Monmouth County DUI Lawyer

Even though it is a relatively common crime, an accusation of driving under the influence (DUI) can carry heavy penalties in New Jersey. Conviction on DUI charges can impact your ability to get to work or drive your kids to school and potentially cripple you financially.

Being arrested for driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, especially if your arrest is based on a breathalyzer result of 0.08% or higher, can be a very difficult legal challenge to manage on your own. However, reaching out to a Monmouth County DUI lawyer may help you fully understand your legal options. Let a skilled defense attorney devise a strategy to avoid hefty fines, losing your driver’s license, the risk of an interlock device being installed in your car, and even jail time.

There are multiple types of DUI that someone can be charged with Monmouth County, New Jersey. The laws are complex and include varying degrees of sentencing guidelines, which a seasoned Monmouth County DUI lawyer could explain in further detail.

New Jersey Revised Statutes §39:4-50 states that an individual can be convicted of a first DUI offense if they operate a car, truck, motorcycle, or other motor vehicle “while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug,” or if they are found by law enforcement to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more while operating a motor vehicle. The law also criminalizes someone allowing another person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs to operate the former party’s motor vehicle, whether they own the vehicle or whether it is merely in their custody at the time of the alleged crime.

N.J. Rev. Stat. §39:4-50.14 establishes even stricter DUI rules regarding underage persons. According to this statute, anyone under 21 years of age who “operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 percent or more” can be charged with DUI.

A first DUI conviction can result in the following penalties:

• Jail time for up to 30 days
• Suspension of a driver’s license for up to three months
• Required alcohol education program participation and completion
• Fine of $250 to $400
• Fees of up to $505
• Additional yearly penalty of $1,000 for three years

Second and third DUI offenses within ten years of a previous DUI conviction can include penalties ranging from:

• Loss of driver’s license for anywhere from two to ten years
• Imprisonment for anywhere from two to 180 days
• Fines of up to $1,000
• Fees of up to $555
• Required alcohol education program participation and completion
• Installation of ignition interlock device in the convicted party’s vehicle
• Community service

People charged with DUI in the state of New Jersey face tough penalties, but also may have options to circumvent them. Depending on the circumstances, there are ways to counter breathalyzer results, prove accusations of operating the vehicle to be false, and help the accused get their lives back on track.

If you are arrested or facing charges for a DUI, you may want to reach out to a Monmouth County DUI lawyer today to start strategizing for your defense. A qualified local attorney could have the expertise and experience required to focus on your case from start to finish and work diligently to achieve a positive outcome.