Avoid Utah DUI Penalties: Hire an Aggressive DUI Defense
If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Utah, you should know what is at stake. Work permits are not available for people who are convicted. You also face license suspension, possible jail time, hefty fines and increased insurance rates. In addition, you could face one and a license suspension of up to a year and a half for breath test refusal. You need an experienced DUI defense attorney and you need one right away. Contact the criminal defense attorneys at Stone & Law today. We'll put our extensive resources, backgrounds and skills to good use in preparing your defense.
In Utah, DUI penalties increase if you have had prior convictions within the previous 10 years. In most cases, first and second offenses are charged as misdemeanors (unless there is a serious injury or fatality resulting) and the third offense is charged as a felony DUI. Regardless, Utah DUI penalties can be harsh no matter how many prior convictions you have had:
- First offense DUI: 48 hours in jail or community service; 120 days license suspension; 18 months no-alcohol conditional license (not permitted to drive with ANY amount of alcohol in system); up to $1,885 fine; ignition interlock for 18 months
- Second offense DUI: 240 hours in jail (10 days) or community service; 2 year license suspension; 2 years no-alcohol conditional license; up to $1,885 fine; mandatory ignition interlock for 3 years
- Third offense DUI (felony DUI): up to 5 years in prison (minimum 62 and a half days in jail); 3 year license suspension; 3 years no-alcohol conditional license; $1,500 - $5,000 fine; ignition interlock for 6 years
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"Not a Drop" Under 21 Years Old: Penalties for persons under 21 years old are severe, including suspension of license until age 21 in addition to fines and jail sentences
Violation of your no-alcohol conditional license could result in a fine of $1,850 in addition to other criminal penalties.
High BAC Penalties
In addition to prior offenses, penalties for drunk driving are also directly related to the amount of alcohol in your blood. If your BAC level is .16 or higher, you could face aggravated penalties - the court could order an additional 90 days - 2 years onto license suspension and jail terms.
DUI and License Suspension
Even for first offense DUI you can face serious consequences in addition to criminal penalties, including confiscation of your driver's license. Upon being pulled over and failing any roadside tests, the arresting officer will replace your driver's license with a temporary 30-day license. This allows you time to request a hearing regarding your license suspension. Unless you request an administrative hearing within 10 days, your license will automatically be suspended by the Driver's License Division (DLD) for a period of 120 days for first offense DUI and even longer for second or third offense DUI.
Contact Us
DUI charges are serious. Don't let the matter be handled by an inexperienced lawyer. We offer free initial consultations, are available for evening and weekend appointments and accept credit cards. To contact us, call our Salt Lake law offices at 801.352.9331.
