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Orlando DUI Lawyers

• O'Mara, Mark: DUI/DWI charges are serious. A conviction can mean large fines, driver's license suspension, increased insurance rates and even possible jail time.
• McDonnell, Hugh: DUI/Driving Under the Influence: "DUI" stands for Driving under the Influence and occurs when someone is operating, or is in actual physical control, of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substance to the extent that their mental faculties are impaired and/or their blood alcohol content (BAC) is above the legal limit. Even for a first offense, penalties can include license suspension, substantial fines, community service, mandatory attendance at a state or DMV approved alcohol program, mandatory overnight incarceration and the required installation (at the offender's expense) of a car ignition locking device. In addition, a DUI conviction stays on a DMV record for several years, it typically results in higher insurance premiums, and an offender may become ineligible for credit. Plus, a DUI could also jeopardize your employment opportunities.
• Blaine McChesney: The DUI (driving under the influence) and DWI (driving while intoxicated) laws across the United States have become increasingly more strict. Legal limits for blood alcohol content are at an all time low. In Florida, the 3rd DUI within 10 years is considered a felony. If you have been accused of or charged with drunk driving, you need the assistance of an experienced DUI attorney.
  • Some counties throw out the results of the intoxilyzer tests. Some do not. To blow or not to blow ends up being a very controversial topic.
  • It is extremely important for you to get to a lawyer as soon as possible after being cited for drunk driving. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) works very quickly to suspend your license. You only have 10 days to petition for a hearing in order to attempt to prevent the suspension of your license. 
  • If charged with a DUI, you are facing fines and jail time, both of which are more severe if you were involved in an accident, or a minor was present in the vehicle.
• Gregory Meeks: DUI or Driving Under the Influence results in a criminal charge as well as action against your driver's license through the department of motor vehicles. In the criminal court, you could be sentenced to up to 6 months of jail for a first offense and a third offense can be punishable by up to 5 years in state prison. Additionally, the Department of Motor Vehicles could suspend your driver's license for a period of 6 months to life depending on your driving record. The DUI laws are complex and subject to change by the state legislation. An arrest for DUI can have very serious consequences. Your license may already be suspended if you refused to submit to the tests the officer "asked" you to do or if your blood alcohol level was .08 or higher. It is very important to know that you only have 10 days from the date of your arrest to challenge this administrative suspension. You must request a hearing within this 10-day period.
• Andrew Moler: What does it mean to prove guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt?" The prosecutor must convince the judge or jury hearing the case that the defendant is guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." This standard is very hard to meet. (By contrast, in non-criminal cases, such as an accident or breach of contract, a plaintiff has to prove her case only by a preponderance of the evidence -- just over 50%.) As a practical matter, the high burden of proof in criminal cases means that judges and jurors are supposed to resolve all doubts about the meaning of the evidence in favor of the defendant. With such a high standard imposed on the prosecutor, a defendant's most common defense is often to argue that there is reasonable doubt-that is, that the prosecutor hasn't done a sufficient job of proving that the defendant is guilty.
• Mosley & Mosley: The exclusionary rule bars law enforcement from using evidence in jury trials that was seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment's provisions against unlawful searches or seizures. However, in carefully defined circumstances, numerous exceptions to the exclusionary rule permit otherwise unlawful searches or seizures. Under the "good faith exception," evidence obtained from a search or seizure subsequently determined to be unlawful may be used if a reasonably well trained police officer would have believed that the search was lawful.
• NeJame, LaFay, Barker, Quintana, Tumarkin & Cina:

  Driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage is a serious offense in Florida and its defense may be challenging.

  If you are charged with DUI in Florida:

  • You will be kept in jail for at least 8 hours
  • Your license will be suspended immediately
  • If your license was valid at the time of the incident, you will be allowed to drive with your DUI ticket for the next 10 days.
  • You have 10 days from the day of the incident to get your drivers license back
  • A temporary permit may be obtained to allow you to drive for up to 45 days until your hearing date.

  Being convicted of Driving Under Influence (DUI) in Florida has the following serious legal consequences (for first-time offenders):

  • DUI school
  • Up to 6 months in jail
  • Suspension of your driving privileges for at least 180 days and up to one year.
  • Not less than 50 hours of community service
  • Not less than $250 or more than $500 fine plus court costs
  • Not more than one year probation
  • Victim awareness program
  • Vehicle impoundment
  • Permanent DUI conviction on your record for life, which means criminal record

  Fighting a DUI case requires special skills, extensive legal knowledge and a lot of experience in the criminal justice system.

• Orlando Attorneys If you have been charged with DUI, a change in the law in effect since July 1,1995, may have a dramatic effect on you. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is imposing "hard suspension periods" on all DUI offenders who have a blood alcohol level of .08% or above or who refuse to submit to a chemical test of their breath. The effect of the law is that all DUI offenders will lose their privilege to operate a motor vehicle in Florida for 30 to 90 days without any hardship or business purpose license.