Charged with Utah DUI? Hire a DUI Lawyer to defend your case

Are you facing charges for a DUI in Utah? Then, you probably need help understanding all of the legal terms involved with DUI in Utah as well as understanding the concepts involved in your particular DUI case. You are also probably worried about your future prospects and your career that can be seriously affected by your DUI charges if they are not properly handled. You can deal with your DUI charges smartly by educating yourself about DUI in Utah, its laws and regulations as well as the charges involved with each level of DUI. Knowing about DUI laws in Utah can make you better off while fighting your DUI case as well as in hiring a good Utah DUI lawyer. Also note that you should seriously consider hiring a Utah DUI lawyer who can represent you in court and guide you in fighting your DUI case. A good Utah lawyer can make a lot of difference in the outcome of your case. First of all, you need to know everything there is to know about Utah DUI charges, penalties involved with the charges, the process of DUI in Utah etc.

You can get a basic idea about the types of penalties involved with DUI offenses in Utah from websites like MyDUIAttorney, but these penalties are variable to the kind of DUI offense you committed as well as the discretion of the court in regard to your particular case:

First Offense penalties: A first DUI offense in Utah is considered as a Class B Misdemeanor and you will have to pay fines of $1296 to $1850 for this kind of offense. Your jail time will consist of minimum 48 consecutive hours which can be substituted with community work; the maximum jail time involved is six months for the first offense. You can face license suspension of 90 days as well as educational program, drug assessment etc.

Second Offense penalties: A DUI second offense within ten years involves fines of $1480 to $1850 and jail time of no less than consecutive 10 days which the court can substitute with other compensatory work. You will also have to face license suspension of one year on your Second DUI offense in Utah. The court can also impose other penalties involving drug assessment and education programs etc.

Third Offense penalties: A third DUI offense in Utah is considered as a third degree felony and the penalties associated with it include fines of $1500 to $2500, jail time of up to five years and license suspension of one year. Other penalties involving drug assessments and educational program can be imposed by the court.

Apart from the general penalties listed above, if the driver has a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.16 or more, caused bodily injury because of the DUI or had a minor with them in the vehicle at the time of the DUI; he or she will have to face additional penalties involving treatment and ignition interlock device installation.

In Utah, if you refuse to get a chemical test done, then you will probably have to face license suspension. After the revocation, the driver will be given a temporary driver’s license effective for 29 days. You can find out more about license suspensions and the probation terms that the court can offer you by conferring with your lawyer. DUI penalties will also require you to install an ignition interlock device if you are on probation regarding your driver’s license. An ignition interlock device is a handheld device that needs to be installed in each of your vehicles and you need to submit a breath test before you start the vehicle’s engine to check for sobriety. Additional random breath tests will also be conducted to make sure that the driver remains sober throughout the drive. The defendant will also have to pay for the cost of the ignition interlock device and its installation fee. If the defendant is caught operating a vehicle on probation terms without an ignition interlock device, he or she will be charged with a Class B misdemeanor and attempts to tamper with the device will also result in the same kind of misdemeanor which can result in further punishments for the driver.

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