Attorney Matthew Peterson wins OUI case in Ayer District Court after recently securing a not guilty verdict for a client charged with operating under the influence in Ayer District Court. The bench trial lasted less than an hour. The case is now sealed, and the related traffic citations were dismissed. Here is how we got there — and why it matters if you are facing an OUI charge in Eastern Massachusetts.
We Started Working the Case Immediately
Our client hired us shortly after his arrest. We did not wait. We requested the body-worn camera footage and the rest of the discovery from the Commonwealth right away, then went through every piece of it looking for weaknesses in the case against him.
OUI cases live and die in the details. What the officer said and did, how the stop unfolded, what happened during booking, and whether the police followed proper procedures — all of it matters. Comparing the police report against the actual video often shows gaps, contradictions, or constitutional problems that change the entire shape of a case.
That is exactly what happened here.
The Motion to Suppress Changed Everything
After reviewing the discovery, we filed a motion to suppress. The motion challenged how the police handled the search of our client’s car, which the Commonwealth defended as a routine inventory search.
In Massachusetts, an inventory search is not a free pass. Police have to follow specific, written procedures, and the search has to be done for a legitimate caretaking reason — not as a backdoor way to look for evidence. When officers do not follow those rules, evidence pulled out of the car can be thrown out.
That is what happened here. After the officer testified at the motion hearing, the judge suppressed crucial evidence that the Commonwealth was relying on. The prosecution’s case was significantly weaker before we ever got to trial.
Why We Chose a Bench Trial
After winning the motion, we made a strategic decision to take the case to a bench trial — a trial in front of a judge instead of a jury.
Bench trials are not right for every case. But in the right case, they offer real advantages:
Faster scheduling. Bench trials are usually easier to put on the calendar than jury trials, which means clients spend less time in limbo.
Quicker resolution. A faster trial means a faster path to getting your driver’s license back and putting the case behind you.
Focused on the law. Judges decide cases on the law and the evidence, which can be an advantage when the prosecution’s case has already been weakened by a successful motion.
For this client, a bench trial was the right call.
The Verdict
The trial took less than an hour. The Commonwealth called the arresting officer and presented its case. We cross-examined and presented ours. The judge found our client not guilty of OUI and not responsible for the related traffic citations.
Because of the not guilty verdict, the case is sealed automatically under Massachusetts law. That means no OUI conviction, no traffic findings, and a clean answer to the questions on job, housing, and licensing applications.
What This Means for You
Every OUI case is different, and no honest lawyer can promise a specific outcome. But this case shows what good defense work looks like: get the discovery early, challenge the weak parts of the prosecution’s case, and pick the right trial strategy.
If the police did not follow the rules, you have options. If the evidence is weaker than the prosecution thinks, you have leverage. You just need someone who knows where to look.
Facing an OUI in Ayer District Court or Elsewhere?
If you are facing an OUI charge — in Ayer District Court or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts — you need an experienced OUI attorney who knows how to fight these cases. With 15 years of combined experience, the Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson handled numerous OUI cases in Massachusetts. Call or text us at 617-2957-500 to get started on your case.
