Rockville First-Time DUI Penalties
Many people charged with a first-offense DUI assume judges and prosecutors will be lenient. However, even for first offenders, the consequences can be severe. Rockville first-time DUI penalties include up to 12 months in jail, up to 12 points on your driver’s license, up to $1,000 in fines, and up to three years of probation.
If you were charged with a DUI, you could benefit from representation by a skilled DUI attorney. A local lawyer understands how these cases play out in court, and they could fight tirelessly for a favorable outcome to your case.
First-Offense Leniency from Judges and Juries
There is no way for a jury to be lenient towards a defendant. Maryland juries are not entitled to know things like a person’s prior DUI history when making their determination because a jury does not sentence. The jury only determines whether facts exist to prove the charge.
Judges do have a different level of leniency towards people who have prior DUIs or other criminal charges on their record versus people who do not. A first-time offender would be treated better under most circumstances than somebody who has a lengthier criminal or DUI history. However, there may be exacerbating circumstances or factors in a case, such as a particularly high BAC, a car accident, injuries as a result of the car accident, property damage, or a small child in the car at the time the person had their DUI. All of those things could create reason in the judge’s mind to take one matter more seriously than another.
Diversion Programs and Probation
There are no diversion programs for first-time offenders for DUI or DWI in Montgomery County. Probation options are available, which would require the person to participate in some alcohol education or community service. A judge might order probation to keep a person out of jail, keep the points off their license, or maybe even strike the criminal conviction against them by granting them a probation before judgment disposition.
Driver’s License Points and Suspension
What happens to a person’s driver’s license after a first-time Rockville DUI charge depends on what actually took place. If the person had an alcohol concentration level of 0.08 or above, they could be facing a six-month suspension for the first offense. If they refuse a chemical breathalyzer test, they could be facing up to a nine-month suspension of their privilege to drive. Those Rockville first-time DUI penalties could also become enhanced or extended, depending on how a judge sentences a person with respect to a particular case and how many points are assessed after the case comes before the court.
If someone is convicted of a first-offense DUI, they are also facing points on their driver’s license. A DUI could carry up to 12 points, which could mean a revocation of their driver’s license and driving privileges.
Benefits of a Rockville DUI Attorney
If you were charged with a DUI, consider working with an attorney who has experience fighting against severe Rockville first-time DUI penalties. They could assist you by saying that there is not enough evidence to prove guilt, work on damage control to mitigate the circumstances, and try and keep points off of your driving record. Call today to begin building a defense.