Facing a drunk driving charge is an unexpected and often traumatic experience. Individuals charged with operating while intoxicated are often stigmatized and portrayed as irresponsible, or even dangerous criminals. Our goal is to help our clients remove the stigma, and more than that, to help our clients win back their lives. To return to the way things were before all the trouble started.
Those who call our top OWI lawyers near me in Michigan are typically everyday citizens, law-abiding and hard-working. Their goal is to try to avoid a criminal conviction and license suspension by retaining a skilled DUI defense lawyer to keep their criminal history clean.
Persons arrested for intoxicated driving need an OWI defense attorney who is highly knowledgeable about handling operating a vehicle while under the influence cases. Michigan laws broadly prohibit being in actual physical control or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or impaired by a controlled substance.
Will I Go to Jail for Drunk Driving?In Michigan, driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious offense, and the consequences can vary based on several factors, including your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), any prior DUI convictions, and whether there were any injuries or property damage involved. Michigan has a legal limit of 0.08% BAC for drivers aged 21 and older, and lower limits for commercial drivers and those under 21.
If you are convicted of a DUI in Michigan, you may face penalties such as fines, license suspension, mandatory alcohol education programs, community service, and even imprisonment. The severity of these penalties depends on the circumstances of your case.
Michigan employs a tiered system for DUI penalties, with first, second, and third offenses carrying different levels of punishment. Additionally, if your BAC is significantly above the legal limit or if you have a minor in the vehicle at the time of the offense, you may face enhanced penalties. Repeat offenses generally result in harsher consequences. The most severe sentences are reserved for those cases involving accidents, especially DUIs where serious injury or death has occurred.
It's crucial to seek legal advice promptly if you are facing a DUI charge in Michigan. An attorney can help assess the details of your case, guide you through the legal process, and provide the best possible defense based on the circumstances.
This chart provides all the possible sanctions, including possible jail time, for all of the various drunk driving crimes in Michigan.
Driver's license sanctions for a DUI in Michigan are imposed by the Michigan Secretary of State. The severity of these sanctions depends on factors such as whether it's a first-time offense or a repeat offense, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and other circumstances surrounding the DUI incident.
For a first offense, you may face a driver's license suspension ranging from 30 days to 180 days, depending on the BAC level and other factors. After the first 30 days, a restricted license allowing limited driving privileges may be available. If it’s a high BAC case, there’s no driving for 45 days, followed by 320 of restricted, but only in a car with a BAIID. An ignition interlock device requires you to pass a breathalyzer test before starting your vehicle.
If you have a second DUI offense within seven years of the first, the Secretary of State will revoke your license for a minimum period of one year. To start driving again, you must “restore” your driving privileges.
Subsequent offenses, especially third or subsequent DUI convictions, can lead to more severe consequences, including longer license suspensions and potentially felony charges. The Secretary of State may revoke your driving privileges for an extended period, and you may be required to undergo substance abuse treatment.
It's important to note that the information provided here is a general overview, and specific details can vary based on the individual circumstances of your case. Seeking legal advice from an experienced DUI attorney in Michigan is crucial to understanding the potential driver's license sanctions you may face and to navigate the legal process effectively.
The Best Rated DUI Defense Attorney Near Me Who Knows Michigan OWI LawsWhen law enforcement officers and state prosecutors try to paint you as a criminal, you need an experienced DUI attorney on your side who understands your situation and your need to retain driving privileges. What if you could retain a top-quality law firm whose senior partner wrote the book on drunk driving laws in Michigan, as well as a national DUI-DWI book?
You are on that very D.U.I. lawyer's website! Why look further for other drunk driving lawyers near me when our Michigan law firm led by Patrick Barone has 7 top rated DUI lawyers near me to serve you and can guide you through the process with compassion and empathy?
Let our experienced Michigan OWI lawyers build a defense and ensure you know what to expect at each step of the legal process. Call today and schedule a consultation with our experienced DUI lawyers in Michigan who have defended thousands of DUIs.
For over 30 years, the Michigan DUI lawyers at The Barone Defense Firm have been focused on helping people win back their lives. That means assigning one of our excellent drunk driving attorneys near me to help you in restoring your life to the way it was prior to the DUI arrest problems that you encountered.
Our legal professionals are skilled in fighting field sobriety tests, flawed blood testing results, or a Intoxilyzer 9000 breath alcohol test result.
Who is the Best DUI Lawyer in Michigan?If you look at the number of years that US News and World and Super Lawyers, among many others, have recognized a skilled attorney for DUI near me, that top DUI attorney appears to be Patrick Barone. He has written several books on DUI defense both nationally and in Michigan.
Our Firm's Aggressive Michigan DUI Case ApproachAt the Barone Defense Firm, we believe that a Michigan DUI lawyer is called "Attorney and Counselor" for a reason. We embrace our roles as counselors by carefully interviewing clients to better individualize their cases for the prosecutor and judge. In addition, we can help you prepare your testimony so that it is clear and reliable should we need to go to court.
This also helps us identify lifestyle patterns that may have led to the drunk driving arrest, as well as other needs, feelings, and fears that the client may be experiencing. Our Michigan OWI lawyers do this because every case is unique, and we want to help guide our clients through this tumultuous and uncertain time.
Because our OWI defense lawyers approach each client as an individual and not just a case number, we are interested in treating the "whole patient"—not just the symptom. This means that we want to know what is going on in your life that caused the OWI arrest in the first place.
In some cases, a person may be battling underlying issues, such as alcohol or drug addiction. In these situations, our Michigan DUI lawyers can help identify the need for help with this threat to your livelihood and assist in obtaining the proper treatment so that our client can begin the road to recovery.
While our record of results speaks for itself, it is not up to us to determine what a "successful" outcome will look like in your case. During the initial interview process, our attorneys will discuss your goals for the case and how you will define success given your unique situation. It is then our job to reach these goals and obtain a favorable outcome for you.
Legal Fee Payment Plans and Free Lawyer ConsultationOur legal team of drunk driving defense lawyers offers flexible payment plans to suit our clients' budgets. Additionally, our Michigan OWI attorneys offer free, confidential one-hour case consultations in person or over the phone. Even if you don't hire us, contact us, and let us hear your story and help you in any way we can.