Fort Bend, Katy, Sugar Land and Richmond Texas DWI Attorney

Field Sobriety Tests

I have completed training on how to administer the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and can evaluate whether the officer properly conducted the tests in your case. There are a number of field sobriety tests that are commonly known to test sobriety, however, the court only recognizes three to have any validity as evidence of intoxication. It is common in Sugar Land, Katy, Fort Bend and Richmond Texas for officers to ask DWI suspects to take these field sobriety tests.

The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests are:

• Walk and Turn (WAT)
• One Legged Stand (OLS)
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)

The Walk and Turn involves the driver placing one foot in front of the other with the heel consistently placed against the toe for a certain number of tests. Then the individual must turn and repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.

The One Legged Stand requires the person lift one of their feet off of the ground and hold it straight out in front of them. They must count as they balance standing on one foot for thirty seconds. They should not lift their arms more than six inches from their sides or hop on one foot for balance.

During the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test the person looks at a stimulus in front of them while the officer examines the eyes for how smoothly they are tracking. Each of these tests has been found to be inaccurate some of the time. The HGN has a 77% rate of accuracy, the OLS 65% and the WAT 68%. When both the results of the HGN and the WAT tests are taken into consideration there is an 80% rate of accuracy.

There are certain procedures that must be followed when conducting and scoring these tests. They are not valid evidence if they have not followed proscribed rules for administering them, evaluating performance and scoring them.

As a DWI attorney representing clients in Sugar Land, Katy, Fort Bend and Richmond Texas, I can identify whether any of the tests you experienced were performed properly. My certification in administering the tests gives me knowledge that will help to get these tests excluded from evidence in your trial in Sugar Land, Katy, Fort Bend or Richmond Texas.

Fort Bend
I represent clients in Fort Bend Texas and can fulfill your need for a lawyer to represent you in court for DWI charges. As an experienced Fort Bend DWI lawyer, I am very knowledgeable about the proceedings of DWI cases in Fort Bend, Texas and can effectively represent you in trial. My office is located in Sugar Land and I am available to help you challenge your DWI charges in Sugar Land, Katy, Fort Bend or Richmond Texas.