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Under Connecticut’s criminal law, if you get stopped for DWI, a law enforcement officer will ask you to blow into a breathalyzer. The device uses your breath sample to determine the percentage of alcohol in your blood. In years past, lawyers advised their clients to deny this test; however, now, there are conflicting views on whether you should adhere to a breathalyzer test or wait for a blood test.

Should You Take a Breathalyzer Test?

Traditional View on Breath Tests

For years, experienced DWI lawyers have defended clients who refused to submit to breathalyzer tests, with many successful outcomes. Standard advice from criminal law attorneys to DWI drivers has been that they should not take the breath test. When drivers do give breath samples, skilled lawyers have numerous ways to cast doubt on the accuracy of results produced by equipment like the Intoxilyzer® 5000.

Blood Samples as Alternativescriminal law

After DWI arrests, officers can request search warrants to obtain blood samples if drivers refuse to give breath samples. Officers can fax their warrant applications to judges for the warrants to be issued. Then, they take suspects to hospitals for the blood draw, and the samples are sent to the state lab for testing.

DWI Lawyers Contesting Breath or Blood Samples

Experienced criminal law attorneys are adept at defending DWI clients in breath sample cases due to testing inaccuracies. On the other hand, when measuring a suspect’s blood alcohol content (BAC), a blood sample is more expensive, more invasive, and produces a more accurate result. DWI lawyers know it is harder to defend against blood test results than breath test results, but the consensus still remains: you should deny a breathalyzer test if pulled over.

 

Weingast Law in Hartford, CT, offers wise counsel and vigorous representation with their skilled DWI lawyers. Whether you have given a breath or blood sample in your case, call (860) 233-1440 to make an appointment with a lawyer dedicated to protecting and defending your rights. Learn more about the firm’s criminal law practice by visiting their website now.

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