When you're arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, you'll want to immediately hire an attorney who specializes in representing clients facing the same situation as you. In the hours and days ahead, when your attorney assesses the arrest report and talks to you about the event in question, he or she will indicate whether you have a justifiable defense for your case. 

For example, if the attorney believes that the arresting officer didn't follow protocol, the case may center around this detail, and the charges could get dropped. However, your attorney may also indicate that the case against you is solid. In such a scenario, talk to your attorney about one of these plea options.

Reckless Driving

Your attorney may ask you how you'd feel about pleading guilty to reckless driving in order to have the DUI charges dropped. For many people, this is the lesser of two evils; while no one wants to plead guilty to reckless driving, this charge on your record is much less serious than a DUI charge. Reckless driving is still serious, but it doesn't carry the stigma of drunk driving. For example, a reckless driving charge could suggest that you left your lane and wrecked your car while attempting to pass another driver.

Open Container

Having an open container of alcohol in your vehicle is less of a serious charge than being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. If you were actively drinking from a can or bottle while driving and were pulled over, the case against you will often be strong unless the arresting officer somehow made a mistake. Talk to your attorney about the possibility of pleading guilty to having an open container instead of DUI. Again, this is less of a serious charge, and the court may be open to this plea.

Guilty But With Conditions

In some cases, you might not be worried about a DUI on your record — but you don't want the charge to lead to major disruptions in your life. For example, you might have the option of pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol with the prosecution's promise that you'll be sentenced to probation, rather than a short stint in jail. If the idea of going to jail terrifies you and the prosecution's case is solid, seeing if your DUI attorney can work out a deal of this nature may help you to make the most of a bad situation.