Sunday, November 12, 2006

DUI florida lawyers.

Under Florida law,a person is guilty of the offense of driving under the influence and is subject to punishment if the he/she is driving or is in actual control of the vehicle after consumption of alcoholic beverages or any chemical substances listed in s.877.111 or any substance controlled under chapter 893.

DUI Florida lawyers know that under Florida law,the DUI offense cab be proved in one of the ways: 1. impairment of normal faculties

2.unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of 0.08% or above.

Fines for Florida DUI convictions can range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $2000, depending on whether the case is a first DUI offense and various other factors.Penalties also include prison term and administrative license suspension from the court.Also,FDHSMV(Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Cases) can impose a license suspension separate and apart from the ban issued by the court.Community Service is mandatory for the first convistion of DUI(50 hours),or an additional fine of 10$ per hour of service required.For a first time DUI offender the total prison and probation period may not exceed an year.A refusal to undergo can cost an offender a license suspension for period of 12 months and if repeated,then as much as 18 months.

The most important thing to do is to contact one of the qualified DUI Florida lawyers for a free consultation at once.All DUI Florida lawyers should know about the ‘ten day rule’-a second review hearing ,ten days from arrest,is the only chance of getting one’s license back.Expunegment of criminal convictions refers to a legal process by which person’s criminal record is favourably altered.Florida law prohibits a person from expunging a DUI conviction from his or her record.Thus it is vital to contact a qualified lawyer.

On April 7,2002 Governor Bush signed a bill that changed many of the DUI laws in Florida-

1.A third DUI within ten years of any prior DUI offense would be treated as third degree felony (as misdemeanor earlier).

2.Any person convicted of a second or third DUI offense who desires to obtain a permanent driving license will be required to have an ignition interlock device installed (which requires the driver to breath into a tube before the car will start.If any alcohol is detected the car will not start) at their own expense.

3.A second refusal to a breath test can be charged as a first degree misdemeanour and invite a punishment of upto a year in a county jail.the license suspension will remain at 18 months.The pros and cons of this law are being debated over by multiple DUI Florida lawyers throughout the state.