How YOUR DUI Attorney Can Help You

If you are reading this, you may have recently been arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence), also known as DWI (Driving While Impaired). The first thing you MUST do is seek the guidance of a skilled DUI attorney as soon as possible. Your highly-trained DUI defense lawyer will explain the consequences of your arrest and will take you through any pre-trial, trial and sentencing that may apply to your case. He will also request a hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If this is not done in a timely manner, your driver’s license will be automatically suspended! You may face the impounding or forfeiture of your vehicle, fines and imprisonment if found guilty of driving under the influence. The definition and penalties associated with a DUI vary from state to state; it is of the utmost importance for you to interview and hire a highly-trained dui lawyer immediately! A conviction of DUI/DWI will drastically affect the rest of your life. You must do everything possible to protect yourself, your family and your property from the effects of a drunk driving conviction!

A common mistake that individuals who are new to the justice system make is in hiring a lawyer who does NOT specialize in DUI defense. Many people are under the mistaken idea that all defense attorneys are trained in DUI defense. This is not the case with the majority of criminal defense attorneys. It is imperative that hire a highly-trained DWI defense attorney, one with whom you feel comfortable and confident as they take you through the various aspects of your court appearances and DMV hearings.

Driving Under the Influence

Every day 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle accidents that involve a drunk driver! According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), three in every ten Americans will be involved in a motorcycle, truck or automobile crash caused by driving under the influence. In one year, more than 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And this accounts for less than 1% of the 159 million self-reported incidents of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year. These statistics do not include drivers under the legal drinking age of 21, where Zero Tolerance (less than 0.02 Blood Alcohol Content) is the law!

Penalties for Driving Under the Influence

The exact definition and penalties associated with an arrest for driving under the influence vary from state to state and may depend on if there was danger to the public or property, any evidence by witnesses or police, physical symptoms of the driver and the results of any field sobriety testing (breathalyzer or physical dexterity testing) or chemical testing (blood tests or urinalysis).

The purpose of DUI statues is to reduce the incidence of driving under the influence, thus increasing highway safety and reducing traffic fatalities and injuries. Punishments for drunk driving have become increasingly harsher over the past ten years and will almost certainly continue to increase in severity. These include:

• Fines that can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, as well as increased insurance costs

• Probation, community service, home monitoring and/or mandatory attendance at DUI or AA meetings

• Suspension, revocation or restriction of driver’s license, in conjunction with the DMV

• Installation of ignition interlock devices

• Vehicle impoundment or forfeiture

• Monetary restitution to the victim/s

• Incarceration in a county or state prison for sentences ranging from one day to several months or even years for multiple offenses

You must be completely open and honest with your attorney; all of the information that you provide will be held in strict confidentiality and is legally protected under the law!
If you are facing a potential DUI charge, please fill out our secure free legal evaluation form and one of our DUI attorneys will contact you immediately. Or call us toll free at 800-798-8384. Your information will remain confidential.