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Prescription DUI Charges: What You Need to Know Now
If you’ve been charged with a prescription DUI, you’re not alone—and you deserve a vigorous defense. Being accused doesn’t mean guilt. The law treats impairments from prescription meds seriously, but it’s critical you understand your rights and how to fight these charges.
Prescription DUI cases are complex. Unlike alcohol DUIs, these involve legally prescribed medications that may or may not actually impair your ability to drive. The key question is whether you were truly impaired behind the wheel—not simply whether you took medication. This distinction matters and can be the foundation of a strong defense.
You have the right to challenge the prosecution’s evidence and the circumstances of your arrest. You deserve a defense team who understands the science of these medications and the legal strategies that can protect your freedom and future.
How Prescription Medications Lead to Charges
Medications like opioids, benzodiazepines, and others can affect coordination, reaction time, and judgment. Law enforcement often treats the presence of these substances as a red flag for impairment.
But presence alone doesn’t prove impairment. Many people take these drugs as prescribed and maintain full control over their actions. Your defense should focus on disproving assumptions and showing that you were not unsafe to drive.
Discuss your prescriptions openly with your attorney. Medical records, prescription details, and testimony from your healthcare provider can support your case. The law does not automatically assume guilt because you used medication.
Your Rights and What to Do After Arrest
After an arrest, protect yourself by exercising your right to remain silent. Don’t volunteer information or admit fault. Request legal counsel immediately. The moments after an arrest are critical—anything you say can be used against you.
Hire a defense attorney experienced with prescription DUI cases. You need someone who understands how to dismantle flawed field sobriety tests, question the reliability of chemical analyses, and spot procedural errors made by police.
Start documenting everything: the timeline, interactions with officers, your medication schedule, and any witness accounts. This evidence becomes vital to building your defense.
Strategies to Fight Prescription DUI Charges
A skilled defense challenges the validity of breath, blood, or urine tests. These tests are not infallible. Officers may have mishandled samples, or equipment may have been improperly calibrated.
Your attorney can also raise the medical necessity defense—showing you took medication under doctor’s orders, and that you were not impaired beyond that prescribed use. This defense requires careful preparation but can shift the court’s view significantly.
Additionally, your lawyer will scrutinize the arrest procedures. Any failure to follow the law—whether lack of probable cause or improper testing—can result in evidence suppression or even case dismissal.
The Serious Consequences You Face
A prescription DUI conviction can lead to jail time, heavy fines, probation, and mandatory treatment programs. Your driver’s license could be suspended, impacting your mobility and livelihood.
The conviction will stay on your record, influencing employment opportunities and insurance rates. These consequences are harsh but not unavoidable if you mount an effective defense from day one.
Protect Your Future by Acting Now
You must take immediate, informed action. The right legal defense can reduce or even dismiss charges, protect your driving privileges, and minimize lasting damage to your life.
Don’t navigate this complex process alone. Prescription DUI law is specialized and constantly evolving. An aggressive defense attorney will fight to uphold your rights and demand justice.
Get the Defense You Deserve
If you’re facing prescription DUI charges in Denver, you need a legal team committed to your case and skilled in the nuances of these offenses. At Fife Luneau, P.C., we know how to build defenses that hold up in court and challenge every weak link in the prosecution’s case.
Call (720) 408-7130 today for a confidential consultation. Your future matters—and with the right defense, you can protect it.