Boca Raton has been one the fastest-growing cities in Palm Beach County. The overall population growth of Boca Raton has been astounding over the past thirty years. The increased population over the years is also reflected in the economic development of the city. Boca Raton has become a hub for professional businesses and academics, with the Boca Raton Airport and Florida Atlantic University in the heart of the city.

The economic growth of Boca Raton has led to the development of the Town Center at Boca Raton and Mizner Park. Both are packed with stores to shop at and restaurants to grab a bite to eat and drink at. The popularity of both places has created more visitors, requiring a stronger police presence. Wherever there is alcohol being served, law enforcement is not far behind looking for DUIs. When you are charged with drunk driving, a Boca Raton DUI lawyer could help. Call a criminal defense attorney to protect your rights.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE ARRESTED FOR A DUI?

The process for a DUI in Boca Raton is similar to a DUI arrest anywhere else in Palm Beach County, with only a couple of differences. First, most DUI arrests in Boca Raton are made by the Boca Raton Police Department. Occasionally, a DUI arrest in Boca Raton can be made by the Florida Highway Patrol or the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, but most are made by the Boca Raton Police Department.

Second, if you are arrested for DUI in Boca Raton, you will be transported to the Boca Raton Police Department to blow a breath sample to determine the alcohol. The Boca Raton Police Department has its own breathalyzer machine, the Intoxilyzer 8000. Once the arrested person has either blown or refused to blow, they will be transported to the Palm Beach County jail, which is in West Palm Beach on Gun Club Road.

A third difference is that if you are arrested in Boca Raton for a misdemeanor DUI, then your first court date will be at the south county Courthouse in Delray Beach on Atlantic Avenue. Your case may eventually be transferred to the main branch at the Courthouse in West Palm Beach on Dixie Highway. Speak to your Boca Raton DUI defense lawyer about why it is beneficial to have your case start at the Delray Beach Courthouse.

DOES THE BOCA RATON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERAS?

Boca Raton Police Officers have body-worn cameras that record their interactions prior to an arrest. In DUI cases, the initial interactions between the driver and the officer are recorded on the body-worn camera. Likewise, your performance on the field sobriety exercises will be captured on the body-worn camera. Your DUI defense lawyer in Boca Raton will be able to access the cameras in your case. An experienced lawyer can use the videos to exploit misstatements, inaccuracies, or embellishments that a police officer writes in his reports about your DUI arrest. This can make a tremendous difference in the outcome in your case.

WHAT IF YOU PASSED THE FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS? IS THERE A VIDEO OF HOW YOU DID?

The field sobriety tests are not actually ‘tests’. They are not tests because they are not graded on any standardized criteria, and they are not pass or fail. The field sobriety tests are a series of exercises that an officer watches and then uses his personal judgement to determine whether or not to make an arrest for DUI. The officer can only say whether you performed well or poorly on the field sobriety exercises.

This is a common dispute when a client believes they performed well on the field sobriety exercises, but a police officer arrests them for a DUI afterward. Fortunately, the body-worn cameras of the Boca Raton Police Department will record your performance on the field sobriety exercises. You will not have to rely solely on the word and testimony of the officer. A good DUI defense attorney in Boca Raton can argue how the video contradicts the officer’s opinion and corroborates your story of how well you performed on the field sobriety exercises.

WHAT IS A SATURATION PATROL? HOW OFTEN ARE THERE SATURATION PATROLS?

A saturation patrol is an organized police operation where officers are stationed in a particular location at night and focus on DUI and traffic enforcement. When there is a saturation patrol, multiple police agencies work together on it as a joint operation. For instance, the Police Department will work in conjunction with the Palm Balm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the Delray Beach Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Saturation patrols in Boca Raton occur every few months. There is usually a press release announced before the next saturation patrol is announced.

HOW CAN A Boca Raton DUI Attorney HELP YOU?

As Boca Raton DUI lawyers, Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh know the Boca Raton Police Officers who regularly make the DUI arrests. We know the officers who tend to embellish and over-exaggerate in their reports. We regularly handle DUI cases, so we know the prosecutors and judges in both the Delray Beach Courthouse and the downtown West Palm Beach Courthouse. We know the judicial tendencies and the manner in which prosecutors handle DUI cases. At Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh, we have three DUI defense lawyers that are former prosecutors. All three have litigated and tried numerous DUI cases as both prosecutors and DUI defense lawyers. Our personal knowledge of the local justice system provides us with a competitive advantage when representing our clients.

Let us use our intimate knowledge and experience to see how we can help you. With every new client we meet with, we thoroughly discuss the facts and circumstances surrounding your case, pull the police reports, and ask detailed questions about your DUI case based on this information. The time we invest in every new case we decide to take on is the advantage we provide our clients so that they have the best possible representation and defense. An attorney is only as good as the information and advice they provide. Our goal is to be the best and provide the best representation. See if we are the right fit for you. Call us to schedule a free consultation.