After being charged with a DUI, some of our clients were interested in requesting dash cam footage from the arresting officer’s vehicle to determine whether they should go to court or not. So what is the process of obtaining this piece of evidence?
The first thing you need to understand is that you should not request the footage in person. You can either have your attorney do it for you or write a letter to the issuing agency.
If you decide to mail your request, mark the front of the envelope “ATTN CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS.” Inside the envelope, attach a copy of your citation and state that you are seeking informal discovery in connection with that citation. Do not state that you have a court date, only discuss you are seeking informal discovery.
Here are the following items you should ask for in your letter:
- A copy of the officer’s copy of the citation, including the back side containing all of the notes regarding this case
- A copy of all other reports in connection with this case
- A copy of the calibration records for all speed and BAC measuring devices used in connection with the case
- A copy of all pertinent speed surveys related to the case
- A copy of the police vehicle recording made in connection the case
- A copy of all personal recordings the officer may have made in connection with the case
Once you have obtained those items, you will have a better understanding of what you are up against and whether or not there is anything to formulate your defense on.
If you were recently charged with a DUI in Ventura County, request a free consultation with The Law Offices of Robert F. Sommers today.