OHIO DUI / OVI ATTORNEY
SERVING PATASKALA, OHIO
If you have been charged with an OVI in Pataskala, contacting an experienced OVI lawyer is essential. As a DUI attorney defending clients in Pataskala, Ohio, Attorney Douglas Riddell will examine all aspects of your DUI case to determine whether the arresting Pataskala police officer properly issued all required warnings, properly administered all of the roadside field sobriety tests, and performed the search, tests and arrest properly and lawfully.
Attorney Doug Riddell represents clients facing drunk driving charges throughout Central Ohio in cases ranging from first offense DUI/OVI charges to repeat felony OVI/DUI cases that can carry significant penalties, including jail time.
PATASKALA, OHIO MAYOR’S COURT
If you have been charged with a DUI / OVI in Pataskala, Ohio, your case may be filed in the Pataskala Mayor’s Court. The Court is located at 621 West Broad Street, Pataskala, Ohio. Court is in session every Thursday beginning at 2:00 P.M. and is presided over by a magistrate (who is an attorney).
Attorney Doug Riddell practices in the Pataskala Mayor’s Court representing his clients facing OVI, traffic, and other criminal misdemeanor charges. The Pataskala Mayor’s Court hears traffic cases and other misdemeanor charges, including DUI / OVI cases.
Whether you should move forward with your case in the Mayor’s Court or transfer the case to the Licking County Municipal Court is a decision you should make in conjunction with your attorney. There are both pros and cons to having your case heard in the Pataskala Mayor’s Court, depending on your specific situation.
For example, Mayor’s Courts, including the Pataskala Mayor’s Court, are not courts of record and are not authorized to conduct jury trials. Thus, if a defendant charged with a DUI in Pataskala would like a jury trial, then the case will be transferred to the Licking County Municipal Court. In fact, a defendant can opt to transfer or appeal his or her case to the Licking County Municipal Court at any time for any reason.
There may be some advantages, however, to having your case heard in the Pataskala Mayor’s Court. For example, a hearing in a mayor’s court is generally more informal, may have evening hours, and may be more conveniently located for you than the Licking County Court. The Pataskala Mayor’s Court, for instance, is held in the evening each Thursday beginning at 2:00 PM. Consulting with an experienced Ohio DUI attorney on this issue is critical to ensure the best possible outcome given the circumstances of your case.
If you hire Riddell Law as your attorney, we will consult with you and advise whether it is best based on the facts of your case to have your case heard in the Pataskala Mayor’s Court, or to transfer the case to the Licking County Municipal Court.
If you choose us as your lawyer, we will meet with you first (preferably before your first court appearance) to better understand what happened in your case and to begin identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case where possible. After your first court appearance (which is called your “arraignment”), we will continue to gather information about the facts of your case, evaluate possible flaws in the prosecution’s case, and negotiate with the prosecutor for a favorable resolution of your case, including the best possible options for reinstatement of your driver’s license. If negotiations fail, Attorney Doug Riddell will conduct motion hearings and a trial as necessary to ensure the best possible outcome.
To begin the process and discuss representation for your Pataskala, Ohio DUI / OVI, call Attorney Doug Riddell directly at 614-361-2804. Because we know DUI charges rarely happen during 9:00-5:00 working hours, Mr. Riddell is there to take your call after hours, on evenings, weekends, and holidays.
The Pataskala Mayor’s Court is located at 621 West Broad Street, Pataskala, Ohio.
