Should I Hire a Florida DUI Attorney If I Have Been Arrested For Driving While Intoxicated?
If you have been arrested for driving while intoxicated and are facing a DUI charge from registering a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher in the State of Florida, there are several things you need to know about how your case will impact your future.
Once you know about the significant consequences — which become much harsher when personal injury or property damage occurs while behind the wheel — including fines, license revocation, interlocking devices installed on your vehicle, and even jail time, you can make an informed decision about who to hire to defend you inside and outside the courtroom.
At the Law Office of Denise Miller, our Stuart criminal defense attorney has more than 20 years of experience successfully countering prosecutors’ charges against our clients to uncover ways to lessen, or in some cases, eliminate the charges, reducing the negative impact on their future.
What Are the Potential Penalties for a DUI in Florida?
If you are facing a first-time DUI charge in Florida, the consequences can be overwhelming, even if you have no criminal history.
They can include one or more of the following penalties:
- Driver’s license suspension or revocation
- $500 to $1,000 in fines
- Community service
- Probation
- Alcohol education classes
- Interlock ignition device
- Up to six months in jail
Stricter punishments can be imposed for more serious offenses, including drivers who recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.15% or higher, which is considered an aggravated DUI.
DUI charges can also escalate when there is property damage, injuries, or when a fatality occurs while someone is allegedly intoxicated while driving. When these accidents occur, they can lead to heavy fines and lengthy prison sentences that will require an experienced Stuart, Florida DUI attorney to protect your rights and future.
Are There Additional Consequences That Accompany DUI Charges in Florida?
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Stuart, even if it is your first time, spending the night in jail may feel like a terrible wake-up call.
Unfortunately, other negative outcomes could affect your future if you are convicted of a DUI.
They can include, but are not limited to:
- Loss of insurance and increased high-risk policy rates going forward
- Loss of professional licenses, which can lead to job loss
- Inability to pass a background check for future employment, rental approvals, or loan services
- Civil lawsuits that result from property damage, injuries, or wrongful death
Whether it is your first DUI or a subsequent arrest, contact our experienced criminal defense lawyer in Stuart, Florida to understand how your DUI charges will affect your overall quality of life, now and going forward.
How Can I Justify the Expense of Hiring a Stuart DUI Attorney?
If you are facing DUI charges, the prosecutor’s office is going to aggressively seek the maximum penalties associated with your charges — even if you were arrested with a .08% blood alcohol content, and there was no property damages or personal injuries involved.
From the time of your arrest, you have three options:
- Represent yourself in court
- Gain representation from a court-appointed public defender
- Hire an experienced divorce attorney to represent you inside and outside the courtroom
Representing yourself in criminal court can lead to you being overwhelmed by the prosecutor’s approach to holding you accountable for the charges waged against you. Without the legal knowledge necessary to counter their claims, you could face the maximum penalties allowed by the court.
And while there are many intelligent and skilled public defenders in the State of Florida, they are often overwhelmed with hundreds of cases at once, which means the details of your charges may get lost in the shuffle. They may also be more inclined to make a deal with the prosecutor’s office, to minimize the amount of time they spend on your case.
Neither of these solutions is in your best interest.
When you are weighing the expense of hiring a DUI attorney against the other options, it is important to understand that you get what you pay for.
Our Stuart DUI attorney, Denise Miller, has over 20 years of extensive knowledge within the criminal defense system and will build a strong case on your behalf, to minimize the charges against you.
If we can identify any legal violations that occurred during the circumstances of your arrest, including procedural misconduct, we will investigate those issues and use that information to your advantage, so you can move forward with your post-DUI life without a conviction.
Contact Our DUI Defense Attorney at the Law Office of Denise Miller for a Free Consultation Today
If you have been charged with a DUI in Martin County, contact our Stuart criminal defense attorney at the Law Office of Denise Miller today by calling (772) 934-6007 to discuss your case today, so you can plan your future with confidence.
