|
Drunk driving penalties
penalties the court could impose are: (1) 6 months in the county jail: (2) $1,000 fine plus up to an additional 1,950 in penalty assessments; (3) 6 months driver's license suspension; (4) Your car impounded for 30 days.
Second, third and fourth offenses within 7 years are punished by increasingly more harsh penalties.
Arraignment
Sometimes referred to as a “first appearance.” This date is typically located on the DWI Summons & Complaint near the “court appearance required” box that should be checked off. The arraignment is a formal procedure where rights are read, charges are read and explained, and a plea (guilty or not guilty) is entered.
Reasonable suspicion
The officer must have what is legally termed a "reasonable suspicion," based on something unusual that is actually observed about the way a person is driving. This is a very low standard and it can be satisfied by virtually anything which appears out of the ordinary and that might be a sign of a driver being under the influence. In addition, during holiday seasons, police officers typically set up field sobriety checkpoints where they routinely stop every driver who passes through the checkpoint.
Excessive Drunkenness
A state of drunkenness in which a person is so far deprived of reason and understanding that he or she is incapable of understanding the character and consequences of an act.
Ignition Interlock Devices
The courts may require first and repeat DUI offenders to use Ignition Interlock Devices. To start the vehicle, the driver must blow into the device. The vehicle will not start if the driver's blood alcohol content exceeds 0.05%.
Boaters Intoxication
Drinking While Boating Open containers are legal, but operators of boats are subject to boating while intoxicated laws, similar to driving a vehicle. Operators or passengers may also be subject to public intoxication laws
Controlled Substances
Health and other public concerns have generated detailed Federal and state regulation of the sale and possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and a wide range of other "controlled substances."
Drunk
Intoxication as we know it is not required for one to be guilty of drunk driving. Your condition may be enough for you to be found guilty of a drunk driving offense under the current definition of the law.
Field Sobriety Tests
Field Sobriety Tests sometimes referred to by the acronym FSTs, are tests administered by the police to purportedly assess intoxication.
Legal State Limits
Laws for DWI and DUI vary from state-to-state. There is a chart listing state blood alcohol limits, license suspension, ignition interlock and forfeiture penalties.
|
Did You Know?