Pittsburgh DUI Attorney – DUI in Pennsylvania
Maybe you were at happy hour enjoying a few drinks with some office mates at the end of the day. Perhaps you were on your way home from the big game. It could have been a dinner party. You may not have even felt as though you were intoxicated or impaired. However, if you have been consuming alcohol, it does not take much for you to receive charges for DUI in Pennsylvania. The best DUI attorneys in Pittsburgh will tell you that DUI is a criminal charge and is treated very seriously.
Once you get over the shock that you are actually being charged with DUI in Pittsburgh (or anywhere else in Pennsylvania) you will have many questions. They will probably include the following concerns:
1st time DUI in Pennsylvania
For first Offence DUI in Pennsylvania you have several different options depending on the facts and circumstances of your case. An experienced Allegheny County DUI lawyer is essential to making an informed and confident decision on whether to fight the case at trial, negotiate a plea settlement, or seek an alternative disposition such as ARD.
Second or Third Pennsylvania DUI Offense
If you are charged with your second or subsequent DUI offense in Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania, you are definitely facing mandatory jail time for DUI in Pennsylvania. However, you still have options which include winning the case at trial or negotiating a lesser punishment. As an experienced Pittsburgh DUI Attorney, I can counsel you with the courtroom skill and strategy necessary to achieve the best result for your case.
Illegal Drugs & DUI
While the penalties may increase, your DUI case is no different than a person who has a very high BAC. Qualified Allegheny County DUI attorneys will know to handle your case in a similar fashion to most DUI cases.
Penalties for DUI in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania
With the amendment of the DUI laws in 2003 the punishment for DUI in Pennsylvania has changed significantly. I have created a chart detailing the many different penalties for DUI. As a practiced Pittsburgh DUI Attorney, I can easily explain the penalties such as DUI jail time in Pennsylvania and license suspensions.
ARD, How Can it Help You?
ARD is an acronym for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition. If you have been charged with your fist offense DUI in Pennsylvania or Pittsburgh, and you have no prior criminal history, you may be eligible for the ARD program. Admission into the program can be the difference between jail time and probation. It can also greatly reduce a license suspension and eliminate a Pennsylvania DUI record. If accepted, you will be required to participate in DUI classes in Pittsburgh (or elsewhere in Pennsylvania).
Underage DUI
How your case is handled depends on whether you are an adult (18 or older). The procedures for handling a case in Juvenile Court as opposed to Adult Court can be very different. So are the penalties. You will also have been charged with Underage Drinking. Most Pennsylvania DUI lawyers should know the ins and outs of the law with particularity for underage offenses.
Should I go to trial?
The answer will be unique to your case. PA DUI attorneys know that no two DUI cases are ever exactly alike. When selecting a DUI lawyer in Pittsburgh, you will want to pay careful attention to the level of trial experience that attorney possesses. Asserting DUI defenses in Pennsylvania at trial can be a very tedious proposition and you should make sure that your lawyer has handled many trials before.
Remember, for a DUI in Pennsylvania or Pittsburgh, the police and the DA only need prove that:
- You were driving a motor vehicle on a “highway” in Pennsylvania, and
- a) Your blood alcohol level was above a 0.08% or contained drugs within two hours of being stopped
or
b) you imbibed a sufficient amount of alcohol such that you were rendered incapable of safely driving, operating or being in actual physical control of the movement of the vehicle.
These are just a few of the many concerns and issues that arise in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania DUI litigation. There are many more that an experienced Pittsburgh DUI attorney can help you with. From my offices in Pittsburgh I have helped many people just like you, whether it was their 1st DUI or their 5th . Call me, Allegheny County DUI Lawyer Michael V. Worgul now at (412) 475-9217 or 1-855-DUI-CRIM to schedule an initial consultation. |
