Can the cops take your blood on a 1st DUI without a lawyer present even after you asked to have one?
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Can the cops take your blood on a 1st DUI without a lawyer present even after you asked to have one?
I passed 2 PBT’s which I was forced into taking and passed but the cop still arrested me because I refused further field sobriety tests and asked for a qualified atterny present. Then in jail they forced my blood even after I told them a second time I wanted a lawyer present when they took my blood And never gave consent to take in the first place. I was refused a lawyer during questioning and during blood draw. Is that grounds for dismissal of charges?
Asked on June 3, 2017 under Criminal Law, South Dakota
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
No, there is no legal right to have a lawyer present while blood is drawn for a DUI test, and the authorities do not have to delay while you get an attorney. Think about it: over time, the blood alcohal level decreases, and getting a lawyer, especially at night, on a weekend or over a holiday, will take hours at a minimum--possibly days. If they had to wait for you to have a lawyer, the authorities could never effectively take blood in time to test it, which means that people who were DUI could escape the consequenes just by requesting an attorney. The time limited nature of blood tests for DUI makes waiting for an attorney impossible, and so the law does *not* make the authorities wait your lawyer to be present. Not having a lawyer preset is NOT grounds to dismiss the charges.
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