Jacksonville DUI -Driving While Under the Influence (DUI/DWI)

“I have been arrested for DUI, and I don’t know what I should do!”  ”What is going to happen to me?”  ”Will I go to jail if I am arrested and convicted of drunk driving?”  ”I wasn’t even drinking and driving!” “I only had one drink, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested me for drinking and driving, but I was not intoxicated?” “I can’t afford to go to jail for a Florida DUI!”  ”How will this Driving Under the Influence charge effect me?  Will I have a criminal record for DUI?”  ”Will I lose my Florida driver’s license, because I have been charged with Driving Under the Influence?”  ”Should I hire a lawyer to defend my Jacksonville DUI case?”  ”Would hiring a Jacksonville lawyer help me with my DUI case?”  These are only a few of the questions that run through a driver’s mind when he or she is arrested for Driving Under the Influence in Clay County, Duval County, St. Johns County, or Nassau County.  A DUI in Clay County will be treated the same as a DUI arrest in Duval County or a DUI charge in St. Johns County.  A Jacksonville DUI Lawyer with experience with Driving Under the Influence cases can defend you against DUI charges and make sure that your rights are protected.

Regardless of where your Northeast Florida arrest occurs, it is important not to fall into despair or panic.  You should not feel helpless, ashamed, or embarrassed because of your DUI arrest.  Just because you have been arrested for or even charged with Driving Under the Influence, it does not mean that you will lose your license, go to jail, or be convicted.  You may have a DUI defense for your case.  A Florida DUI Lawyer knows how to evaluate all the evidence in a case to build a defense to a DUI charge.  A Jacksonville criminal attorney with experience knows that the Clay, Nassau, St. Johns, and Duval County State Attorney’s offense must prove the crime of driving under the influence beyond a reasonable doubt before you can be convicted.  In some cases, the evidence may be insufficient and the prosecution cannot prove the case.  If your DUI case is not properly investigated and defended, you could lose a lot more than your Florida Drivers License.

According to Florida laws, Driving Under the Influence occurred when it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that you:

1. Were driving while your faculties were impaired due to the influence of drugs or alcohol; or
2. Were driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.80 or higher.

A DUI arrest usually occurs after a police officer stops a driver.  Once legally stopped, an officer can evaluate an odor of alcohol, whether your eyes are bloodshot, if you speech is slurred, your stability on your feet, evidence of drug or alcohol on your person or in your car.  The Florida police officer will also ask questions, such as whether you have been drinking or taken any drugs or medications.  It does not matter if the medications were proscribed to you or not.  You can still be charged with a DUI based on prescription medications.  However, if you were not legally stopped (there was an unlawful search and seizure), the DUI evidence that follows the stop may not be admissible in court at trial.

The penalties have different ranges depending how many prior DUI charges are on your driving record.  In Florida, the sentences for DUI are as follows:

First Offense: Fine: $250-$500; Suspension: 6-12 Months; Jail: 1 day – 6 months; Probation 6-12 Months.
Second Offense: Fine: $500-$1,000; Suspension: 6-12 Months or 5 years; Jail: 10 days – 9 months; Probation 6-12 Months; Ignition lock; 1 year.
Third Offense: Fine: $1,000-$5,000; Suspension: 6-12 Months; Jail: 30 days – 5 years; Probation 0-5 years; Ignition lock; 2 years.

As for your Florida driver’s license being suspended due to a Jacksonville DUI charge, you need to act fast. Under Florida DUIs laws, you only have 10 days from the arrest to request a hearing from the DMV to avoid loosing your license for the statutory period.

Contact a Jacksonville DUI lawyer as soon as possible to defend you and protect your liberty, rights, Florida criminal record, and your Jacksonville driver’s license. Call a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer at 20 Miles Law.  You can contact a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney at (904) 564-2525 or by email.