Following his arrest in South Florida on January 23rd, Justin Bieber’s DUI trial has been pushed back from its original scheduled date of May 5th. He is now set to be in court on July 7th. The international pop star’s team of defense attorneys believe that a postponement is necessary to allow time to examine evidence and negotiate a plea deal.
Roy Black, Justin Bieber’s lawyer, requested a 60-day delay from the May 5th trial, but was granted an extended postponement, setting the new court date to July 7th. Miami-Dade County Judge William Altfield indicated that he wants everyone to have ample time to prepare for the hearing.
DUI charges in the state of Florida are no small matter. In Fort Lauderdale and across the state, prosecutors are vigorous and relentless about pursuing these particular charges. If you are stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence, police officers will likely administer a myriad of sobriety tests, ranging from a breathalyzer reading to the walk-and-turn roadside test.
Justin Bieber, who was 19 years old at the time of his arrest, was both breathalyzed and subjected to roadside sobriety tests while the patrol car cameras were rolling. Bieber’s blood-alcohol content was below the legal underage limit of .02, but he admitted to police that he had been smoking marijuana and using Xanax before driving recklessly that evening.
In addition to DUI charges, the teen idol will also be facing charges of driving without a license, another serious legal matter in the state of Florida. Such charges can land defendants with heavy fines, extended or permanent license suspension, and even jail time. To avoid the most severe charges, Bieber’s legal team will be attempting to form a plea bargain.
As the skilled DUI attorneys at Gilbert & Smallman know, roadside testing alone does not constitute as definitive proof of guilt of intoxication, and often the tests are not administered fairly or safely. A trained Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Tallahassee DUI lawyer can break down the inherent flaws in this test, and at trial nullify the testimony of the police through effective cross examination. According to the StarTribune, Justin Bieber’s lawyer also doubts cthe integrity of his client’s roadside DUI tests.
“There are some serious matters regarding the testing,” attorney Roy Black said regarding the prosecution’s primary evidence.
For illegally drag racing while intoxicated and without a license, and then resisting arrest, pop star Justin Bieber is certainly in a good deal of trouble. However, with a solid line of legal defense, he has a fighting chance of avoiding jail time.
