Palm Beach, Florida is surrounded by the ocean and is so close to the intra-coastal waterways, thus boating can be almost as common as driving a car on the weekends. Because of this, law enforcement has dedicated more resources to making sure that our waterways are safer by cracking down on boating under the influence (BUI) by causing the enactment of strict boating laws and charges.  Legally, and similar to driving while impaired, boaters must not operate a boat while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

It does not matter whether your BUI charge originated in the ocean, on an intra-coastal waterway, or on one of Florida’s many lakes and ponds: make no mistake about a pending BUI charge. It is serious and can have many of the same negative consequences as driving under the influence. More especially so were there to be a fatality such as drowning that occurred.

If you or a loved one have been charged with boating under the influence, it is important that you immediately discuss your rights with an experienced and competent Palm Beach DUI Attorney. The attorneys at Musca Law are prepared to walk you through and explain your options.

How to Avoid Appearing At The Arraignment, After your arrest under DUI charges, and after your release through bail, you will receive a Court Notice issuing you a summons to appear before the Court to plead guilty or not. This first hearing is called an arraignment. You are required to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. At this point, the State will not provide any information regarding any witness, Police report, video recordings, or medical reports relating to the case. If you appear on your own, you may be subjected to pressure from the Prosecutor Attorney.

In the absence of your Defense Counsel, the State Attorney will send all necessary documents to you, and prepare the case for future hearings. The Prosecutor will offer you a one-time deal for arraignment. Failure to accept the offer will result in more severe penalties in the future for the defendant. The defendant is deprived of investigating their own case and defense if they appear at the arraignment on their own. In these circumstances, the Court will try to settle the arraignment by applying pressure, so that they can reduce the burden of pending cases.

Those who are unfortunate to not have a Defense Counsel at the time of hearing their arraignment will have to withstand the pressure alone, unsupported of experienced legal techniques, and ultimately submit the case themselves. The only way to get out of the situation is to hire a West Palm DUI Lawyer to stand as your Defense Counsel. Your Attorney will then file a Notice of Appearance, and a written plea of not guilty. This avoids having to appear for the arraignment, and protects you from the pressure of the Prosecuting Attorney. The only way to avoid arraignment without knowing the State’s evidence against you is to hire a West Palm DUI Lawyer. The Defense Attorney will take all necessary steps to ensure that the defendant is not required to attend the first arraignment.