Get Legal Help from an Experienced Bucks DUI Attorney
Being charged with a Bucks DUI offense can be overwhelming. You may face some hefty penalties that will affect your ability to drive, your personal freedom, and your financial future. But even if your case seems dire, you can work towards getting a better deal or fighting the charges with the help of a Bucks county drunk driving lawyer.
How may your DUI situation be improved? Your Bucks County DUI attorney can challenge your blood alcohol level that was determined in your DUI arrest, and this can make a big impact on the ultimate sentence you are given. Even if you blew over the .08 legal limit at the time of your arrest, there are many ways to contest the results, such as differences in your body chemistry, incorrect machine calibration, and incorrect use of the breathalyzer or preliminary breath test device.
Additionally, field sobriety tests can be challenged, as they are very subjective and mostly based on the officer’s opinion of your performance. It is also possible that the officer did not follow the appropriate procedures for administering the tests. For example, if you were asked to perform the test while high-speed traffic is whizzing by, this can affect your results.
The ultimate BAC that you are charged under can make a big difference when it comes time to sentencing. The state of Pennsylvania has a three-tiered definition of DUI, and each level of blood alcohol content has its own set of penalties. The three tiers are:
General impairment: 0.08% to 0.099%
High BAC: 0.10% to 0.159%
Highest BAC: 0.16% and higher
If this is your first Bucks County DUI offense, then you can expect to face up to 6 months of probation, a $300 fine, and mandated attendance to alcohol highway safety school as well as alcohol and drug treatment.
However, if you are charged with a High BAC offense instead, you will have your driver’s license suspended for one year, be sentenced to 18 hours to 6 months in jail, be fined $500 to $5,000, as well as mandated attendance to alcohol highway safety school and alcohol and drug treatment.
The penalties for a Highest BAC charge in Bucks are even higher, you will face similar penalties but the range for jail time is 72 hours to 6 months and the fines will be from $1,000 to $5,000.
Of course, if this is not your first offense, you will face even steeper punishments, which can include being charged with a first-degree or second-degree misdemeanor, driver’s license suspension for one year, jail time up to 5 years, fines up to $10,000, and a requirement that you have an ignition interlock system installed on your car for one year as well as paying for the cost of installation and regular maintenance of the device.
These are not the only consequences of being found guilty of a Bucks County Pennsylvania DUI offense. Having a DUI on your record can affect your car insurance premiums, often causing them to double or triple. It can also affect your future or current job prospects. A driver’s license suspension can cause all sorts of additional effects in your life, making it harder to run errands, get to work, and have a social life.
Don’t go it alone. The best way to protect your interests is to speak with a Bucks County DUI attorney about your options. Together, you can build a defense that will work towards getting the best deal possible for your situation.
Bucks County Court House
55 E. Court Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-348-6000
http://www.buckscounty.org/courts/index.aspx
Bucks County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Edward J Donnelly
PO Box 269
BC Courthouse/Administration Bldg
55 E Court St
Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Non-emergency: (215)340-8889
