DUI With a Child in the Car

PA Child Endangerment DUI

There are certain types of DUI cases that are treated more severly than others. DUI cases involving accidents are certainly one of them. Another is DUI with a child in the car. Sometimes in these cases the police add charges such as Endangering the Welfare of a Child or Recklessly Endangering Another Person which, like DUI, are misdemeanor offenses. Regardless, people charged with DUI with a child in the car face the possibility of harsher penalties.

Under Pennsylvania law, a person arrested with a child under the age of 14 in the car is ineligible for admission into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program (ARD Program) even if the person has no prior offenses whatsover. And, prosecutors are less likely to offer the minimum sentences on such cases during plea negotiations.

Penalties and Consequences for DUI with Child in the Vehicle

Because of the harsher penalties associated with DUIs with a child in the car, it is very important to have an experienced DUI criminal defense lawyer on your side. With my background as a former prosecutor in the  Montgomery County, PA District Attorney’s Office, and given my 20-plus years as an attorney, I have the experience to properly investigate your situation and determine whether their any weaknesses or problems with the case. And, if we decide to go this route, I have the experience to engage the District Attorney’s Office in constructive plea negotiations to work out a negotiated agreement you can live with.

Let a Montgomery County PA DUI Lawyer Help You

In cases involving DUI with a child in the car, it is important to have an advocate who can engage in a dialogue with the prosecutor and with the judge, so that they understand that you are not a criminal but a good person with positive qualities that simply made a mistake. It is the lawyer’s job to highlight a person’s overall character so that the court can see a person for who he or she truly is. All too often people receive harsher sentences then they otherwise would if the District Attorney or the judge truly understood the person and appreciated that person’s positive contributions to society.

Frequently, in DUI cases like these, it is especially important to “humanize” the client so that the prosecutor and the judge see the bigger picture. This is why you need an experienced DUI criminal defense attorney who has understands the law and process and knows the players.

It is important that your lawyer have a strong command of the facts and the law and understand your rights and options. For more information, please feel free to contact me.

Talk to an Experienced DUI Defense Lawyer

Call my Norristown, Pennsylvania, law office to discuss your case and learn how I can help you. I have handled hundreds of DUI cases, as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney, and can certainly help anyone charged with a DUI. I have represented many people charged with a DUI with a child in the car and am willing to help you if you are charged with such a crime.