Feb/100
Who Will Help You After a Michigan DUI?
We are all familiar with the acronym DUI, which stands for driving under the influence. In addition to a Michigan DUI, you can also be arrested for dui laws such as DWI, DUII, DPS, DWAI, BMV, OUI, OWI, OUIL, OVI, OMVI and DUID. Although these are all criminal offenses, OWI, operating while impaired, is the least serious offense. All these dui charges boil down to three drunk driving offenses. These are: Operating under the influence of an intoxicating liquor; driving with an unlawful bodily alcohol level/content; and operating while impaired. The State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs that substantially affected your operation of the vehicle. If all this information seems confusing and complicated, drunk driving attorneys are familiar with all of these offenses, and is prepared to help defend your freedoms and privileges.
Your dui lawyer may also need to prepare a dui defense to combat Michigan's "per se" law. This law does not refer to alcohol impairment; it only relates to body chemistry. A prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your blood (or breath) alcohol concentration (BAC) was.08 or more while you were operating your vehicle.
If you refuse to take a blood, breath, or urine test after you are arrested for your Michigan DUI or other alcohol-related offense, your driver's license may be suspended. You only have 14 days after your arrest to request an administrative hearing to attempt to retain your driving privileges; dui defense lawyers can help you with this process as well.
Drivers arrested for DUI in Michigan are required to be jailed from four to 24 hours, depending on the BAC; subsequent penalties will vary depending upon any prior offenses and the specifics of the arrest. If this is your first offense, the penalties include a jail sentence of up to 93 days, fines from $100 to $500, in addition to a $1,000 driver responsibility fee for two years, and license suspension for up to six months (although you're eligible for a restricted license after 30 days). Other possible penalties include up to 360 hours of community service, the installation of an ignition interlock device (IID), and vehicle immobilization.
Subsequent convictions increase the penalties. If you're convicted of your second DUI, you will be sentenced to jail from five days to one year, have your license suspended for a minimum of one year, your license plate confiscated, and your vehicle immobilized from 90 to 180 days; the fines range from $200 to $1,000, with the addition of your $1,000 driver responsibility fee for two years. You may also be required to perform community service from 30 to 90 days.
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