How the Penalties of a DUI Charge can Add Up

Most people know that if you are arrested for DUI, you will be facing circumstances you otherwise would not have to deal with in everyday life. These circumstances sometimes include monetary fines, community service, loss of driver’s license and other unexpected inconveniences or difficulties. Essentially, your life could change in an instant when you are charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

What Will Happen After You are Arrested?

Depending on the circumstances of your arrest, including which state you live in, and whether or not people or property were damaged as a result of your driving while intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs, a number of things could happen. Upon failing a sobriety test such as the Breathalyzer, you will most likely be taken to the police station where you will be fingerprinted and photographed. If nobody is able to pick you up, or you cannot be released on bail for whatever reason, you may have to spend the night in jail.

A DUI Defense Lawyer Can Help

Once you have gotten safely home and spoken to your loved ones about the charges you are facing, it may be in your best interest to contact an experienced and knowledgeable DUI defense attorney. A DUI attorney will review your case and explain all the potential penalties that you are facing. He can advise you on your best course of legal action, can represent you in court when you are required to appear before a judge.

One DUI defense lawyer Orlando FL stated “Even if your breath test or blood test is accurate, having an experienced attorney on your side can make a world of difference.” An attorney understands how you are feeling and can help you manage all aspects of this difficult circumstance in your life.

How Your Life Could Be Affected

Because a DUI charge is a criminal offense, you will now have a police record. Your spouse or family members may also be angry or upset with you for making the decision to drink and drive. In a practical sense, you may now have to depend on family and friends to drive you to work, to the store, or to pick up your children from school, because your driving privileges have been suspended or revoked. Your career may also be affected by this criminal charge.

Under all of these circumstances, it is important to remember to be patient with those around you who are also trying to adjust. DUI is a serious incident, and many lives could be affected by your actions. Be patient with yourself and with your family members. Know that their anger or frustration will pass in time, and learn to forgive yourself as well.

Remember that we are all human beings and we sometimes make mistakes or use poor judgment. Getting a DUI does not mean you are bad person, and in many cases, especially if it was your first offense and nobody was hurt, you will be able to resume your life and put all of this behind you in the very near future

Legal writer Lisa Coleman shares the penalties that can accompany a DUI and how it can change a person’s life. Retaining an experienced DUI attorney is imperative. She recently read online how Katz & Phillips, P.A., a DUI defense lawyer Orlando FL firm, can counsel a client faced with a DUI charge by questioning or suppressing any invalid evidence, possibly getting the charges reduced.