Ogden DUI Lawyer

Weber DUI Alcohol and Drug Defense

In Utah a DUI offense, or drunk driving as it is commonly referred to, is a very serious charge that could result in jail time and serious court fines. Aside from the jail time and fines a DUI conviction could also result in a driver’s license suspension and requirements to have an interlock system installed in your vehicle. Society has expressed a strong desire to keep drunk drivers off our streets and as such prosecutors can convict individuals with very little evidence and the criminal consequences can be very severe. A DUI charge is not a small matter and an accused person should understand what is at stake and protect themselves with the help of an attorney.

Benefits of Hiring an Attorney

Although the requirements for proving someone is guilty of a DUI are straight forward, the process of doing that can be very complicated. With the testing results, and admissibility of certain evidence it can be hard to understand what an accused person is or is not guilty of. Because of these complexities an attorney is vitally important in understanding the prosecution’s case and in defending against it. Without a lawyer most individuals will be prone to either take a deal that is not very favorable or fair to them, plead guilty to something they are not legally liable for, or roll the dice and see what the judge says; none of which are a best case scenario.

Enhanceable Offense

One of the ways that the Utah Legislature has tried to play hard ball with DUI offenders is by making the offense enhanceable. Enhancability means that the offense will increase in gravity when a defendant is charged for subsequent offenses. So for example a first and second DUI is normally a class B misdemeanor unless there are aggravating circumstances. If an individual is charged with a third DUI, however, then it is charged as a felony. This enhancabililty clock only runs for ten years though so you have to have three or more DUIs in a ten year period to get to a felony DUI charge.

Mandatory Sentencing

One of the special features of DUI charges in Utah is that there are mandatory sentencing guidelines specific to the offense. For example for a first time DUI conviction the mandatory sentencing is either two days in jail or 48 hours of community service. For a second DUI the mandatory jail time is 10 days or 240 hours of community service. It’s also important to note that a lot of judges in Utah are not willing to allow for the community service substitute and defendants often face having to go to jail for at least a couple days for a DUI conviction.

Impaired Driving

One of the deals that we often strive to get in a DUI case for our clients is having the DUI dropped to an impaired driving. This allows for the defendant to keep their licenses and avoid the mandatory sentencing guidelines.

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Picking the Right Attorney

Criminal charges not only produce serious risk of losing dear freedoms but also results in serious amounts of stress and uncertainty for the accused. With all this going on in the accused person’s life, trying to deal with the legal system without help only adds to the stress. With so much at stake for you and for you need the help of an experienced professional that will work tirelessly for your benefit. You can find such a professional at our firm. Our attorneys have worked hundreds of criminal cases and are sensitive to your concerns and desires. We will make sure that you’re rights are protected and that you obtain the best result available. Call  801.823.1200 or email us today to set up a free consultation.

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