We think it is always more difficult to see someone you love be in pain than it is to feel the pain yourself, and being arrested is definitely painful. So, what do you do if someone you love finds themselves facing a DUI arrest?

1. First, realize that the person you love is hurting at a very deep level.  Being arrested, at least for the folks we help, is incredibly traumatic.  Between the handcuffs in the back of a police car, a locked jail cell, and the very public airing of a less-than-proud moment, your loved one truly needs your support and compassion more than ever.
2. Second, make sure your loved one quickly finds solid legal help. Many times the person you love may resist spending the family’s resources on an attorney to help. This certainly has a logic from your person’s perspective.  They think “I made a mistake, I don’t want to compound the harm to my family by spending money”. If you see this, please step in to help make sure that your loved one is legally taken care of. It isn’t the court system’s job to take care of your person, and if your person isn’t helping him or herself.  Please do what you can to be sure that things don’t become worse than they need to be.
3. Third, look at the big picture.  Working through a DUI arrest is a process, and your loved one will get through this. No, it won’t be the most fun they (or you, for that matter) ever had.  The challenges, however, will be minimized.  You can help by supporting each other emotionally and finding an attorney you can trust.  Then you can focus both your energies on the things you can change rather than spinning in anger or shame.

About Reynolds Defense Firm

As always, please consider Portland’s top DUI firm when seeking legal counsel.  Reynolds Defense Firm as a resource to help you and your loved one figure out the right next steps.  Sometimes that means we work together, sometimes we don’t. Either way we can answer some questions, and help you both sleep easier at night.  To contact Reynolds Defense Firm, please call 503.223.3422 for additional information.  You can also submit an online form or chat or text us with our 24/7 live chat service for your free initial consultation.