Facing allegations of driving under the influence (DUI) can have serious and costly consequences. While facing a DUI is many people’s first introduction to Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, it is not an exaggeration to say that a DUI conviction can truly change your life.
With this in mind, if you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, it is extremely important that you put an experienced lawyer on your side. There are numerous ways an experienced DUI lawyer will be able to help you—whether you were wrongfully arrested or you got caught driving drunk.
Why It’s Important to Speak with a Lawyer As Soon As Possible After a DUI Arrest
Here are 10 important reasons why you should always talk to a lawyer after a DUI arrest in Pennsylvania:
1. You May Be Able to Protect Your Driving Privileges
If you refused the breath test, if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.10% or above, or if you have a prior DUI (or multiple prior DUIs) on your record, your driving privileges are in jeopardy. Not only can losing your driving privileges make your day-to-day life much more difficult, but getting your license back can also be an expensive process. Your DUI lawyer will be able to help you fight to protect your license by all means available, including immediately requesting a PennDOT hearing if necessary.
2. You May Be Eligible to Obtain an Occupational Limited License (OLL)
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be eligible to obtain an occupational limited license (OLL) so that you can drive to work. Determining whether (and when) you are eligible for an OLL can be challenging, and obtaining your OLL can prove challenging as well. Your DUI lawyer will be able to provide the insights and assistance you need.
3. You May Be Facing Steep Fines
In all cases, DUI convictions carry steep fines. Fines start at $300 for a first-time “general impairment” offense (with a BAC of 0.08% to 0.99%), and they can climb as high as $10,000. If you are being accused of having an open container in your vehicle, carrying a minor passenger, and causing an accident while driving under the influence, these all carry additional financial penalties.
4. You May Be Facing Jail Time
With the exception of first-time “general impairment” DUIs, all DUI charges carry the possibility of jail time under Pennsylvania law. This means that if your BAC was 0.10% or above or you have a prior DUI on your record, facing jail time is a very real possibility. If you are facing jail time as a result of your arrest, you need an experienced DUI lawyer on your side.
5. You May Be Facing Other Penalties
Along with a driver’s license suspension, fines, and jail time, DUI convictions can carry other penalties in Pennsylvania as well. These can include (and are not necessarily limited to):
- Probation
- Alcohol highway safety school
- Alcohol dependence treatment and evaluation
- Ignition interlock device (IID) installation
Having a DUI conviction on your record can negatively impact your life in many ways—and these negative impacts can endure long after you have paid your fines and served your sentence. All together, the costs of facing a DUI conviction can far exceed the cost of hiring an experienced DUI lawyer to represent you.
6. You May Have Various Defenses to Your DUI Charge
Another reason why you should always talk to a lawyer after a DUI arrest is that you may have various defenses available. This is true regardless of whether you got caught driving drunk. If the police violated your constitutional rights, if your BAC reading is unreliable for any reason, or if prosecutors simply don’t have the evidence they need to convict you, these are all issues that an experienced DUI lawyer will be able to raise on your behalf.
7. You May Be Eligible for Pre-Trial Diversion
While fighting your DUI in Pennsylvania court is one option, this isn’t necessarily the only option you have available. For example, if this is your first offense, you may be eligible for pre-trial diversion. If you are eligible for pre-trial diversion, your lawyer can help you enroll, and then your lawyer can advise you as you work through the process of taking the necessary steps to have your DUI charge dismissed.
8. You May Want to Consider a Plea Bargain
Another alternative to fighting your DUI is to seek a plea bargain. If you don’t have a strong defense and you aren’t eligible for pre-trial diversion, negotiating a plea bargain could be your best option under the circumstances at hand. To effectively seek a plea bargain, however, you will need an experienced DUI lawyer on your side.
9. You Need to Avoid Common Mistakes to Avoid Unnecessary Consequences
When you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, even simple mistakes can have serious consequences. Missing court dates and deadlines, overlooking options such as pre-trial diversion, and ignoring potential defenses to your DUI can all lead to consequences that you could—and should—have avoided. When you hire an experienced DUI lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will walk you through the mistakes you need to avoid while also taking the necessary steps to minimize the consequences of your arrest on your behalf.
10. You Owe It to Yourself and Your Family
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you owe it to yourself and your family to fight your DUI by all means available. As we said above, a DUI conviction can truly have life-altering consequences in Pennsylvania. By working closely with an experienced DUI lawyer, you can ensure that you are making smart decisions; and, at the end of your case, you can feel confident knowing that you have done everything possible to protect your future.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Stroudsburg DUI Lawyer Brian C. Jordan Today
If you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, we encourage you to contact us right away. Call 570-356-4985 or get in touch online to schedule a free consultation with Stroudsburg DUI lawyer Brian C. Jordan today.
Facing allegations of driving under the influence (DUI) can have serious and costly consequences. While facing a DUI is many people’s first introduction to Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, it is not an exaggeration to say that a DUI conviction can truly change your life.
With this in mind, if you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, it is extremely important that you put an experienced lawyer on your side. There are numerous ways an experienced DUI lawyer will be able to help you—whether you were wrongfully arrested or you got caught driving drunk.
Why It’s Important to Speak with a Lawyer As Soon As Possible After a DUI Arrest
Here are 10 important reasons why you should always talk to a lawyer after a DUI arrest in Pennsylvania:
1. You May Be Able to Protect Your Driving Privileges
If you refused the breath test, if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.10% or above, or if you have a prior DUI (or multiple prior DUIs) on your record, your driving privileges are in jeopardy. Not only can losing your driving privileges make your day-to-day life much more difficult, but getting your license back can also be an expensive process. Your DUI lawyer will be able to help you fight to protect your license by all means available, including immediately requesting a PennDOT hearing if necessary.
2. You May Be Eligible to Obtain an Occupational Limited License (OLL)
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be eligible to obtain an occupational limited license (OLL) so that you can drive to work. Determining whether (and when) you are eligible for an OLL can be challenging, and obtaining your OLL can prove challenging as well. Your DUI lawyer will be able to provide the insights and assistance you need.
3. You May Be Facing Steep Fines
In all cases, DUI convictions carry steep fines. Fines start at $300 for a first-time “general impairment” offense (with a BAC of 0.08% to 0.99%), and they can climb as high as $10,000. If you are being accused of having an open container in your vehicle, carrying a minor passenger, and causing an accident while driving under the influence, these all carry additional financial penalties.
4. You May Be Facing Jail Time
With the exception of first-time “general impairment” DUIs, all DUI charges carry the possibility of jail time under Pennsylvania law. This means that if your BAC was 0.10% or above or you have a prior DUI on your record, facing jail time is a very real possibility. If you are facing jail time as a result of your arrest, you need an experienced DUI lawyer on your side.
5. You May Be Facing Other Penalties
Along with a driver’s license suspension, fines, and jail time, DUI convictions can carry other penalties in Pennsylvania as well. These can include (and are not necessarily limited to):
- Probation
- Alcohol highway safety school
- Alcohol dependence treatment and evaluation
- Ignition interlock device (IID) installation
Having a DUI conviction on your record can negatively impact your life in many ways—and these negative impacts can endure long after you have paid your fines and served your sentence. All together, the costs of facing a DUI conviction can far exceed the cost of hiring an experienced DUI lawyer to represent you.
6. You May Have Various Defenses to Your DUI Charge
Another reason why you should always talk to a lawyer after a DUI arrest is that you may have various defenses available. This is true regardless of whether you got caught driving drunk. If the police violated your constitutional rights, if your BAC reading is unreliable for any reason, or if prosecutors simply don’t have the evidence they need to convict you, these are all issues that an experienced DUI lawyer will be able to raise on your behalf.
7. You May Be Eligible for Pre-Trial Diversion
While fighting your DUI in Pennsylvania court is one option, this isn’t necessarily the only option you have available. For example, if this is your first offense, you may be eligible for pre-trial diversion. If you are eligible for pre-trial diversion, your lawyer can help you enroll, and then your lawyer can advise you as you work through the process of taking the necessary steps to have your DUI charge dismissed.
8. You May Want to Consider a Plea Bargain
Another alternative to fighting your DUI is to seek a plea bargain. If you don’t have a strong defense and you aren’t eligible for pre-trial diversion, negotiating a plea bargain could be your best option under the circumstances at hand. To effectively seek a plea bargain, however, you will need an experienced DUI lawyer on your side.
9. You Need to Avoid Common Mistakes to Avoid Unnecessary Consequences
When you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, even simple mistakes can have serious consequences. Missing court dates and deadlines, overlooking options such as pre-trial diversion, and ignoring potential defenses to your DUI can all lead to consequences that you could—and should—have avoided. When you hire an experienced DUI lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will walk you through the mistakes you need to avoid while also taking the necessary steps to minimize the consequences of your arrest on your behalf.
10. You Owe It to Yourself and Your Family
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you owe it to yourself and your family to fight your DUI by all means available. As we said above, a DUI conviction can truly have life-altering consequences in Pennsylvania. By working closely with an experienced DUI lawyer, you can ensure that you are making smart decisions; and, at the end of your case, you can feel confident knowing that you have done everything possible to protect your future.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Stroudsburg DUI Lawyer Brian C. Jordan Today
If you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, we encourage you to contact us right away. Call 570-356-4985 or get in touch online to schedule a free consultation with Stroudsburg DUI lawyer Brian C. Jordan today.