DUI Charges: Three Possible Impacts On Your Child Custody Case
There are many factors that can go into a child custody case. When you're trying to fight for custody, each side of the legal matter will look for anything that can go against you. If you've been recently charged with an offense like a DUI, the case can get a lot more complicated. DUI charges may have a huge impact on the final decision for your custody agreement. There are many ways that a DUI charge can impact the case, so it's important to work with a criminal defense attorney to help sort everything out.
Loss of License
As you go through your DUI case process, one of the consequences may be a loss of license or a suspended license for a specific amount of time. If this is the case, then your ex-spouse may try to use this against you as a way of showing that you do not have the resources to properly transport your child. An attorney can help showcase your plans for proper transportation and different ways that you are trying to get the license back, including classes and case appeals. This can help lessen the impact that this has on the custody case.
Lesser Charges
By working with a criminal defense attorney, your DUI charges may not have an impact on the custody at all. By having the charges lessened or even dropped, they cannot be used against you in the case. To help with this, you may have to request extensions in your child custody case until the DUI case is over. This will help make everything clear before custody decisions are made.
Jail Time
In some DUI cases, you may be sentenced to jail. This type of record may make you look bad as a parent. It's important to sort all of the details and represent yourself as best as possible. One of the main ways to do this is if this is your first conviction. An attorney can advocate that the charges and subsequent jail time were a result of stress and emotional trauma relating to the divorce proceedings. The charges itself do not correlate with your skills as a parent. To help counteract this, you can use witness statements from family and friends that showcase your good parenting skills. On paper, a short time in jail may look bad, but an attorney can help break down the case and represent your true character.
Contact an attorney soon after your charges are filed. This can help start the process and prevent anything going against you in a child custody hearing. Contact a business, such as Medeiros & Associates, for more information.
Share