However, knowing your rights and following these steps can help protect you and ensure that the encounter is handled legally and fairly. Remember to stay calm, be polite, and ask for an attorney if necessary. File a complaint if necessary – If you feel that dui lawyers tampa your rights have been violated, or you were treated unfairly by law enforcement, you can file a complaint.
Therefore, it’s the person’s breath alcohol level rather than their blood alcohol level that is usually what is at issue. In Florida, the State Attorney’s Office will likely use any prior DUI convictions in order for a judge to pass down harsher penalties should the prosecutor when your conviction for Dui. This is one of those times when you need an experienced Fort Lauderdale DUI defense lawyer on your case. An experienced Fort Lauderdale DUI attorney will file a motion to “strike “any prior convictions. Our attorneys are able to take any actions necessary to challenge the charges against you.
DUI Manslaughter Defense in Tampa, Florida
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office provides an online Arrest Inquiry Search. This search allows you to find information about recent arrests in the county, including DUI arrests. However, it’s important to note that these records may only be available for a certain period of time1.
Obviously, one with a track record of successfully defending their clients is important. Still, there are a few characteristics that you should look for when you’re sitting down with a potential lawyer for your free consultation. According to Florida state law, if you are involved in an accident that causes property damage or personal injury, you will be guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor. An accident involving serious bodily injury will result in a third-degree felony ($5,000 fine and five years in prison).
Penalties
- When a person is charged with DUI, they can face severe penalties, including fines, license suspension, and even jail time.
- Thus, from the moment you walk through our doors, we ensure clarity in every discussion, breaking down legal jargon and ensuring you’re always in the loop about the proceedings of your case.
- Elsea offers counsel and representation to people charged with various crimes including DUI, theft, drug trafficking, and sex crimes.
- In those cases, the prosecutor might not file charges until after the blood test results are returned, which can take several months.
Since the court cannot withhold adjudication, the person convicted of DUI can never seal the criminal record. For these reasons, you need a local DUI defense attorney focused on fighting these unique cases. The trials tend to be more complicated than many second-degree felony charges due to the nature of the scientific evidence, including field sobriety testing and chemical testing of breath, blood, or urine.
In those cases, the prosecutor might not file charges until after the blood test results are returned, which can take several months. Our DUI defense attorneys represent clients charged with a first DUI or a second or subsequent offense. Whether you took the breath test, blood test, urine test, or refused to submit to the test, we can help you fight the charge. You should hire a Tampa DUI lawyer to maximize your chance of avoiding conviction if possible or, at the very least, mitigating your penalties.
Call today for a confidential consultation and take the first step toward reclaiming control of your life. Driver’s License Suspension or RevocationA first conviction can lead to a suspension of up to 12 months. Repeat offenses may result in permanent revocation, limiting your ability to work, care for family, or live independently. (c) The person has a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath. Often this can be the first time an otherwise normally law abiding citizen will have contact with law enforcement. Sometimes with a Tampa DUI lawyer’s careful investigation, analysis, and legal research, the State’s case falls apart and the prosecutor may drop the DUI case.