Jacksonville DUI Lawyers

1. Elrod & Elrod: criminal defense for felonies and misdemeanors like drug charges and DUI
2. Tassone & Sitcha & Dreicer: The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.
3. Stone, Taylor & Associates: Charges of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have a serious impact on your life, work, and family. You need the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney to ensure protection of your legal rights. The consequences of a DUI conviction may include jail time, fines, license suspension, license revocation, chemical dependency treatment, ignition interlock device on your car, and even loss of employment. The Florida Legislature recently changed a third offense to a felony with mandatory incarceration for felony DUI conviction.
4. Zisser, Robison, Brown, Nowlis, Maciejewski & Cabrey: There is an old saying that goes "there's no substitute for experience and success." This saying also applies to your selection of a lawyer.
5. Mussalem & Forbess: DUI Penalties for a Commercial Driver in Florida DUI penalties in Florida are increased if you have a commercial driver's license. If you are convicted of DUI in your commercial vehicle, - You cannot drive a commercial motor vehicle for one year and you are not eligible for a hardship license. - You have to wait the full year, then pay a $60.00 fee to restore your commercial drivers license. - If you were transporting hazardous materials when convicted of DUI, you can't drive a commercial vehicle for three years. - If you are convicted of driving a commercial motor vehicle with unlawful alcohol level (.04), not DUI, you can't drive a commercial vehicle for one year and you cannot get a hardship license during the year. After the full year, you can pay the $60.00 reinstatement fee and get your commercail drivers license back. - If you were carrying hazardous materials when convicted of having an unlawful alcohol level (.04), you can't drive a commercial vehicle for three years. - If you refused to take a breathalyzer test after being arrested for DUI in Florida or having an unlawful alcohol level (.04), you can't drive for one year and you cannot get a hardship license. After the full year, you have to pay the $60.00 fee to restore your commercial drivers license.
6. Williston Law Firm: If I got arrested for a DUI, how quickly do I need to get an attorney? If you have been arrested for a DUI, you need to seek the advice of a lawyer immediately. The days following any arrest are crucial to the client. If you are arrested for a DUI, you have only TEN DAYS from the date of your arrest to request a DMV hearing. If a DMV hearing is not requested during that time, your driver's license will become suspended on the tenth day following your arrest until further notice by the DMV. As part of your representation on a DUI case, The Williston Firm will request an individual hearing with the DMV regarding your arrest. At that hearing, the DMV hearing office will hear testimony and determine if your license will be suspended while your DUI charges are still pending. You have a right to request this hearing, and you have a right to have your lawyer present to represent you and cross-exam the State's witnesses (e.g., the police officers).
7. Shorstein & Lasnetski: DUI (Driving Under the Influence) A charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (also commonly referred to as drunk driving, driving while intoxicated or DWI) can be brought upon even the most responsible drivers who never expected they would be stopped by a police officer and face a DUI investigation. However, driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated is a serious charge in Florida that carries major penalties. In Florida, a person may be convicted of the crime of DUI if it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he or she either: 1. was driving while his or her faculties were impaired due to the influence of alcohol or drugs or 2. was driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.8% or higher. A police officerÕs DUI suspicion and investigation usually begins when he or she sees a person driving improperly and/or notices certain key factors about the personÕs condition. For instance, when a police officer observes a person swerving within or in between lanes on the road, this may raise suspicion and prompt the officer to pull the person over and investigate him or her for DUI. Making wide or sharp turns, driving too slow or fast, stopping in the road, causing an accident or nearly causing an accident are other indications that a person may be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Once a police officer comes into contact with a person he or she suspects is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the officer may look for the following characteristics of that person: 1. an odor of alcohol coming from the person 2. slurred speech 3. bloodshot eyes 4. the inability to follow simple commands or answer simple questions 5. swaying or being unstable on his or he feet 6. evidence of alcohol or drug use on the person or in the vehicle, such as empty cans or drug paraphernalia Additionally, a police officer will often ask a person he or she suspects is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs if he or she has had any alcohol to drink or has used drugs. The person should understand that he or she does not have to answer that question and anything he or she says could and will likely be used against him or her to bring charges and once charges are brought in court. If the officer has conducted the initial investigation and has reason to believe the person was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, he or she can then request the driver take a breath test (Intoxilyzer), submit to a blood test to determine his or her Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or submit to a urine test. Again, the driver is not obligated to take these tests and may refuse. However, a refusal to take any of these tests can be used against him or her to bring DUI charges and if and when DUI charges are brought in court. Also, if the driver refuses to take the requested breath, blood or urine test, his or her driverÕs license will be suspended The sentences for DUI are severe. They are listed below: First DUI Offense Fine: $250 - $500 License Suspension: 6 months - 1 year Imprisonment: 0 - 6 months Vehicle Impoundment: Approximately 10 days Probation: 6 months - 1 year Second DUI Offense Fine: $500 - $1,000 License Suspension: 5 years Imprisonment: 10 days - 9 months Vehicle Impoundment: Approximately 30 days Probation: 1 year Ignition Device: Approximately 1 year Third DUI Offense Fine: $1,000 - $5,000 License Suspension: Approximately 1 year Imprisonment: 30 days - 5 years Vehicle Impoundment: Approximately 90 days Probation: 0 - 5 years Ignition Device: Approximately 2 years * Penalties are more severe if BAC is .2 or greater. Another important consideration is that when a person is arrested for DUI, he or she will likely lose his or her driverÕs license. Then, he or she only has ten (10) days from the date of the arrest to request a hearing from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to avoid having his or her license suspended for a full eighteen (18) months. If you have been arrested for DUI, it is very important to contact a law firm whose lawyers are experienced in dealing with DUI cases. In order to fight the suspension of your driverÕs license, you must make sure you request a hearing with the DMV within 10 days of your DUI arrest. Therefore, after a DUI arrest, the best course of action is to contact a lawyer immediately so that efforts can be made to restore your driving privileges and the circumstances of your DUI arrest can be fully investigated as your defense is prepared.