertise themselves as "experts" in DUI, or as this country's "Top" DUI attorneys; but if a client takes the time to peel back the onion a bit by asking these attorneys a few questions, (see above right: The 10 Questions to Ask When Selecting a DUI Attorney) they will quickly learn that this "DUI attorney" has no real formal scientific training and therefore no real ability to challenge the government's scientific evidence in court. And if your attorney cannot show the district attorney (DA) why their scientific evidence is faulty, the DA has absolutely no incentive to make you a plea offer that does not involve a drinking and driving conviction.
Mr. Cessna has the formal training and experience in the scientific evidence necessary to challenge the government's evidence. The attorney is a NHTSA certified standardized field sobriety test (SFST) instructor and as a former DUI officer of ten years. Mr. Cessna has years of experience administering and interpreting these tests to hundreds of suspected drunk drivers. Chris Cessna has been legally and formally qualified by the Colorado Courts as an expert in the administration and interpretation of the NHTSA standardized field sobriety tests. In fact, Chris is often invited to teach and instruct other attorneys both in Colorado and other states about the NHTSA SFSTs. This formal training and experience has helped Mr. Cessna
win numerous cases each year for his clients by showing that the officer failed to follow proper protocol and procedures as required by their own standards.
Furthermore, if you submitted to a breath test, Mr. Cessna is the only attorney in Colorado that owns his own intoxilyzer 5000 (the $8,000 machine you took your test on). He is also the only attorney to be both state and federally certified to operate it. Again, as a former DUI police officer, Mr. Cessna has been certified to use and operate this machine and has completed hundreds of breath tests on both dosed subjects and impaired drivers. Mr. Cessna understands the science behind this machine and how that science can be used to help win cases.
If you submitted to a blood or a urine test, Chris Cessna isthe only attorney in Colorado who is a trained and certified gas chromatographer. The Gas Chromatograph (GC) is the highly sophisticated scientific instrument (often referred to as the gold standard in forensic chemical testing) which would have been used to analyze your blood or urine test. No other machine is ever used. Mr. Cessna has years of formal training on how to tear apart the government's blood and urine testing and also obtained his GC certification after successfully completing an intensive 40-hour GC course on the operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of this instrument. No other attorney in Colorado has this specific knowledge.
Areas of DUI Defense
Contrary to popular belief, pleading guilty to DUI is not always your best option at the time of an arrest, nor should it necessarily be your first choice later on when your case is being tried. Whether your recent DUI arrest is one among
multiple DUIs or you are scheduled to attend your first
DMV hearing, there are other alternatives than automatically submitting a plea of guilt. From severe DUI cases involving
vehicular homicide or
vehicular assault to more obscure charges such as
boating under the influence, there is legal defense available from a professional at our firm. We know just how devastating the thought of facing DUI penalties can be; therefore, we have tailored our practice to the aggressive legal defense of residents throughout Arapahoe County that are facing possible DUI consequences.
Field sobriety tests that law enforcement officers use to determine the intoxication level of a suspected drunk driver are notoriously inaccurate. An arrest made on the results of a field sobriety test should never be the sole reason for your arrest. Even the
blood and breath tests used to assess intoxication levels can yield false results if the devices are not well maintained and expertly administered. The
science behind blood alcohol testing methods is complex, and it can be easily argued in court. It doesn't matter if the charges you're up against include
drugs or they involve an
out of state driver, a DUI lawyer at our firm can help.
Taking Legal Action
The time immediately following a criminal charge of driving under the influence is one of the most frightening, isolating and embarrassing situations that you can possibly imagine. With the ability to effect the rest of your life, you will find that you could be left feeling ashamed and without a single person to turn to. This, however, could not be any less true. There is help for you, and there are defenses that you can utilize in a situation such as this. If you choose to secure the legal assistance of a skilled Arapahoe County DUI defense lawyer, you can begin to take the necessary steps towards building your personalized, tailor-made solutions that will best suit your individual situation. By working with a lawyer that truly holds your best interests at heart, you can breathe easier knowing that your future and your case has been placed into fully capable hands.
We absolutely understand that you are experiencing the stress and humiliation that comes along with these charges. A DUI conviction could negatively affect many aspects of your life, so you will need to take action to prevent this from happening, beginning with hiring an attorney. DUI lawyer Chris Cessna uses his extensive training and background in science to aggressively defend individuals that have been charged with drunk driving in Colorado and will work hard to protect both your rights and your freedoms. Without adequate representation, you risk harsh penalties, like jail, fines, community service, alcohol treatment or rehabilitation, and the suspension of your driver's license. With experienced DUI defense by your side, you will have a much better chance of overcoming these charges and avoiding severe DUI penalties.
At the firm we proudly serve the following communities: Aurora, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Littleton and Sheridan.