We want to tell you about a client — whose name we will not use — who called our office the morning after being arrested for OUI on a Saturday night. He was forty-two years old, had a clean record, worked in financial services, and was genuinely devastated. He had had two glasses of wine at dinner, left feeling fine, was stopped at a traffic checkpoint, did well on the field sobriety tests, and when the results came back from the breathalyzer, they showed a reading slightly above the legal limit. He could not understand how this had happened. He felt that his life was over.
What we told him — and what turned out to be true — was that the breathalyzer result was not the whole story. After investigating the stop, reviewing the equipment calibration records, examining the officer’s training certifications, and challenging the foundation for the breathalyzer evidence, we were able to pursue a course that resulted in a significantly better outcome for him than what he feared in those early frightening hours. He kept his job, kept his license, and put the experience behind him.
His story is not universal — every case is different — but it illustrates that the outcome you fear when you are first charged is not the only possibility. What happens between the arrest and the resolution of the case matters enormously.
Why Board Certification in OUI Defense Matters
Attorney Milligan is one of only two attorneys in Massachusetts to earn board certification in OUI law from the American Bar Association. That certification is not a formality. OUI defense involves:
- Field sobriety testing science and NHTSA protocols
- Breathalyzer technology and its specific vulnerabilities
- Blood draw and chemical testing procedures
- A body of case law specific to Massachusetts courts
- Constitutional law governing traffic stops and searches
An attorney without deep familiarity with all of these areas is at a significant disadvantage, regardless of how competent they may be in other areas of law. The science, the law, and the strategy of OUI defense require a level of expertise that goes well beyond general criminal law competence. That is exactly what board certification in OUI defense reflects.
Milligan & Higgins is a premier OUI and criminal defense firm in Massachusetts, with over forty years of collective experience. If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges, we are here to help.
Watch our firm video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx-X_9CssZo&t=2s
Contact Milligan & Higgins for a free consultation or second opinion. Please send us an email: Intake@milliganhiggins.com or call 781-878-1231.
