Pennsylvania laws are tough on those charged with drinking and driving. A conviction can cause devastating effects to your life in a variety of ways, such as potentially costing you your job or making it more difficult to find the job of your dreams due to your conviction. It could also cause for financial hardship on you family and ruin your reputation. Hiring a Philadelphia DUI lawyer right away can help make for a favorable plea deal or help you avoid conviction altogether. The attorneys at The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. are knowledgeable and experienced in working with clients who have been charged with a DUI, including those charged with multiple DUI offenses.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Pennsylvania is a serious criminal offense. Unlike some other states, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania treats DUI cases as criminal offenses, punishable by jail time, license suspension, and onerous costs and fines.
Because DUI cases are treated as crimes, when you are arrested for DUI, your information is placed in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Placement in NCIC means that any officer, court, employer, or other person conducting a background check can find out that you were arrested for DUI.
Attorney in Northeast Philadelphia for DUI
Pennsylvania operates under a tiered system for DUI's. What this means is that, as your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) goes up, so do the penalties. The tiered system also entails that your penalties increase if you have multiple offenses.
If your BAC is .08% to .10%, or you are driving your vehicle while impaired to a degree where you cannot operate your vehicle safely, you are faced with a minimum of 6 months probation and a $300 fine on your first offense. On a second offense, you face a mandatory 5-day to 6-month prison sentence, and a fine of $300 to $2,500. A third offense, and you are looking at 10 days to 24 months in prison with a $500 to $5,000 fine. Each of these offenses is graded as a misdemeanor (crime). You may also receive probation in addition to the time listed above.
If your BAC is .10% to .159%, you face a mandatory minimum sentence of 48 hours to 6 months and a $500 to $5,000 fine on a first offense. On a second offense, you face 30 days to 6 months, and a $750 to $5,000 fine and on a third offense, you face 90 days to 5 years and a $1,500 to $10,000 fine. There may also be probation added to the end of these figures, at the discretion of the District Attorney and/or the judge in the case.
If your BAC is .16% or higher, or you have a controlled substance, such as marijuana, Percocet, cocaine, or heroin in your system, you are facing a mandatory minimum of 72 hours to 6 months on a first offense, with a fine of $1,000 to $5,000. On a second offense, you can be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 90 days to 5 years with a $1,500 minimum fine, and a third offense 1 to 5 years in state prison with a $2,500.00 minimum fine. Depending on the charges of which you are convicted, there may also be a probation added to the end of these figures, at the discretion of the District Attorney and/or the judge in the case.
DUI Attorney Northeast Philadelphia
You should consult a lawyer as soon as you receive your charges. As you can see, the Penalties for DUI are severe, and may include jail time. There are alternatives to jail. Some alternatives include: acceptance into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program (ARD), DUI Court (in some jurisdictions), house arrest, and inpatient treatment.
An experienced Philadelphia DUI Attorney will be able to advocate on your behalf so that you have the best chance of avoiding prison time. The attorneys at The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. have decades of experience in handling DUI cases, and are in the best position to advocate for your freedom. Call us today for a free consultation.
This content was written on behalf of Greg Prosmushkin.
