Cherokee Co. Field Sobriety Tests

Cherokee County officers pull over motorists every night for a variety of traffic offenses.  During some of these stops, the driver will do something to make the officer suspect them of DUI (at least, that is what the the officer will say).  The Cherokee County police officer will want to administer some field sobriety tests.  There are three field sobriety tests that are validated.  They are the HGN (horizontal gaze nystagmus) test, the walk an turn test, and the one leg stand test. 

The HGN test requires the Cherokee County police officer to look at the drivers eyes for involuntary jerking movements.  The walk and turn requires the driver to walk a real or imaginary line.  The one leg stand has the driver stand on one leg for 30 seconds. 

The problem with these tests is that they require the officer to conduct them properly and also are based on the officers subjective evaluation of the drivers performance.  

Cherokee County DUI attorney Richard Lawson is trained in the proper administration of field sobriety tests and can review the video of the DUI arrest to see if the officer followed his training.  Often times, the officer varies from the proper standards and Mr. Lawson can impeach the officer.