Houston Field Sobriety Test Attorney
In an attempt to gather timely evidence that drivers are under the influence of alcohol, police often administer field sobriety tests and breath tests during traffic stops. Field sobriety tests may include requests by law enforcement officers that drivers perform tasks that allegedly demonstrate sobriety and physical control.
Schedule a free initial consultation with Southeast and East Texas criminal defense lawyer Chip Lewis to discuss your DWI/DUI arrest and the validity of any field sobriety tests that were administered after you were stopped on suspicion of drunk driving. Namely, common field sobriety tests include requests from police officers that you do one or more of the following:
- Follow a pen with your eyes
- Balance on one leg
- Walk a line and turn while walking heel to toe
- Tilt your head and count to 30
- Recite the alphabet
Results of field sobriety tests such as these are supposed to assist police and prosecutors in determining whether you were, in fact, driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of your DWI/DUI traffic stop and arrest. Important questions that your DWI/DUI criminal defense lawyer will seek answers to include the following:
- Were the tests properly administered?
- Were you informed of your rights before taking the field sobriety tests?
- Did the police officer videotape your field sobriety tests — and if so, did the videotape substantiate the charges that you were under the influence of alcohol?
- Does the police officer who administered the field sobriety tests have any record of misconduct in law enforcement?
- Could a reasonable person under no influence of alcohol perform the same tests with flawless results? In other words, were the field sobriety tests valid?
As a former prosecutor with seven years experience as a prosecutor and seven years experience as a criminal defense lawyer, Chip Lewis is ready and willing to take drunk driving cases to court and call field sobriety tests into question. He has tried more than 100 criminal cases, and has the legal skill and experience to aggressively challenge evidence. Mr. Lewis is well aware of the flaws inherent in many field sobriety tests and the most effective ways of challenging them in plea negotiations and in court. Contact Chip B. Lewis to schedule a free initial consultation regarding your DWI/DUI arrest and any field sobriety tests that preceded the arrest.
