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West Hartford DUI Lawyers

1. Steier & McCormick: * Drug crimes * Drunk driving (DUI/DWI) * Vehicular offenses * Traffic violations * Juvenile delinquency * Sexual assault * Theft
2. Swerdloff & Swerdloff: # Divorce & Legal Separation # Mediation # Child Support # Child Custody # Property Division & Alimony # Contempt & Modifications # Survivors of Sexual Abuse # Legal Malpractice # Personal Injury # Criminal Overview # DUI /Motor Vehicle Offenses # Domestic Violence
3. Serrano & Serrano: Driving While Intoxicated Driving while intoxicated (DWI), also know as driving under the influence (DUI), is probably the most common criminal charge. People who drink frequently and drive obviously are at risk for being arrested for drunk driving. Those who only drink once in awhile, however, often times do not realize they are above the legal limit when they start driving home from a party or a social event. Every day people from of all backgrounds Ñ college educated, high school drop-outs, rich, poor, lawyers, teachers, factory workers and housewives Ñ find themselves facing charges of driving while intoxicated. Drunk driving is a very serious problem in the United States. Every two minutes, a drunk driver injures someone. Every 30 minutes, a drunk driver kills someone. Forty percent of all fatal accidents are caused by intoxicated drivers. Judges often say the most difficult part of their job is when they have to sentence a person charged with causing a death or serious injury while driving drunk. The driver, who did not mean to hurt anyone, is overcome with sorrow and guilt. The victim's family Ñ a spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters Ñ are overcome with grief and want justice. Oftentimes, the injured person was a relative or friend traveling as a passenger when the accident happened. The best advice is never to drive if there is any chance you might be above the legal blood alcohol limit. Even when no accident happens, the penalties for driving while intoxicated are severe. There are criminal DWI penalties and there are separate DWI penalties imposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. In Connecticut, a person who operates a motor vehicle while his or her license is suspended for drunk driving faces a mandatory 30-day jail sentence. Under the law, "operating" means not just driving a vehicle on a road, but also includes simply being in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle with the engine running if the vehicle is on a road or a parking lot having more than 10 spaces. We caution everyone to be extremely careful about drinking and driving. We understand, however, that people are human and make mistakes, and we are here to help you if find yourself facing DWI charges. As noted in the following charts, penalties for repeat DWI convictions within 10 years are increasingly more severe. Criminal Penalties for Driving While Intoxicated Arrest Conviction Mandatory Sentence Maximum Sentence Fines License Suspension 1st N/A (Eligible for Alcohol Education Program) 2nd 1st 48 hours or 100 hours community service 6 months $500 to $1000 1 year 3rd 2nd 120 days 2 years $1000 to $4000 3 years 4th 3rd 1 year 3 years $2000 to $8000 permanent In addition to suspending driver's licenses for criminal convictions as noted in the previous chart, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will suspend a driver's license for persons who fail a breathalyzer or other blood alcohol level test or who refuse to take the test. This means that someone who avoids a criminal conviction by using the alcohol education program may still have his or her license suspended by DMV. The DWI suspension will be for 90 days if the person's blood alcohol level is over 0.08 but less than 0.16, for 120 days if the level is over 0.16, or for 6 months if the person refused the test. Department of Motor Vehicle License Suspension for Driving While Intoxicated Arrest 0.08 to 0.15 0.16 or Over Refusal 1st 90 days 120 days 6 months 2nd 9 months 10 months 1 year 3rd 2 years 2 1/2 years 3 years
4. Doris D'Ambrosio: You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
5. Ralph Sherman: Going to criminal court without an attorney is like hiking in the jungle without a guide. Even if you have never been arrested before, you need an attorney to protect your rights. It is NOT the prosecutor's job to look out for you. The only person who's going to help you in criminal court is your own attorney. This is true even for DWI and some other motor-vehicle charges.