Tampa, Florida, DUI Field Sobriety Attorney
When law enforcement suspects a person of driving under the influence, they will ask the individual to do standardized field sobriety exercises. The field sobriety exercises are used to assess the person's impairment level and to establish probable cause for arrest. Under Florida DUI laws, like many other states, field sobriety exercises are actually voluntary. Many people do not know this. Further, these tests are often videotaped by cameras in the police officer's car. My firm has in-depth knowledge of DUI laws and the methods that can be used to build a strong defense on your behalf.
If you were arrested after a DUI investigation, call the law office of Jeff Keel, P.A. at 813.282.3858 for your free consultation. You can also contact me online.
DUI laws and field sobriety exercises
I have been a DUI defense lawyer since 1995. As your attorney, I thoroughly review the police report, breath test results and videotape of the arrest. These items can reveal possible defenses that my firm can use to handle your case. Field sobriety exercises are not exact and are subject to the interpretation of the officer administering them. I know the challenges that can be made to their accuracy.
What are types of field sobriety exercises?
Field sobriety exercises are used to build a case against a person. They are often not accurate, and something as simple as bad instructions from law enforcement can skew the results. Field sobriety exercises include the following:
- Following an object (such as tip of pen or finger) with eyes (also known as horizontal gaze nystagmus test)
- Walk and turn
- One Leg stand
- Finger to Nose
- Reciting the Alphabet
- Counting backwards
Florida’s Implied Consent law only requires breath, urine or blood tests as a condition of your driver’s license suspension. An individual faces license suspension for refusing a breath or urine test or for blowing over .08 on a Breathalyzer. A blood test is generally only taken when an accident involves death or serious bodily injury has occurred. My firm can obtain access to blood or breath test results and attempt to suppress them, challenging the proper operation of the machine, training of the officer and even the techniques of the lab that processed blood results. Breath tests can be irrelevant because of the time lapse between the arrest and the test administration, calibration of the machine and law enforcement's proper administration of the test.
If you have been arrested for DUI, take an important step toward protecting your rights. Contact my firm today to schedule your free consultation. You can contact me online, or call me at 813.282.3858.
