Experienced Oregon Criminal Defense Attorney at Hughes Law

Driving under the influence (DUI) can be an extremely serious crime and one that can come with some of the stiffest penalties associated with criminal offenses. Depending on your certain circumstances you may be looking at large fines and long jail times. However, a DUI charge is not the end and with the help of an experienced attorney you can be looking at no jail time or fines.

If you are pulled over and your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 or higher than you will be charged with driving under the influence. The way that the arresting officer comes to this conclusion is through a variety of field sobriety tests. The most accurate of these tests are urine and blood tests, but at times even these can be misleading.

Typically, you will be subject to a breathalyzer test or one of three coordination tests that officers have been trained to administer. The coordination tests include the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test, walk & turn test, or the one leg stand test. While these are the more common tests that officers administer to determine a level of intoxication, they are inaccurate many times and can be administered improperly.

Check out our DUI frequent asked questions page.

DUI Penalties

Penalties for a DUI charge vary, but are incredibly stiff at times, the more times that an individual is charged with a DUI the harsher the penalties become. Many times these penalties include fines, courses, an interlock ignition device, and even jail time.

If you have one DUI offense the penalties could include:

  • One Year in Jail Maximum
  • 2 Days in Jail or 80 Hours of Community Service Minimum
  • 18 Months or More Probation
  • $1,000 Fine, or $2,000 if Blood Alcohol Content was .15% or Higher
  • Mandatory Drug/Alcohol Evalutation
  • One Year Suspension of License
  • Attendance to a Victim Impact Panel
  • Completion of All Required Drug/Alcohol Treatment

If you have two DUI offenses the penalties could include:

  • One Year in Jail Maximum
  • 2-30 Days in Jail or 80 Hours of Community Service Minimum
  • 18 Months or More Probation
  • $1,500 Fine, or $2,000 if Blood Alcohol Content was .15% or Higher
  • Mandatory Drug/Alcohol Evalutation
  • One to Three Year Suspension of License
  • Attendance to a Victim Impact Panel
  • Completion of All Required Drug/Alcohol Treatment

If you have three or more DUI offenses the penalties could include:

  • One Year in Jail Maximum
  • 2-180 Days in Jail or 80 Hours of Community Service Minimum
  • 18 Months or More Probation
  • $2,000 to $6,250 in Fines
  • Mandatory Drug/Alcohol Evaluation
  • Lifetime Suspension of License
  • Attendance to a Victim Impact Panel
  • Completion of All Required Drug/Alcohol Treatment

Depending on the circumstances your DUI you can be charged with a misdemeanor, or a felony DUI. The circumstances surrounding your DUI can range from a simple charge to an injury to a fatality to property damages and will heavily impact the outcome of your case. However, after a third DUI offense the courts could convict the charged individual with a felony DUI regardless of the circumstances. Felonies include the same penalties as a 3rd offense misdemeanor with the inclusion of up to five years in prison and up to $125k in fines.

Contact Us Today for the DUI Representation You Deserve

It is important to be aware of your rights when being pulled over for a DUI as it could save you from being mistakenly charged with a DUI. With 18 years of legal experience our attorney at Hughes Law can guide you through the legal process, getting you the best results possible in your DUI case. Through passion and instinct our attorney can offer you dedicated services that other attorneys won’t offer.