Charged with South Dakota DUI? We can help you…

The laws concerning DUI or “Driving Under the Influence” in South Dakota are just about as serious as they are in other states of America. DUI is also referred to as DWI (Driving While Impaired) in South Dakota and other states. According to this law, it is illegal to drive or operate any vehicle if you are under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any chemical substance that renders you incapable to drive properly. South Dakota DUI laws generally consist of heavy fines, spending time in jail and even license suspension all of which can seriously hamper your future and career opportunities. For this reason, you need to understand the importance of getting legal advice that you need to help you deal with your DUI case as efficiently as possible. You should also go about educating yourself about the basic DUI laws and their penalties in South Dakota but it is your DUI attorney who can provide you good legal advice based on their experience and knowledge about DUI laws in South Dakota.

DUI First offense means that a driver has committed a DUI offense for the first time and is subject to penalties of Class 1 misdemeanor. These include a maximum fine of $2000, up to a year in jail, driver’s license revocation for 30 days, and if the driver has a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.17 or more, he or she will be required to attend an addiction screening program.

DUI Second offense also consists of fines up to $2000 as well as jail time of up to one year. The driver will also have to face license suspension for a year. However, the court can allow for exceptions to this suspension after a year.

DUI Third offense is usually considered a Class 6 felony which can lead to up to two years in prison, a maximum fine of $4000 and a driver’s license suspension of one year. The court can make exceptions to this suspension after one year or after the driver has attended an addiction screening program.

DUI Fourth offense is considered a Class 5 felony and involves penalties or fines of up to $10,000 and up to five years in prison. The driver can also face license suspension for at least two years after which the court can make exceptions to this suspension.

DUI Fifth offense is considered a Class 4 felony in South Dakota which can lead to fines of maximum $20,000 and ten years in prison. The driver can face license suspension for three years after which the court can make exceptions to this suspension.

For people under 21 years of age and operating a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content of at least 0.02 or more will normally be charged with maximum fines of $500, 30 days in jail as well as license suspension. Maneuvering your way around the court proceedings and understanding the DUI law in South Dakota can be tricky therefore, save yourself the tension and time and hire a South Dakota DUI lawyer today.

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