Have You Been Arrested For Driving Under the Influence?

Choosing the right DUI Lawyer can determine the outcome of your case and potentially your future.

A DUI conviction in Florida stays on your driving record for 75 years. With proper representation from a knowledgeable Orlando/central Florida DUI  attorney, you may be able to completely avoid a conviction or at least, minimize the impact of the DUI charge.

In Florida, A DUI arrest results in a cancellation of your driving privileges. Your DUI citation allows you to drive for only 10 days following your arrest.

DUI is a criminal charge that can have very serious consequences including:

• Jail time
• Loss of your Driver’s License
• Increased insurance premiums
• Expensive fines
• Impoundment  or immobilization of your vehicle
• Employment problems  

Driver's License Suspension

Perhaps the most severe consequence of a DUI arrest is the suspension of your driving privilege. Your driver's license will be automatically suspended by the DHSMV (Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) However, you may request a formal review hearing within ten days. At the formal review hearing, an experienced attorney can  present witnesses and make arguments as to why the Department should invalidate the suspension of your license.

The Legal Limit in Florida

The legal limit in Florida is 0.08. This means that a driver with a breath alcohol level of .08 grams or more per 210 liters of breath or  .08 grams or more of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood  is presumed to be under the influence of alcohol. However, a breath test result over the legal limit does not necessarily mean that the defendant cannot launch a successful defense against the charge of DUI. For example, the arresting officer may not have had sufficient probable cause to arrest the driver, the breath test machine may not have been working properly, or there may exist some other grounds to suppress the evidence. There are many possible defenses to DUI charges that an experienced Florida DUI  trial attorney will look for and employ in order to weaken the State's case, the result will often be an aquittal or other favorable resolutions.

Driving Under the Influence of Medications or Drugs

Just as serious as an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol is an arrest or prosecution for driving under the influence of a chemical or controlled substance - such as a medication, even when the medication has been taken as prescribed. The consequences and potential penalties of driving under the influence of a chemical or controlled substance, regardless of whether that substance was legitimately prescribed, are the same as for driving under the influence of alcohol. Defending against these charges requires an attorney who is familiar with not only the DUI statutes but also with the rules of evidence and case law pertainant to this type of prosecution.