Why you need a DUI Lawyer in Lancaster, PA
You need a DUI Lawyer in Lancaster, Pa to lead you through the legal process that follows a DUI arrest. In recent years the penalties you face when convicted in Lancaster County have gotten more severe. If found guilty, Judges have no choice but to impose mandatory minimum jail sentences and high fines.
A Lancaster PA DUI arrest is an extremely scary, methodical and technical proceeding. Lancaster County has created a special court for all DUI cases in the county. It’s very important to contact and employ a DUI attorney early in the process to ensure you get the best result possible and to walk you through some of the more complex issues in your DUI Case.
Call us today. The Shelton Firm will explain all your options, including if you qualify for the ARD program and reduction of charges. Our DUI Attorneys will help you decide whether going to trial is the best option.
What is a DUI?
The DUI Law in Pennsylvania states that a person, may not drive a vehicle if:
- He has drunk enough alcohol to render him or her incapable of safely driving the vehicle, or
- He drank enough alcohol to place his BAC level above the .08% level, or
- There are any controlled substances, or metabolites of that substance, in their blood
Here you can view the official text version of the DUI Law in Pennsylvania.
Mandatory Jail Time
There can be many potential outcomes to a DUI case.
One important thing to know is you will most likely be looking at mandatory jail time. A mandatory sentence in a DUI arrest can be anywhere from 2 days in prison up to 1 year in State Prison.
There are many ways a DUI Lawyer in Lancaster, Pa can assist you in avoiding the tough mandatory penalties and the license suspension that go with a DUI arrest. Call today to discuss your options going foward.
ARD Program
The Lancaster County DUI ARD program allows first time DUI offenders to avoid a criminal conviction by completing the program. You may expunge your record after probation.
Our experienced attorney will fight for your admission into the program, which will save you from the unwanted choice of having to go to trial and risking your clean record.
In order to finish ARD you may be required to:
Receive a period of probation (No jail time),
Complete community service hours, and
Pay a fee to enter ARD
How the Police Prove their Case
Proof of Intoxication
The police routinely use, field sobriety tests, breathalyzers and blood test evidence to put people in jail for drunk driving.
Never assume that FSTs, breath test or blood testing evidence means an automatic conviction. These tests are only as reliable as the people giving them. In fact, their results can often be inaccurate or obtained under illegal means.
If you believe your test results are false or even illegal, Call our DUI Lawyer to fight back against the charges.
Call your DUI Attorney in Lancaster Pennsylvania to fight this evidence and potentially get your case dismissed or reduced.
Breathalyzer
A breathalyzer is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample. This device should not to be confused with the Portable Breath Test (PBT) done on the side of the road. You can only do the Breathalyzer at the Police Station. They must follow certain procedures to ensure its accuracy, otherwise your BAC level will not be admissible in court.
Field Sobriety Test
Field sobriety tests, (FSTs), are a group of tests used by police to tell if it intoxicated a a person with alcohol or other drugs. FSTs are primarily used to meet “probable cause” requirements, necessary to request a blood or breathe sample from a driver. The Police do the tests road side and a variety of factors can affect the reliability.
Blood Test
Police generally want to conduct chemical testing (e.g. blood tests) to check for the presence of drugs or alcohol in a driver’s system. They use observations from your interaction to get Probable Cause for the test. Blood test results can take several weeks or more to come back.
The officer makes the choice of blood test or breath test, depending on the department’s policy. Some departments only do breath tests, while others don’t have the devices and only do blood tests.
DUI Penalties in PA
Avoid the Mandatory Jail Time
With every extra conviction for driving under the influence penalties become more and more severe, This is why having an experienced lawyer can help you avoid some of the worst penalties.
The law renders punishments through a three-tier system. The higher your blood alcohol content the tougher the sentence. Your sentence can range from no jail, all the way up to a minimum of at least one year in state prison. The law requires drug evaluations and Ignition Interlock. You will also lose your license and pay Hundreds of dollars in fines.
Talk to your attorney about ARD or house arrest to avoid mandatory jail time. Don’t face these high fines and Mandatory Minimum sentences alone.
Call The Shelton Firm today for a free consultation and hire a DUI lawyer in Lancaster, Pa to make sure you get the best outcome.
DUI TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Additional Information
Get some helpful information from our Blog articles below. Read our blog articles about DUI Penalties below. Call us with any questions.
