Knoxville DUI Attorney

Defending Against DUI Charges in Knox and Anderson Counties

Perhaps no area of the law impacts as many different people as the criminal charge of driving under the influence, also known as DUI. As a result of millions of dollars in lobbying efforts and federal funding to the States, DUIs are prosecuted more harshly and aggressively compared to other misdemeanor offenses. A person convicted of a DUI faces mandatory incarceration, fines, loss of driver’s license, and other consequences of a permanent criminal record. However, just because you are charged with a DUI does not mean that you will be convicted of a DUI. DUIs involve scientific and legal issues that are specific to DUI cases. An experienced Knoxville DUI attorney will fight the charges against you to ensure that you have the best opportunity possible to put this situation behind you.

How does the State attempt to prove its case?

To prove a DUI, the State must establish that you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, that you were driving or in control of a motor vehicle, and that you were driving or in control of the motor vehicle in a public place. This is not necessarily as straightforward as it may seem.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) is a federal agency that has established national standards for training officers on DUI cases. Officers are trained that, before pulling someone over on suspicion of DUI, they look for signs of impairment in the person’s driving. Once you are pulled over, the officer asks certain questions or asks you to perform certain tasks that are designed to detect impairment. Typically, the last step before an arrest is performing field sobriety tests.

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Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

Field sobriety tests were developed by NHTSA and are designed to test your physical coordination at the same time as testing your mental alertness. The term “standardized” means that the tests must be administered the same way each time. Officers are trained – and NHTSA requires – that the field sobriety tests must be administered and graded a specific way. If the officer deviates from the instructions or grading of the tests, it can affect the reliability and validity of the tests and could mean the results of the tests will not be allowed in court. Therefore, it is important that your attorney knows the requirements of the field sobriety tests and can identify any issues caused by the officer’s failure to follow proper procedures. There are three standardized field sobriety tests that should be administered by police officers before deciding whether to arrest someone for a DUI.

Horizontal Gaze

The first test commonly performed by officers is the horizontal gaze nystagmus test (HGN). Nystagmus is an involuntary jerking of the eye that can be seen as the eyes are moving. Alcohol or drug impairment can cause nystagmus, however that is not the only cause. Some people are born with a naturally visible nystagmus, or nystagmus can also be caused by environmental factors such as flashing lights in the area where the HGN test is performed. During the HGN test, the police officer is looking for visible nystagmus in your eyes.

Walk and Turn 

The second standardized field sobriety test is the walk and turn test. During this test, the officer is looking for eight cues of impairment. “Cues of impairment” is simply a term for “mistakes” during the testing. However, at the time of the test, the officer does not tell you what those cues are. Instead, the officer will give you a set of instructions and a short demonstration before asking you to complete the test. You must then complete the physical test of taking nine heel to toe steps down a line, then walk nine heel to toe steps back. You are supposed to keep your arms at your sides, count out loud, and never step off of the line. The test is graded harshly – if you present only two of the eight cues, the officer will consider you to have failed the test. 

There are certain requirements for the officer during this test, too. The officer must properly instruct and grade you during the tests. If the officer does not give you all of the instructions the way he or she is trained to, it can impact the reliability of the test. Additionally, officers are trained that, because this test requires physical coordination and balance, certain people should be excluded from being asked to perform the walk and turn test. People are not “suitable candidates” for this test are people with a physical injury or impairment that would affect balance, or people who are over a certain age or weight. However, many times, officers either do not ask questions about a person’s physical condition, or just tell the person to do their best. You should also be wearing proper footwear for the tests – or should be given the opportunity to change or take off shoes that would impact your ability to do the tests. Further, officers are also trained that there should not be any distractions in the testing environment that would unfairly impact your ability to do this test.

One-Leg Stand

The final standardized field sobriety test is the one leg stand. During this test, the officer will instruct you to stand with your arms at your sides, raise one foot approximately six inches off the ground, look at your foot and count out loud. The officer is counting to thirty in his or her head but doesn’t tell you this at the time of the test. Instead, the officer will instruct you to count until he or she tells you to stop. In this test, there are four cues of impairment that the officer is looking for, but only two mistakes on this test will be considering a “failing” score.

Like the other two field sobriety tests, the officer must properly instruct you and must also make sure that external factors aren’t impacting your ability to complete the test. This means that the ground should be dry and level, and you shouldn’t be forced to balance on loose rocks or other uneven surfaces. There are also people who are not good candidates for this test, either – whether due to age, weight, or other physical injuries.

Learn more about how our Knoxville DUI attorney can help you. Contact us online or call (855) 442-2817 today!