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Comprehensive DUI Attorney in Okaloosa, Florida

The state of Florida boasts some of the nation’s most extreme sentences for DUI convictions. For that reason, if you find yourself being pulled over under suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Okaloosa, Florida, do not plead guilty. A criminal defense lawyer can build your best defense strategy and help protect your freedom, your driver’s license, and your criminal record from Florida’s extremely harsh penalties.

Chris Crawford of Crawford Law has over 10 years of experience working as a DUI attorney and criminal defense lawyer. If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, call Crawford Law to schedule your cost-free, completely confidential consultation. Rest assured that you have made the first step on the path to the best possible outcome in your DUI case.

DUI Penalties in the State of Florida

In the state of Florida, the penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) include thousands of dollars in fines, the loss of your driver’s license, and even potential jail time. Florida is unique amongst other states in that it imposes a mandatory minimum sentence for this charge, meaning a judge has little discretion to reduce the penalty based on individual circumstances. What’s more, if you’re convicted of any DUI offense, the state will never allow you to have it expunged or to seal your records.

If you’re a first-time DUI offender, you could be facing a driver’s license suspension for a period of six to 12 months, and your car could be impounded for no longer than 10 days. During your required 12 months of probation, you’ll have to complete DUI school, pay a fine, and cover the court costs. You’ll also have to complete 50 hours of community service and go to a DUI Impact Panel to witness the heavy toll that drunk driving has taken on your community. If you refuse a breath test or if you register a blood alcohol level (BAC) between .08% and .15%, you could face up to six months in jail, and potential confinement time only increases if your BAC is higher than .15%. If you’ve been arrested as a first-time offender and have a relatively clean criminal record, an experienced first-time DUI lawyer can work to have your case dismissed or negotiate your best possible sentencing options.

As will all crimes, sentencing guidelines increase with each offense. Should you get a second DUI within five years of your first, you’ll face 10 days of mandatory jail time and a much heavier fine, on top of all of the consequences of that first offense. Your license will be suspended for a minimum of five years, without even the possibility of a hardship license until one year has passed. More than three DUI charges can earn you a felony charge, and four offenses can lead to permanent revocation of your driver’s license.

Aggravating factors can also add prison time or raise your misdemeanor charge to a felony. Those enhancing factors include causing injury or death to another person (known as DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide) or causing property damage. A DUI car crash can earn you up to 12 months in jail alone, and if a minor is in your vehicle at the time of your arrest, you could face up to nine months in jail. In these situations, working with a felony DUI lawyer will give you your best chance to reduce your charges to a misdemeanor. 

Underage Drivers

In keeping with the state’s extremely harsh penalties for DUIs, Florida also has a zero-tolerance policy for underage drunk drivers. If you’re under the age of 21 and have a BAC of .02% or higher, you can be charged with a DUI, even though that BAC is significantly less than the legal limit for those over the age of 21.

Even though underage drivers cannot receive jail time for a conviction, the consequences are still severe and far-reaching. Penalties for underage DUI include loss of driver’s license for up to six months, heavy fines, probation, and community service. If you or your child has been pulled over for driving under the influence, working with our dedicated underage DUI lawyers can help you to minimize the life-altering consequences of a criminal charge at such a young age.

Crawford Law – Reliable Representation and Aggressive DUI Defense

If you’re facing the harsh penalties for a DUI in Oskaloosa, Florida, working with Crawford Law and our DUI defense experts will ensure that you have tireless representation behind you at every stage of your legal ordeal. At Crawford Law, we understand the immense stress that a DUI arrest can bring into your life, and our legal team genuinely cares about the outcome of your case.

We’ll meet with you to discuss the details of your situation and then work around the clock to build your best defense strategy. Our devotion to our clients combined with the superior quality of our legal representation sets our law firm apart from the rest here in Oskaloosa, Florida. We’ll stop at nothing to give you your best shot at securing a positive outcome in your case.

Crawford Law has extensive experience defending charges of drunk driving in Florida courts. Our vast network of resources allows us to investigate the circumstances of your arrest to find holes in the state’s case or their scientific evidence. We prepare all of our cases to go to trial to encourage the prosecution to give our clients the best deals that reduce the consequences of a criminal charge.

Schedule your completely confidential, completely free case consultation to explore your legal options and learn more about DUI defense strategies with our expert criminal defense team today.

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