Have you been arrested for DUI in Abington?
If so, you need an experienced Abington PA DUI lawyer from The Law Offices of Steven E. Kellis to protect your rights, freedom, and reputation.
DUI is a severe criminal offense in Pennsylvania. Your charges can damage your reputation and restrict your ability to drive. Your DUI charge may make it difficult to find a job, rent an apartment, buy a home, or apply for college, among many other things.
As an experienced Pennsylvania DUI attorney, Mr. Kellis believes that DUI charges should be taken seriously, but they don’t have to ruin a person’s life. Everyone makes mistakes and should be held accountable if those mistakes violate the law or put someone else’s life in danger, but penalties are often heavy-handed for the crime in question.
What are the Pennsylvania DUI Penalties?
Some of the penalties for DUI include fines, mandatory alcohol education classes, suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, probation, and possibly even jail time.
There are three levels of DUI in Pennsylvania: general impairment, high BAC, and highest BAC. Penalties increase with each level.
Penalties for General Impairment (undetermined or .08 to .099% BAC)
- First offense:
- Ungraded misdemeanor
- Up to six months of probation
- $300 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- Second offense:
- Ungraded misdemeanor
- 12-month license suspension
- Five days to six months in jail
- $300 to $2,500 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- One year with an ignition interlock device (IID)
- Third or subsequent offense:
- 2nd-degree misdemeanor
- 12-month license suspension
- Ten days to two years in prison
- $500 to $5,000 fine
- One year with an IID
Penalties for High BAC (.10 to .159%)
- First offense:
- Ungraded misdemeanor
- 12-month license suspension
- 48 hours to six months in prison
- $500 to $5,000 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- Second offense:
- Ungraded misdemeanor
- 12-month license suspension
- 30 days to six months in prison
- $750 to $5,000 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- One year with an IID
- Third offense:
- 1st-degree misdemeanor
- 18-month license suspension
- 90 days to five years in prison
- $1,500 to $10,000 fine
- One year with an IID
- Fourth or subsequent offense:
- 1st-degree misdemeanor
- 18-month license suspension
- One to five years in prison
- $1,500 to $10,000 fine
- One year with an IID
Penalties for Highest BAC (.16% or Higher) or Controlled Substance
- First offense:
- Ungraded misdemeanor
- 12-month license suspension
- 72 hours to six months in prison
- $1,000 to $5,000 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- Second offense:
- 1st-degree misdemeanor
- 18-month license suspension
- 90 days to five years in prison
- $1,500 to $10,000 fine
- Enrollment in alcohol highway safety school
- One year with an IID
- Third or subsequent offense:
- 1st-degree misdemeanor
- 18-month license suspension
- One to five years in prison
- $2,500 to $10,000 fine
- One year with an IID
If you’ve been charged with a DUI, don’t think you can handle it alone; you need a lawyer.
Hiring a DUI defense attorney as quickly as possible after your arrest is essential if you live in the Abington, Doylestown, Media, Philadelphia, Norristown, and Allentown areas. In as little as ten days after your arrest, you may lose driving privileges if you don’t take the necessary steps to protect your rights.
What Happens After Being Arrested For DUI?
There are two crucial components to every DUI defense: the DMV hearing and the trial. Let’s take a look at what happens during each.
The DMV Hearing
After your arrest and release, the first step is to schedule a hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to appeal the suspension of your driver’s license. The slip you were given that grants you provisional driving privileges for 30 days also states that your license will be automatically suspended if you do not successfully appeal it with the DMV. You must schedule this hearing within ten days after your arrest. Otherwise, you will automatically lose your driving privileges until your trial is over — regardless of the outcome.
When you request a hearing, you will be asked to provide information such as your name, driver’s license number, the date of your suspension notice, and whether you refused to submit to a breath alcohol test.
DMV hearings can be overwhelming and complicated to handle on your own, so having legal representation is very important. An experienced Abington DUI attorney will be familiar with the process and can help immensely. Something as simple as missing a deadline could cost you your license. Abington PA DUI lawyer Steven Kellis can also request copies of all the evidence the DMV has against you before your hearing to ensure no surprises.
The Trial (If Necessary)
Your actual court date is typically several months after your initial arrest. The exact date is set at your arraignment, usually several days after your arrest.
At trial, the prosecutor will present all the evidence against you, including testimony from the arresting officer. An Abington PA DUI lawyer will raise all available defenses and fight for the best outcome in your case. Some common defenses used in DUI cases include:
- Lack of probable cause
- Insufficient evidence
- Incorrect blood alcohol content reading
The actual defenses available to you depend on the facts and circumstances of your case. An experienced DUI defense attorney will be able to determine how to handle your defense best.
Contact an Abington PA DUI Lawyer from Kellis Law Firm
If you’ve been arrested for a DUI in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, don’t wait until it’s too late to hire an experienced Pennsylvania DUI attorney. Contact Abington DUI lawyer Steven E. Kellis today to schedule a free consultation. Call now.
Our Pennsylvania DUI defense attorneys defend those facing DUI, drug crime, and criminal charges throughout Eastern Pennsylvania including Abington, Allentown, Bensalem, Bethlehem, Bristol, Cheltenham, Conshohocken, Doylestown, Easton, Feasterville, Jim Thorpe, Lancaster, Lansdale, Lansdowne, Lower Merion, Media, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pottstown, Reading, Trevose, Upper Darby, Upper Dublin, and Upper Providence.
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