Penalties for driving while under the influence of alcohol or other judgement and/or motor skill impairing substances vary not only from offense to offense but from state to state as well. As with other traffic violations, the more serious the crime, the more severe the penalty. A first time DUI offender may be sentenced to a suspended driver's license, fines, and drug counseling, while a repeat or habitual DUI offender may be incarcerated possibly up to a year. Penalties may also increase in severity due to the amount of blood alcohol content (BAC) in an individual's system above the legal limit. Also, if a person is under the age of 21 and is has any alcohol in his system, he or she may be arrested and suffer penalties like having license revoked and/or jail time.

 

Have you been arrested for suspicion of DUI and suspect the penalties you face are too severe? If so, please contact a DUI Lawyer in your area today.

 

 

The most common type of DUI is misdemeanor DUI. While it is never a good idea to drive an automobile after drinking more than a few alcoholic beverages, people often think that they are either fit to drive or beneath their state's BAC limit and drive regardless of whether they are not. Police officers trained to spot reckless drivers can often differentiate between a bad driver and a drunk driver and will give a field sobriety and chemical test to anyone suspected of drunk driving. 

 

In cases when a person had simply too much to drink but has not violated any other law, he or she will most likely be charged with a misdemeanor DUI. Penalties for misdemeanor DUI include suspended license, fines, community service, and drug and alcohol counseling. Misdemeanor DUIs rarely involve a jail sentence, but if circumstances warrant, it is not unheard of for an individual to be incarcerated for a short period of time; typically, not exceeding 6 months.

 

 

Felony DUIs are a more serious form of DUI that involve aggravated circumstances. A typical felony DUI often includes either an habitual drunk driver or a situation where the driver has blatantly violated the law by putting others in danger or in harm's way. 

 

Penalties for felony DUIs can be severe due to the factors involved. Habitual DUI offenders constantly put other drivers and pedestrians in harm's way and show no remorse for doing so. Driving with a suspended license while drunk may also result in a felony DUI.

 

Other penalties for DUIs include:

 

 

 

If you or anyone you know has been arrested for DUI, get legal help as soon as possible. A legal representative can help you figure out the best possible defense for your current legal problems and even help reduce your sentence if convicted. Please contact a DUI Lawyer in your area today.