Sarasota Personal Injury Lawyer

It is possible to end up facing a DUI charge if you have been pulled over and are under suspicion of drunk driving. DUI charges can be considered a felony or misdemeanor depending on the situation of your case. A DUI that is labeled as a felony will have a harsher punishment than a misdemeanor. Felonies are a more severe charge and carry a punishment of over a year in jail.

Those who are arrested for driving under the influence will wonder whether they will be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor. Hiring a DUI lawyer will help you establish whether your circumstances will be punishable by a felony or a misdemeanor.

Penalties
There are various penalties for getting a charged with a DUI such as monetary fines, jail time, alcohol abuse counseling and other penalties which vary from state to state. If you get pulled over for driving under the influence you will want to contact a DUI lawyer so they can help reduce the possibility of you being charged with a felony DUI. Some states use the term aggravated DUI, but it is still a felony charge and will have harsher punishments than a misdemeanor.

There can be aspects that may raise your charges to a felony. A majority of the states have the same type of laws for repeat offenders. Meaning if this is your second or more DUI offense, you will most likely be charged with a felony. In other situations, the blood alcohol levels will significantly affect whether there is a charge of a misdemeanor or felony DUI. If you have previous charges of vehicular homicide or vehicular assault that was a result of driving under the influence, your charges can raise to a felony. If the new charges are associated to an incident of vehicular homicide or assault, the likelihood that it will be a felony rises. There is also a possibility that there will be additional charges against you besides the felony, so contacting a criminal defense lawyer to handle your case will help the possibility of reducing your charges and punishment.

Conviction
Convictions of a felony carry a punishment that varies depending on the situation. Punishment can be monetary fines of up to $20,000 or more, up to ten years in prison, license suspension, ignition interlock device, counseling or classes, and your record will have a felony charge on it for good. Given the fact that these charges can be severe, a DUI lawyer is essential. Representation by a lawyer can help get you a reduced charge or penalties. They will help negotiate a plea to a smaller offense instead of being found guilty for a felony. A plea bargain will be your best shot at getting a lighter charger or punishment, but many will not be able to do this without hiring counsel.

Related Legal Website: The Law Offices of Michael Lowe. Serving DUI clients in Dallas, TX.