A DUI is always something you have to take seriously. There are harsh penalties, both criminal and administrative, that you could face for a first, second or subsequent DUI.
If you had a DUI in the past and now face accusations of a second DUI, you need to know how the penalties may compound with this second offense. Here is what you need to know about what to expect from a second-offense DUI as you handle your case.
The penalties for a second DUI conviction
There are several serious financial penalties for a second-offense DUI. These include no less than $1,000 in fines, but those fines can grow to up to $2,000.
On top of that, if you had a blood alcohol level that was over .15%, you could be charged more. For a second conviction, you could be charged between $2,000 and $4,000 for a .15% or greater BAL or if you had a minor in your vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.
Second-offense DUI convictions and imprisonment
It is possible that you could be imprisoned for a second-offense DUI. For a second offense, the normal imprisonment length is up to nine months. However, if you had a BAL of .15% or more, then you could be imprisoned for up to 12 months. Additionally, if you were previously convicted of a DUI and that conviction was in the last five years, then you will need to spend a mandatory 10 days in jail. Of those, at least 48 hours have to be spent in consecutive confinement.
What can you do if you’re facing a second-offense DUI?
If you are facing a second-offense DUI, know that you can look into defending yourself. Depending on how much time has been between this and a past offense or what exactly happened leading up to an arrest, you may have several options for defending yourself and minimizing the penalties that you could face. With a good defense, you may even be able to get the charges against you dropped completely, helping you move forward without a black mark on your record.
