Brighton DUI Defense Lawyer
A DUI stop on Highway 85 or I-76 near Brighton can feel routine to the officer making it, but the consequences that follow are anything but. Colorado’s DUI laws are strict, the DMV moves fast once an arrest is made, and Adams County prosecutors do not treat impaired driving charges lightly. If you were pulled over in Brighton or anywhere in northern Adams County, what happens in the first days after your arrest shapes everything that comes next. Brighton DUI defense lawyer Reid DeChant handles both the criminal case and the DMV proceeding, because those are two separate fights that have to happen at the same time.
Two Separate Cases, One Arrest: What Brighton DUI Defendants Are Actually Facing
Most people who are arrested for DUI in Brighton think of it as a single event with a single outcome. It is not. There is the criminal case filed in Adams County District Court, and there is the DMV express consent action that moves to suspend your license regardless of what happens in court. These two proceedings run on different timelines, under different rules, and with different consequences.
The DMV side has a hard deadline. You have seven days from the date of your arrest to request a hearing challenging your license suspension. Miss that window and your license gets suspended automatically, before any court date, before any plea, before a judge has heard a word of your case. At DeChant Law, requesting that hearing is the first thing that happens after you reach out, because that deadline does not wait.
On the criminal side, Adams County prosecutors handle a significant volume of DUI cases. Brighton sits along commuter corridors and sees increased law enforcement presence around events in the area. Officers patrol Highway 85, Brighton Road, and the stretches of I-76 running through the county. The charges can range from a first-offense DWAI all the way to a felony DUI if this is a fourth offense or if the stop resulted in injuries. The range of possible outcomes is wide, and the factors that determine where your case lands deserve close attention from the start.
What Reid Actually Does When He Takes a Brighton DUI Case
Representation on a DUI case is not just showing up to court dates. The work that actually moves a case happens long before any hearing.
Pulling the police report and reviewing it line by line for whether the stop itself was lawful. An officer needs reasonable articulable suspicion to initiate a traffic stop. If that suspicion did not exist, or if the report does not support what the officer claimed to observe, that is the foundation of a suppression argument.
Scrutinizing the field sobriety tests. These tests have specific protocols established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Officers are trained to administer them in a particular way and to score them using defined criteria. When those standards are not followed, the results lose their reliability. Reid understands how these tests are supposed to work and what it looks like when they do not.
Challenging the chemical test. Whether the stop led to a breath test or a blood draw, the accuracy of that result is never a given. Breath testing instruments require regular calibration and maintenance, and records of that maintenance are discoverable. Blood samples have a chain of custody that has to hold up. Independent retesting of a preserved blood sample is sometimes warranted. Reid has handled blood and breath test challenges in Adams County and knows what to ask for and where the vulnerabilities tend to be.
Preparing for the DMV hearing, not just attending it. The DMV hearing is an actual evidentiary proceeding. Officers can be subpoenaed. Documents can be requested. Advisements can be challenged. A dismissal at the DMV level keeps your license intact while the criminal case continues.
Adams County Courts and How DUI Cases Move Through Them
Brighton is the county seat of Adams County, and the Adams County Justice Center on Brighton Road is where most DUI cases from the area are processed. Reid DeChant has worked cases in Adams County both as a public defender and in private practice, which means he knows the courthouse, the procedures, and how cases tend to move through the system there.
Misdemeanor DUI cases typically proceed through county court. A third offense or felony DUI goes to district court. First appearances happen quickly, and early decisions about plea negotiations or motions to suppress can significantly affect how a case resolves. Waiting to see how things develop is not a strategy. The earlier an attorney is involved and building a record, the more options remain open.
Adams County has a reputation for vigorous prosecution of DUI cases. That does not mean convictions are inevitable. It means that cases require real preparation, not just familiarity with the general outlines of DUI law. Reid tried a DUI case in Adams County and secured an acquittal. That kind of result does not come from passive representation.
Questions Brighton Residents Ask About DUI Charges
I refused the breath test. Does that make my situation worse?
Refusing a chemical test under Colorado’s express consent law triggers an automatic license revocation, typically for one year on a first refusal, longer if there are prior offenses. The refusal can also be used as evidence in court. It does not, however, eliminate the possibility of a strong defense. The circumstances of the stop and arrest still matter, and challenging the license revocation at the DMV level is still available to you if you act within the seven-day window.
What is the difference between DUI and DWAI in Colorado?
DUI requires a BAC of 0.08% or higher or impairment to the point where you cannot drive safely. DWAI applies to a BAC between 0.05% and 0.079%, or evidence that your driving ability was even slightly impaired. DWAI carries lighter penalties than DUI, but it still results in points on your license, possible jail time on a second or subsequent offense, and a criminal record. Both are worth contesting.
Can a DUI charge be dismissed before trial?
Yes. Cases get dismissed when suppression motions succeed, when the chemical test results are excluded or challenged, when the state cannot meet its evidentiary burden, or when procedural problems undermine the prosecution’s case. Not every case ends that way, but dismissal is a real outcome, not a rare exception reserved for unusual circumstances.
What happens to my driver’s license if I am convicted?
A first DUI conviction in Colorado results in a nine-month license suspension. A second offense carries a one-year revocation. These are in addition to any DMV action taken at the time of arrest. In some cases, early installation of an ignition interlock device can allow for earlier reinstatement. The DMV and criminal sides interact in ways that are worth understanding before any plea is entered.
Does a DUI conviction stay on my record permanently in Colorado?
DUI and DWAI convictions are not eligible for record sealing in Colorado. That makes the decision about how to handle the criminal case especially significant. A conviction becomes a permanent part of your record and affects future employment, professional licensing, and any subsequent DUI charges, which carry escalating penalties under Colorado law.
How does a DUI affect a commercial driver’s license?
The consequences for CDL holders are more severe. A first DUI conviction results in a one-year CDL disqualification, even if the arrest occurred in a personal vehicle. A second conviction means lifetime disqualification. Because Brighton sits along freight and agricultural transportation routes, this is a real concern for many drivers in the area. The stakes justify a defense that takes both the criminal case and the CDL consequences seriously from day one.
What if this is my first offense and I had no prior contact with law enforcement?
First-offense DUI cases still carry mandatory minimum sentences in Colorado, including jail time, fines, and license suspension. A first offense does not mean a lenient outcome is automatic. It does mean you have more options available than someone with prior convictions, and those options are best preserved by involving an attorney early, before the initial court appearance.
Facing a DUI Charge in Brighton? Start Here.
A DUI arrest in Adams County is not something to wait out or hope resolves itself. The DMV deadline is immediate, the court process starts quickly, and the decisions made early in a case shape the outcome. DeChant Law represents people facing impaired driving charges in Brighton and throughout Adams County. Reid has handled these cases from the DMV hearing through jury trial, and he brings that range of experience to every case he takes. If you are dealing with a Brighton DUI defense situation, reach out to DeChant Law to talk through where your case stands and what comes next.
