Dependable DUI Attorney in Orlando, Florida

In Orlando, if you have multiple DUI convictions in ten years, the penalties for your actions increase dramatically. Penalties for a second DUI offense in Florida will vary with DUI cases. However, below are some of the typical penalties that can be incurred for a second DUI offense.

• Jail time for a second DUI offense: 9 Months Maximum (blood alcohol level from .08 to less than .15) – 12 Months Maximum (blood alcohol level above .15) or if you had a minor in the vehicle. If you are charged with your second DUI within 5 years of a prior DUI conviction, then you may have to spend 10 days in jail.
• Fines for a second DUI offense in Orlando: For a blood alcohol level From .08 to less than .15, you may be charged from $1,000 to $2,000. For a blood alcohol level of .15 or higher, or if there was a minor present within the vehicle, you may be charged from $2,000 to $4,000.
• Probation Period for second DUI offense: The probation period for your second drunk driving offense in Orlando is typically 12 months.
• Vehicle Impoundment: If you had prior DUI convictions within the past 5 years then your car will be impounded for 30 Days. Special exceptions exist for these 30 days, but that is the typical sentence for a second DUI offense.
• Driver’s License Suspension: You will be suspended for at least 6 months for a second DUI conviction when prior DUI convictions were more than 5 years prior. The Judge can sentence you to a greater suspension and the DHSMV will more than likely suspend you for a longer period than 6 months on a second conviction. If the second DUI arrest occurs within 5 years of the first conviction, you are looking at a minimum 5-year driver’s license suspension. Likely, you are already suspended by the DHSMV for either refusing to submit to the breathalyzer or providing a breath sample above the legal limit.
• Vehicle Ignition Interlock Device: This is a breathalyzer placed in your car and if you are charged with a BAC above .15 you can likely expect this device to be part of your minimum sentence for 6 months. This device will not allow your car to start if you cannot produce an alcohol-free breath sample. This part of the sentence doesn’t start until you can get your driver’s license and driving privileges back, which makes it more challenging to be successful on probation. A second DUI conviction will carry with it a mandatory ignition interlock device.

The state attorney can choose to prosecute you as a third-degree felony instead of a misdemeanor. Because a third DUI carries a mandatory conviction, if you are charged with a felony DUI and lose the DUI defense case either by plea bargain as charged or by trial, you will lose civil rights and be classified as a convicted felon.

Depending on the circumstances of your DUI case in Orlando, the penalties you face can increase rapidly according to Florida law. Penalties increase if while being charged with your DUI you damaged someone else’s property. Property damage will be used against your case to increase the penalties you could face.

For repeat offenders in Florida, DUI penalties can increase very fast. For example, if you are convicted of a third DUI within 10 years or have a fourth DUI arrest at any time, you face a third-degree felony conviction, which comes with a $5,000 fine and a jail sentence of up to 5 years.

According to Florida law, these penalties can be imposed if you are convicted of another DUI even without the involvement of an accident or serious bodily injury.

While a driver who has committed driving under the influence faces serious legal consequences for the offense, one of the most damaging impacts is your reputation. Considered a “double-edged sword,” a DUI arrest will not only affect your driving privileges and damage your driving record, but it will also affect your criminal record. Not only will you now have it on your record, but committing the offense, especially if it results in a felony charge and conviction, can make it difficult for you to land a job in the future since many employers require job applicants to indicate if they’ve ever been convicted of a felony under the law.