No matter how many times you have been convicted of DUI, the types of penalties you receive are the same. The difference is in the amount of time required or the cost. Here is a list of DUI penalties:
PROBATION: Under Florida Law, all DUIs require at least one year of reporting probation. This means that you must report to a probation officer once a month every month for one year. There is a monthly fee due to the probation office that supervises you every month. This fee is usually between $20 and $60 a month depending on the county.
FINES: Every DUI carries a mandatory fine. The fine can be as low as $500 or as much as $4000 depending on your particular case. This fine is in addition to any court costs, probation costs or restitution payments that are due.
DUI SCHOOL: Attendance at DUI school is mandatory for any DUI conviction. If it is your first DUI conviction you will attend basic DUI school. If you have more than one DUI conviction you will be required to attend advanced DUI school.
REFERRAL TREATMENT: As part of DUI school, you must undergo a substance abuse evaluation. If it is determined that you have a substance abuse problem, be it drugs or alcohol, you will be required to complete substance abuse treatment. Sometimes no treatment is recommended. Sometimes 16 weeks of treatment is recommended. In extreme circumstances in-patient treatment is recommended. It all depends on you as an individual. You must complete the recommended treatment if you ever hope to reinstate your driver’s license.
DRIVER’S LICENCE SUSPENSION: All convictions of DUI result in a license suspension. The suspension can be anywhere from six months to a permanent revocation of your driving privilege. If you refuse to blow your license will be suspended for one year. If you refuse to blow more than once, your license will be suspended for 18 months.
VICTIM IMPACT PANEL: Most judges require that you attend a one time victim impact panel. This is a panel of individuals who have been injured by drunk drivers, or who have lost family members as a result of drunk driving accidents. They discuss the impact of the drunk driver on their lives. It is very emotional and can be uncomfortable for those who attend.
JAIL: It is possible to sentenced to jail for a DUI charge. This is true even for a first conviction. In some cases, jail is mandatory. A second DUI conviction within 5 years carries a mandatory sentence of 10 days in jail. A third conviction within 10 years results in a mandatory 30 day jail sentence. This is true regardless of the blow.
The penalties for a DUI vary depending on the number of times you have been convicted of DUI in the past, whether or not you blew, and if you blew whether or not the blow was over a 0.15. As a general rule, if you blow over 0.15 the fines are doubled and the amount of jail you can receive is extended by three months.
The most important thing to do in case of a DUI is to hire good representation .A good attorney can help you to obtain the best result for your situation.
