DUI Attorney

Providing You With a Zealous Legal Defense In the Face of Drunk Driving Charges

DUI laws exist in order to protect motorists and pedestrians on the road from dangerous drivers. However, not everyone who is arrested on the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol was intoxicated at the time of their arrest. There are a great many factors that can cause a person to be falsely arrested for or accused of drunk driving, causing them to live with the consequences of a black mark on their driving record for the rest of their lives. At our Law Office, we provide DUI defendants with expert legal support and an aggressive defense, and we’ll fight tirelessly for your rights under  law.

DUI Penalties

The penalties associated with being convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol can be severe and life changing. Punishments for a DUI conviction are as follows:

First Offense

If you are charged with and convicted of driving while intoxicated for the first time, you could face between 2 days and 6 months in jail. You could also be fined up to $1,000 and have your license suspended for 90 days. In some cases, especially if your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) is very high at the time of your arrest, you may be required to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle.

Second Offense

A second offense DUI is punishable by no less than 30 days in a county jail, but potentially up to 6 months. A $1,000 fine may also be imposed, and your license may be suspended for one year. Again, an ignition interlock device may need to be installed in your vehicle.

Third Offense

The penalties of a third offense DUI are significantly harsher. You could be sentenced to at least 45 days in jail but no more than 5 years. The fine is increased to $2,000 with a third offense DUI, your license will be suspended for 2 years, and you will be required to install an ignition interlock device.

Fourth Offense

For a fourth offense DUI, the incarceration period is no less than 75 days, but up to 30 years depending on the severity of the scenario in question. The fine is increased to $5,000 and license suspension remains at 2 years. An ignition interlock device is also required for this type of DUI charge.

DUI Considerations

The legal limit of alcohol allowed in the blood of a person aged 21 or over is 0.08%. If an individual is under the age of 18, a DUI charge will result if the individual tests positive for 0.02% BAC or higher. Commercial drivers are allowed no greater than a 0.04% BAC before they can be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The lookback period for prior DUI offenses is 10 years. This means that if you had one DUI charge in a period of 10 years and are arrested for another DUI after 10 years have passed, you will be charged with a first time DUI offense instead of a second.

Although you have the right to refuse a chemical test, there are automatic penalties that you will incur if you choose to do so. If you refuse a chemical test on a first or second offense DUI charge, your license will be revoked for no less than 6 months. If you refuse a chemical test on a third offense DUI charge, your license will be revoked and you may also be required to spend no less than 2 days in jail, but potentially more.

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