Hire a DUI criminal defense lawyer or attorney in Maine who understands the local DUI Laws

Impaired driving goes by many different names, one of which is DUI that is, Driving Under Influence of Drugs, Chemical Substance or Alcohol. DUI should be taken very seriously because they can have long-term consequences on your future life. According to the Maine law, it is illegal to drive with an alcohol level of 0.08% or greater. While we at MyDUIAttorney can provide you a brief outline of what sort of penalties you can expect with your particular case, it is best that you hire a Maine DUI attorney who has complete knowledge of court proceedings as well as the experiences to deal with your case. It is also advised to interview a couple of lawyers before hiring one to ensure that you get the DUI lawyer who is able to fulfill your needs completely. This is because a good and capable DUI lawyer can make a big difference in your case.

After you get arrested for DUI, the Secretary of State will immediately suspend your license based on the police report and your Blood Alcohol Content. The maximum penalty for DUI is one year in jail, $2000 of fine and your loss of driving license. When you are arrested for DUI and you have a previous DUI case in another state, then that will be counted as a second offense and your penalties will be decided accordingly.

DUI First Offenders

In Maine, usually there is no jail time for first time offenders who had no aggravating factors. These aggravating factors can either be driving with a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.15 or more, over speeding, evading a police officer or having a passenger under the age of 21 in the vehicle at the time. First time offenders are also charged with a fine of $ 400. Your driving license will be suspended for 90 days and can be for 275 days if you were caught with a passenger under the age of 21 in the vehicle at the time of arrest. First time offenders with aggravating factors will also have to participate in an alcohol education program called the Driver Education Program (DEP).

Another aggravating factor is the refusal to take a test at the time of arrest and you will get another suspension for 90 days and mandatory jail time of 96 hours.

DUI Second Time Offenders

Second time offenders get a mandatory 7-day jail time that can be increased to 12 days if you resist it, a license suspension of 18 months and a $ 600 of fine.

DUI Third Offense

A 3rd offense, on the other hand has a mandatory 30 day of jail time which will be increased to 40 days if you refuse or resist. There will also be license suspension for 4 years and a fine of $1000.

Fourth Time Offenders

A fourth time offender or any-previous time offender which caused bodily harm to anyone is considered as felony and it has a mandatory six months of jail time which can be increased by 20 days if the offender refuses to give a test, along with license suspension of 6 years and $600 fine.

Maine DUI for minors under 21

If you are under the age of 21 years and caught while driving under influence, you can lose your driving privilege for a year and if you refuse a test, you can lose your license for 18 months.

To fully understand the penalties associated with a Maine DUI charge, it is strongly recommended that you consult with a Maine DUI lawyer that you are most comfortable with and who can knowledgeably represent you throughout your trial and court proceedings.  You can find a Maine drunk driving attorney by typing in the city of your arrest above or call our 24 hour DUI hotline

Additional resources

• Maine Department of Motor Vehicle
• Maine State Bar Association