Driving under the influence (DUI) is taken very seriously by law enforcement officers and court authorities around the state. Even a single conviction can turn your life upside down. Repeated DUI offenses are prosecuted even more harshly and may be classified as felonies with the risk of imprisonment. While being charged with a DUI might feel isolating, you do not have to take on this legal process alone.
With an expert defense attorney in your corner, you can fight your charges head-on and pursue the best possible case result. Whether this is your first charge or you have prior convictions on your record, representation from an award-winning Pembroke Pines DUI lawyer at Rossen Firm can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Our team has extensive experience and a track record of successful results for people like you.
First-Time DUI Charges
According to Florida Statutes § 316.193, someone is illegally driving under the influence if they operate a car while having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or more. Police officers can use blood or breath testing to make an exact determination of whether someone was driving while drunk. They can also use someone’s physical behavior as evidence. However, someone who drives with an unlawful BAC has broken the law regardless of how subjectively “impaired” they are.
The first time someone is convicted of DUI, courts categorize the offense as a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum six-month jail term, a fine between $500 and $1,000, and a license revocation for anywhere from six months to one year. The court may additionally or alternatively sentence someone to community service, a maximum one-year probation term, vehicle impoundment, and mandatory ignition interlock device (IID) installation. It is essential to proactively contest DUI charges with the help of an expert Pembroke Pines attorney from Rossen Law Firm, even as a first-time offender. Just one conviction on your record can lead to dramatically harsher penalties in the future.
Enhanced Penalties for Multiple DUI Convictions
Having prior DUI convictions on your record can lead to enhanced penalties in the event of another arrest. When someone is charged with a second DUI within five years of their first conviction, courts will still classify the case as a misdemeanor. However, a conviction for the second DUI could lead to a mandatory jail sentence of up to a maximum of nine months, a five-year license revocation, and vehicle impoundment for 30 days.
State law treats third and subsequent DUI convictions as felonies, which means that you could face between 30 days and five years in state prison as well as fines of up to $5,000, ten-year license suspension, and 90 days of vehicle impoundment. Guidance from a
skilled lawyer is critical for contesting DUI charges in Pembroke Pines when you have prior convictions on your record.
A DUI allegation is not something you should try to handle by yourself or depend on a public defender to handle for you. Law enforcement officers and criminal court judges pursue and prosecute these charges harshly, and you need an expert attorney in your corner.
This is where our team at
Rossen Law Firm comes in. We will do everything in our power to protect you from the harsh criminal sanctions that come with a driving under the influence conviction. Call today to schedule your
free strategy session with an award-winning Pembroke Pines DUI lawyer.