Memphis DUI Attorney

Helping Clients Challenge Reasonable Suspicions for Stops

In many instances, DUI arrests occur because the police believe they have a reasonable suspicion to pull you over. However, this reasonable suspicion does not have to be based on the fact that you may be intoxicated or under the influence. The police can use any other infraction as justification for a stop.

If you have been pulled over and then subsequently charged with a DUI and believe the police did not have proper grounds, at the law office of Patrick E. Stegall, Counselor and Attorney at Law, I can help you challenge the arrest and charges. From my office in Memphis, I help people all over Tennessee protect and assert their legal rights. Contact me today to discuss your case during a free consultation.

Under current Tennessee law, the police must have a legal justification for stopping a driver, which means they must have a reasonable suspicion that a criminal offense has been or is about to be committed. In the case of a DUI, most police initially pull someone over because they observe a minor traffic offense such as:

  • Speeding
  • Failure to wear a seat belt
  • Rolling through a stop sign
  • Changing lanes improperly

In all these instances, law enforcement can claim that they had reasonable suspicion to pull a driver over and then once they speak with the driver they can determine that someone is under the influence or is impaired.

However, sometimes the police will claim that they had reasonable suspicion to stop you because you may have failed to use a turn signal. This is not always a valid basis to stop a vehicle, because turn signals are necessary only when another car might be affected by the turn. If no other traffic is nearby, a stop based on failure to use turn signal is invalid.

As your DUI lawyer I will examine the initial stop to see whether the police had reasonable suspicion to pull you over. If the initial stop is invalid, the DUI itself must be thrown out and I will present the argument to the judge as to why the charges should be dismissed. I will look at every detail and prepare a comprehensive argument that supports the stop being thrown out, if the police did not act properly.

Do not accept everything at face value that the police tell you. Sometimes, their actions are not reasonable, and the suspicions they have are not valid or not investigated properly. Before you make any decisions about your case, contact me to see how I can help you. I offer free consultations, and I am here to be your advocate.