First Offense DUI Attorneys in Orlando

Providing Solid Legal Representation for Clients Facing DUI Charges

If you have recently been arrested for a first-offense DUI, you are probably feeling scared and uncertain of how you can keep your license. A DUI conviction can never be erased from a person’s criminal record. Additionally, being convicted of a DUI can cause your insurance rates to increase, prohibit you from obtaining employment where driving is a requirement, and affect your status if you are attending college.

Therefore, if you have been arrested and charged with a first-offense DUI, you must hire an experienced attorney immediately. Only an experienced DUI attorney can help you keep your driving privileges.

Contact The Defense Group of Orlando, FL, today to schedule a free case evaluation. One of our highly trained DUI attorneys will gladly review your case and determine what legal strategies may be available. Call us at 407-743-8430.

When Can Someone Be Charged With a DUI?

Florida law stipulates that drivers can be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol if they operate or have control of a motor vehicle when a breath test or their blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08 percent or higher. Additionally, drivers may also be charged with DUI if they are under the influence of prescription or illegal drugs that impair their ability to operate a motor vehicle.

However, just because you are charged with a DUI does not always mean that the tests performed were accurate. Often, law enforcement officers administer the tests incorrectly, or the equipment used to conduct the tests fails to produce accurate results. As a result, anyone arrested and charged with a first-offense DUI must have experienced legal representation on their side.

Our team of legal professionals has comprehensive experience analyzing DUI breath and BAC tests to determine whether they were administered correctly and within the time specified by Florida law.

Contact The Defense Group immediately to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced lawyer who can assess your legal needs. Call us at 407-743-8430.

Why Do I Need to Hire an Attorney for a First-Offense DUI?

Unfortunately, many drivers who have been charged with a first-offense DUI think they can handle the charges on their own. Often, well-meaning family and friends encourage them to go ahead and plead guilty so they can just “get it over with.” However, anyone charged with a DUI should never try to handle the case independently. Instead, defendants must always hire an attorney to defend their rights and help them navigate the complex legal system.

Some of the other essential legal services that a DUI attorney can provide include:

1. Assistance with getting your license back: After you have been charged with a Florida DUI, you have 10 days to request a DMV Administrative Review Hearing. A DUI attorney will assist you in gathering all the necessary paperwork to help the process go smoothly in your quest to reinstate your license.
2. Litigate on your behalf: Many first-time DUI defendants are unaware that most cases are resolved through negotiations with their attorneys and prosecutors. In many instances, skilled DUI lawyers can plea bargain on their client’s behalf to help them receive shorter probation times. Sometimes, a lawyer can reduce the charges to a “wet reckless” if there are discrepancies regarding the DUI tests, you have no prior offenses, and the charges are unrelated to an accident.

What are the Penalties if Convicted of a First Offense DUI?

A first-offense DUI can come with significant penalties that can not only jeopardize your freedom but also force you to pay steep fines. Common penalties and legal requirements associated with a first-offense DUI include:

1. Being sentenced to jail for up to 6 months.
2. Fines ranging from $500 to $1,000.
3. Your driver’s license is suspended for 6 months.
4. You have your vehicle impounded for 10 days and must pay all applicable fees to remove it from the impound lot.
5. You may be placed on probation for up to one year and must perform a mandatory 30 hours of community service. You must also report monthly to a probation officer and pay supervision costs.
6. Complete a mandatory substance abuse education course and a psychosocial evaluation at DUI school.
7. Further substance abuse treatment if the DUI school evaluation deems it necessary.

It is important to note that state law stipulates penalties may be enhanced if aggravating factors are present in a DUI case. Aggravating DUI factors include:

• A breath test or BAC of 0.15 percent.
• A person in the vehicle under the age of 18.
• Damage to property.
• Serious bodily injury or death.

How Can Your DUI Lawyers Help Me Protect My License?

Contact The Defense Group immediately if you have been charged with a first-offense DUI. A DUI on your record can have negative life-changing consequences. However, our experienced lawyers have vast experience handling DUI cases and will fight to help you protect your driver’s license.

When we agree to take your case, we will review the state’s evidence for weaknesses and inconsistencies. We will scrutinize all law enforcement reports to determine if the officer who conducted the traffic stop had probable cause to pull you over.

Our legal team will also thoroughly analyze all police body cam and dash cam videos to determine the legality of the traffic stop and if your rights were violated in any way. Finally, we will work closely with the prosecutor to try and have your charges reduced or dismissed depending on the circumstances of the case.

The Defense Group of Orlando, Florida, is committed to helping first-offense DUI defendants resolve their legal issues quickly so they can resume their lives.

Call our law office at 407-743-8430 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation and learn more about our legal services and how we can help.