With Field Sobriety Tests, It's A Good Idea To Get a Second Opinion

At the Eversole Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama, we closely examine every detail of what transpired during your arrest, to determine whether or not your rights were violated. Our experience with drunk driving cases and our keen understanding of proper law enforcement procedures come into play here, as we re-create the event, beginning with the initial stop.

Justification for the Initial Stop

It may very well be that the field sobriety test itself, regardless of its results, was not justified. This is because the initial stop itself may not have been legally warranted, in which case any evidence gathered by the arresting officer afterwards may be inadmissible in court. And that, of course, would include your field sobriety test.

Field Sobriety Test Results Are Subject to Aggressive Scrutiny and Critique

Finally, it is worth noting that even if the stop was warranted, there are any number of reasons why we might reasonably dispute the accuracy of a field sobriety test. Two elements we always look at are the arresting officer himself and the actual location of the arrest:

• Was the arresting officer properly trained in administering field sobriety tests? Was he overworked (potentially exhausted or distracted) at the time he administered the test, and thus prone to violate procedure?
• Was the location itself a possible variable in your field sobriety test? By that we mean, could you have been taking the test on an uneven terrain that contributed to the appearance of being more impaired than you really were?

These are the kinds of questions the seasoned criminal defense attorneys at the Eversole Law Firm know to ask. The answers could make all the difference in your case, and in your life.