Don’t try to navigate the legal system alone.
Knoxville TN DUI Attorney
If you or a loved one has been arrested for violation of Tennessee DUI laws be sure to contact a competent criminal defense attorney today.
Being convicted is not a light matter. DUI charges are serious and can have many consequences such as jail time, loss of driver’s license, expensive fines and an increase in car insurance rates. A conviction for this offense will be on your permanent record.
There are many types of criminal charges a person can have. Some are misdemeanors, while others are felonies. A misdemeanor charge is serious but the penalties are light in comparison to a felony conviction. It can affect your life just as drastically.
A Knoxville DUI is charged as a Class C Misdemeanor offense which categorizes it under general misdemeanors. If you have previous DUI convictions on your record the charge will automatically be upped to a Class A Misdemeanor with harsher consequences for being convicted multiple times for this offense within five (5) years of another DUI conviction.
Being convicted for a third time carries jail time up to 11 months, 29 days and fines between $350-$1000 plus court costs. You will also get an 18 month suspension of your drivers license. That isn’t all that could happen. Other penalties could include getting your vehicle towed and impounded, attending an alcohol safety school, having an interlock device put on the car you drive and having to do community service.
You will also be required to attend a 12-hour substance abuse course and install an ignition lock device on the car you drive for one year. If this is not done within 90 days of your conviction date, your driver’s license suspension starts without any chance of appeal.
When it comes to DUI arrests in Knox County, there are ways that a criminal defense team can help such as asking that the prosecutor reduce or dismiss your charges based on insufficient evidence; having licenses reinstated; lawsuits filed against police officers; accidents investigated; underage drinking offenses handled; drug offenses possibly reduced with minimal penalties and much more. This is often part of the legal services law firms offer.
You might be able to temporarily reduce your jail time if you request a good behavior bond. This is where the judge will release you from custody pending a later trial date in exchange for a promise that you won’t get into any more trouble or violate your conditions of bail during the interim period between now and then. However, this option is only available if the judge decides that you are not an “unacceptable risk.” If there is even one incident, however trivial it may seem, the judge has the discretion to revoke his/her offer of a good behavior bond. You must also understand that it’s entirely at their discretion whether or not they’ll honor your good behavior bond.
Criminal Defense
Criminal cases in Knox County, Tennessee can be quite complicated and you need a lawyer who is knowledgeable about these kinds of cases. Whether the charge is a misdemeanor or felony, it’s crucial to secure your freedom by having your criminal case properly handled by experienced criminal defense lawyers. A good attorney will make every effort to help you avoid costly fines and lengthy prison sentences by doing whatever they can for mitigating circumstances such as these: getting drug classes instead of jail time; past good behavior; military service; lack of prior offenses; assistance in securing employment upon release from prison; etc. Knoxville DUI attorneys will work with you on alleged criminal defense and DUI charges that you may be going through. In many cases, this also includes felony DUI and underage DUI throughout East Tennessee. The best DUI lawyers sometimes ask questions about your history with criminal justice, including things like:- Have you had previous DUI offenses?
- Did you undergo field sobriety tests?
- Do you have a previous drunk driving charge?
- What was your blood alcohol concentration at the time?
- Did the police officer read you your rights?
- Have you had previous criminal offenses including federal crimes?