Lakeland DUI Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI crime, contact The Law Firm of RICARDO ALVAREZ, P.A., by calling 863.709.0808, or by using our online case evaluation form.

According to Florida Statute 316.193, a DUI is defined as Driving Under the Influence of Alcoholic Beverages, Chemical Substances or Controlled Substances while either operating a motor vehicle or other mode of transportation while being impaired of his or her normal faculties or having an unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of .08 or above.

In the State of Florida, being arrested for a DUI is no joke. The ramifications of a DUI conviction may effect many areas of your life both in the short term and potentially the long term as well. Law enforcement officers are constantly on the lookout for those who may be driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, controlled substances, or prescription drugs that may impair your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Law enforcement not only actively looks for DUI offenders, but also will set up DUI Check-Points at specific locations throughout the year, and have even been known to stake out a bar and pull over the bar's patrons as they exit property of the bar.

In the State of Florida, DUI Conviction Penalties include:

• First DUI Conviction:Not more than 6 months incarceration, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose. With BAL of .20 or higher or minor in the vehicle: Not more than 9 months incarceration, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose.
• Second DUI Conviction:Not more than 9 months incarceration, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose. With BAL of .20 or higher or minor in the vehicle: Not more than 12 months incarceration, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose. If second conviction within 5 years, mandatory imprisonment of at least 10 days. At least 48 hours of confinement must be consecutive, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose.
• Third DUI Conviction:If third conviction within 10 years, mandatory imprisonment of at least 30 days. At least 48 hours of confinement must be consecutive, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose. If third conviction more than 10 years, imprisonment for not more than 12 months, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose.
• Fourth DUI Conviction:Not more than 5 years or as provided in s.775.084, Florida Statutes, as habitual/violent offender, fines, and other penalties the court has the authority to impose.

Administrative Hearing following a DUI Arrest

You only have 10 days from the date of the DUI arrest to request an administrative hearing with the department of motor vehicles. At this point you may request to be granted hardship driving privileges while you are involved in the legal process of defending yourself against DUI charges.

Many people assume that if they are charged with a DUI it is an automatic conviction. This is not true. Field sobriety test are subjective, probable cause must be proved to substantiate the charge, law enforcement must not have violated your rights, and all scientific devices used to determine your blood alcohol ratio must be proven to work properly and to have been calibrated properly within the guidelines for the particular legal standards. A DUI DOES NOT mean an automatic conviction. You do have rights that must be protected.

If you have been charged with a DUI crime, you need an attorney on your side who is knowledgeable of the law, experienced at trial, and able to negotiate for you from a position of strength. Call our law office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 863.709.0808, or by using our online case evaluation form.

We stand ready to aggressively represent you, and answer all of your questions. An aggressive  defense of your case in the early stages could lead to the charges against you being dismissed or reduced.

---

DUI CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY SERVING LAKELAND, WINTER HAVEN, BARTOW, POLK COUNTY, AND CENTRAL FLORIDA

Contact Ricardo Alvarez today at 863-709-0808

---

I can help you fight any criminal charge, from a traffic infraction to homicide charges. Our areas of Criminal Defense representation include, but are not limited to: