What Are
the Most Common DUI Penalties?
Driving under the
influence - also known simply as a DUI
- is one of
the most common offenses that people end up spending the night in jail
for. Every day, people who use poor judgment and get behind the wheel
of a car after having a few drinks end up getting pulled over, arrested
and put in jail. If you think that your troubles are over once you're
bailed out, think again: you're in for a whole lot of grief. The
specific DUI penalties that you may be subject to vary considerably
from state to state, but there are a couple of very common penalties
that are pretty much universal for this kind of charge.
DUI
Penalties - What You Should Know
First
of
all, if you are arrested and convicted of driving under the
influence, you can expect to pay some pretty steep fines and penalties.
In many states, just getting bailed out of jail will set you back at
least $500. From there, you will be responsible for paying for any
court-mandated counseling that you have to undergo, as well. Also,
there's a very good chance that one of your DUI penalties will involve
a certain number of hours of community service that must be completed
by a certain date. After getting a DUI, you can expect to pay a lot of
money - and spend a lot of time - as a part of your penalty.
Understanding DUI
Penalties
In
addition to fines,
fees and community service, you'll more than
likely have to complete probation for anywhere from six months to one
year. You will also have to pay for the privilege of doing this, so be
prepared to spend even more cash. Be careful to fulfill the terms of
your probation to the letter, too - otherwise, even steeper DUI
penalties can be assessed, up to and including jail time. Without a
doubt, getting a DUI is a major deal; you can lessen the fines and
penalties by hiring a professional lawyer, though.
Topics:
DUI Attorney, DUI
Defense, DUI Offense, DUI Conviction, DUI
Checkpoints, DUI Classes.
(Last Updated: September 1, 2009).
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