DUI Law - Defendant Represents Self - Blows Easy Win

Today's DAD should be copied and given to potential clients who try to 'save money' and represent themselves. In City of Olmstead Falls v. Buckwald Slip Copy, 2011 WL 6009591 (Ohio App. 8 Dist.), 2011 -Ohio- 6174 the defendant was found guilty of drunk driving while riding a bicycle. unfortunately, he represented himself. Buckwald pleaded no contest to driving under the influence, and the court sentenced him to ten days in jail, one-year driver's license suspension, and a $500 fine suspended. Apparently at some point he learned that he could have won his case with a good lawyer, and then filed an untimely motion to reconsider (another blunder by an untrained citizen). After losing that, he filed an untimely application to re-open, which could only be successful if he alleged incompetent counsel.



As the United States Supreme Court noted in Faretta v. California (1975), 422 U.S. 806, 834, n. 46, 95 S.Ct. 2525, “a defendant who elects to represent himself cannot thereafter complain that the quality of his own defense amounted to a denial of ‘effective assistance of counsel.’ “ Oh well, better luck next time (and you know there will be). Looking for a Top DUI DWI Attorney? Visit Americas Top DUI and DWI Attorneys at http://www.1800dialdui.com or call 1-800-DIAL-DUI to find a DUI OUI DWI Attorney Lawyer Now!

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