There can be an untold number of details to scrutinize in a DUI arrest. Just ask any Philadelphia DUI attorney, and most will probably say that the judicial process can certainly begin to drag along when the combing over the details leads to legal challenges which need to be answered before a case can proceed. That seems to have been the case for one arrestee in the Philadelphia area, who has been fighting her case since the beginning – back on April 30, 2011.

That was the date that State Representative Cherelle Parker was arrested for allegedly driving a government vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. According to reports, the evidence obtained by police in the case included the results of a breathalyzer test – said to show that Parker had a blood alcohol content of .16 at the time of the arrest. Police allege that Parker also showed other signs of potentially being intoxicated on that date, including the officer’s alleged observations of Parker’s glassy eyes, unsteadiness and slow speech.

For Parker, however, there was a problem with this case. Any drunk driving defense attorney knows that of the many factors which can come into play in a case, and the credibility of the arresting officer’s observations is a big one. Parker was originally successful in suppressing the evidence against her, apparently convincing the trial court judge that the officers in question had problems with their credibility. That ruling, however, was overturned at the next level. And, when the state Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on the case, the next step was to go to trial.

That trial date was set for November 13.

Facing a drunk driving charge can be difficult, especially if the arrestee believes that the police did not follow all of the correct procedures, or in some way the officers violated the arrestee’s rights. In those types of cases, it is important to get the right information on which legal strategy can lead to the most favorable resolution of the case.

Source: philly.com, “State Rep. Parker will face trial on DUI charge,” Mensah M. Dean, Nov. 1, 2012