Getting a DUI can be a worrying and stressful episode in any person’s life, even people who are used to brushes with the law. For law-abiding citizens, it can have serious ramifications on their life. Some people will need to have a clean criminal record to keep their jobs, even if that criminal record has a DUI only on it.
In this article, we’ll answer the question, “Can a good lawyer beat a DUI?”. In doing so, we explore more exactly what a DUI is so that you can fully understand what the charge is, as well as what the penalties are for such an offence.
What is a DUI?
DUI stands for driving under the influence. With respect to the violation of a law that a police officer can arrest you for, it means driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. While the latter is more widely an immediate penalty, should it be proven that you are driving under the influence of Class A drugs, driving under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs has a sliding scale of severity. The severity will be determined by the laws of the State within which you are arrested.
A DUI can sometimes be referred to as DWI which stands for driving while intoxicated. Again, the laws surrounding DWIs differ depending on what state you are in – plus how a DWI is used in comparison to a DUI can change too.
What is the penalty for a DUI?
Like the law surrounding DUIs, the penalties surrounding them can vary hugely. This will be down to the State in which the arrest was made, as well as how under the influence the person in question is. In short however, the more drunk or intoxicated you are, the more likely you are to be fined and charged with an illegal offence.
Common penalties for charged and convicted DUI offences include losing a driving licence for a certain amount of time. The length to which that licence is lost will depend, again, on the state the conviction is made in. Factors that may soften the severity of the penalty is if you are a first time offender or if the amount of alcohol or narcotic in your blood system is only slightly over the legal limit.
However, it’s possible to face jail time for a DUI. This could be if you are not a first time offender or if you put another person’s life at risk while driving. Worse still, if you injured or killed a person while driving under the influence this will become classed as a felony for which you could be sent to jail.
Fines can be high in whatever state you are in and can be around four figures. Additionally, you may be required to attend an educational program to learn about the effects of drugs or alcohol.
The long standing implications of a DUI should not be dismissed as a form of penalty either. Like losing your job, losing your license can have ramifications on other parts of your life. You may lose your only form of travel. Additionally, a DUI can seriously impact your ability to gain good value insurance – thus making driving a far more expensive mode of transport.
Can I beat a DUI?
Bearing the penalties in mind, if you have been charged with a DUI, it’s an understandable reaction to want to beat it to avoid any legal convictions at all. To do so, you need to have a lawyer who can fight your case and knows how to beat the charge laid at you. Each circumstance will be different, which is why it’s important to give your attorney as much detail as possible. Doing so will help him or her find holes in the prosecution’s case, giving you more chance of beating the DUI charge.
Beating a DUI
Beating a DUI can be tough, but it’s not impossible — especially if you have clear evidence of wrongdoing on the arresting officer’s part or evidence that you were absolutely not driving under the influence. Get the best lawyer you can afford and work closely together to give yourself the best opportunity to beat the charge as possible.