Medina DUI Lawyer
Arrested for OVI in Medina County?
In Ohio, law enforcement and prosecutors treat DUI/OVI offenses with the utmost seriousness and pursue convictions aggressively. A conviction can lead to steep fines, jail time, license suspension, and long-term consequences that affect your career, insurance, and freedom.
The most effective way to protect yourself is to avoid a conviction altogether. At Patituce & Associates, our Medina DUI attorneys understand just how serious an OVI charge is. We fight vigorously to protect your rights and pursue the best possible outcome for your case.
Arrested for OVI in Medina? Our founding attorney, Joe Patituce:
- Has handled thousands of DUI/OVI cases across Ohio
- Is one of only 8 board-certified criminal lawyers in the state
- Devotes nearly half of his practice to DUI defense
- Is often called upon by other lawyers for advice on DUI cases
- Has testified as an expert in numerous DUI cases
- Has taken 400+ cases to trial, with a 95% success rate
- Has experience as a former prosecutor
Let us guide you through the process, answer your questions, and advocate for your future every step of the way.
Contact our firm for a free consultation with a Medina DUI defense lawyer.
We understand that your specific situation requires individualized attention, and we are dedicated to providing just that.
No Case is Hopeless
We Don't Back Down. Ever.
Explore some of our recent wins.
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Case Dismissed CLEVELAND V. AL-NAZER (2012 TRC 040781)
Our client was accused of driving while under the influence of drugs, or alcohol.
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Not Guilty At Trial ROCKY RIVER V. D.F.
Client was charged with domestic violence against his wife.
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Plea and Record Expunged STATE V. BAILEY, CUYAHOGA
Client was accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars worth of property.
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Charges Dismissed State v. Beckwith, Cuyahoga County
Student charged with the manufacturing of ecstasy.
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Case Dismissed STATE V. J.S. (A JUVENILE) YOUNGSTOWN
Local counsel pushed for a plea to one of the sex related charges.
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Acquittal State v. Tevin Biles
Client was identified as one of the alleged shooters at a New Year’s Eve party.
DUI/OVI Laws in Ohio
A police officer can arrest a driver for DUI/OVI if the driver operates their vehicle under the illegal influence of alcohol or drugs. To determine the amount of alcohol in a driver’s bloodstream, a police officer will typically use a portable breathalyzer device to test the driver’s blood alcohol concentration or BAC.
Drivers who are at least 21 years old must not have a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher. Otherwise, they are legally intoxicated.
More stringent legal standards apply to drivers who are under 21 years old, as well as commercial vehicle operators like tractor-trailer drivers. For individuals who are under 21 years old, the BAC cut-off is 0.02 percent. In other words, a zero-tolerance policy applies to these individuals. However, for commercial vehicle operators, the BAC cut-off is 0.04 percent.
If a police officer arrests you for DUI, you may be unsure what to do, say, and, more importantly, what not to say after your arrest. You must contact a knowledgeable DUI defense attorney in Medina as quickly as possible.
At Patituce & Associates, we can attend all police questioning with you. We can also meet with you to discuss the circumstances of your arrest and determine your eligibility for various legal defenses.
Why Choose Us to Represent You in Your Case?
Given the severe DUI legal penalties and collateral consequences associated with a DUI conviction, you should have skilled legal representation in your corner at every stage of the proceedings. The knowledgeable Medina DUI defense attorneys at Patituce & Associates, LLC have the necessary qualifications and experience to help you pursue and obtain a favorable result in your case.
Collectively, our team members have more than 70 years of experience defending residents of Ohio against pending DUIs and other serious criminal charges. Our attorneys have successfully taken more than 400 criminal jury trials to verdict.
Moreover, our managing partner is one of only 8 trial attorneys in Ohio who is a board-certified criminal trial lawyer.
Finally, three members of our criminal defense legal team were once state prosecutors and represented the government’s interests in criminal legal proceedings. Therefore, we understand how prosecutors will likely view your case, and we use that knowledge to your advantage.
Given our many years of experience, we have also built strong professional working relationships with criminal court judges in the area and state prosecutors, and we use those connections to our advantage when representing our clients. Let us help you pursue the best possible result in your criminal DUI case today.
Resolving a DUI/OVI Case in Medina
In any criminal case involving driving under the influence, or DUI, the state prosecutor must satisfy their legal burden of proof to obtain a conviction against you. Moreover, the state must fulfill this legal burden beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a very high legal standard to meet.
If the prosecutor fails to prove even one legal element of their case, the court may dismiss your criminal DUI charge. To help poke holes in the prosecutor’s case, we can assert a robust legal defense on your behalf. A defense might work to negate one or more legal elements of the charge, resulting in a judge dismissing your case.
If you decide to take your case to a bench or jury trial, we can raise one or more legal defenses on your behalf and argue for a case dismissal. Taking a case to trial is sometimes the better option – especially if you have a robust legal defense. This is a decision we help clients make on a case-by-case basis.
Alternatively, we can secure a favorable plea deal from the state prosecutor on your behalf. In a plea deal arrangement, the accused individual – or the defendant – typically pleads guilty to a criminal charge. However, the prosecutor typically makes one or more concessions in exchange for this guilty plea.
For example, in a DUI/OVI case, the prosecutor might be willing to reduce the charge from a felony down to a misdemeanor, or they might allow the defendant to plead guilty to reckless driving rather than DUI. Alternatively, in exchange for a guilty plea, the prosecutor might agree to probation. If the accused successfully completes their probationary requirements, then any conviction on their record may go away.
In some situations, it makes sense to accept a plea deal from the state prosecutor, while at other times, you may have a better chance of success by taking your case to trial. As part of a plea deal, a defendant gives up certain constitutional and legal rights, including their right of appeal and their constitutional right to a jury trial.
Our legal team can help you make intelligent and informed decisions in your case, including whether or not to accept a pending plea deal from the state prosecutor or take your case to trial in court.
Successfully Defending Against a DUI Charge
An individual arrested on a DUI charge can raise one or more legal defenses at their criminal court trial. If the defense is successful, the DUI charge may be subject to a complete dismissal.
First, an individual accused of DUI can raise Fourth Amendment violations as a legal defense to their charge. For example, the driver might be in a position to argue that the responding police officer did not have the necessary reasonable suspicion or probable cause to pull their vehicle over in the first place. In that instance, any subsequent DUI arrest might have been unlawful.
Next, an accused individual can contend that the breathalyzer equipment the police officer used was faulty in some way. The officer might not have properly calibrated the breathalyzer machine, or they might have made a mistake when administering the test. Additionally, a driver can argue that the police officer did not properly administer chemical testing, such as blood or urine tests. A toxicology expert can also conclude that certain chemical testing evidence is faulty.
Next, a driver can argue that the responding police officer made a mistake when they administered one or more field sobriety tests.
For example, the officer might not have conducted the test correctly or failed to account for faulty lighting conditions – or an adverse medical condition from which the driver suffered. If the driver suffered from a balance condition, that condition may have prevented them from accurately completing their field sobriety test.
Our legal team can help you determine if you can raise one or more of these defenses. If so, we can argue the proper defense in court on your behalf. We gather strong evidence to support each client’s individual defense strategy, and our legal team provides personalized and tailored defense assistance in every DUI case. Allow us to begin building your defense today.
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We Know the Legal System
Our criminal defense attorneys understand the legal system and local courts, helping you navigate your case efficiently and avoid costly mistakes.
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We Give You Peace of Mind
Being charged with a crime is overwhelming. With our team on your side, you can focus on your life while an experienced professional handles your defense.
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We Fight For Your Rights
Police and prosecutors sometimes push the limits of the law. We work to protect your rights and prevent unconstitutional evidence from being used against you.
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We Build A Strategic Defense
Fighting criminal charges requires a strong strategy. Our experienced team builds a defense tailored to the specific facts of your case.
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We Work to Mitigate Consequences
One of the main benefits of hiring our Ohio criminal defense attorneys is our ability to help reduce the potential consequences of a conviction.
