Edmond DUI Defense Lawyer
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense in Oklahoma. If convicted of a DUI, you risk losing your driving privileges, facing serious penalties, and even spending time in prison.
Due to the number of accidents on the road that are caused by negligence and DUIs, law enforcement and prosecutors take a tough approach to anyone found driving under the influence. If you are facing a DUI conviction in Edmond, OK, you should speak with a DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible.
DUI lawyers in Edmond can help reduce your charges to ensure that you do not face harsh penalties for driving under the influence. The sooner you speak with a DUI defense attorney, the more time they have to build a robust defense strategy on your behalf. They can conduct independent research, examine police reports, and create a strong case to prevent your privileges and freedom from being taken away.
Our team of criminal defense attorneys at Cannon & Associates is skilled at what we do. We have been serving Edmond and the surrounding areas of Oklahoma City for many years, and we know what it takes to fight against serious criminal charges. Our DUI attorneys in Edmond will do everything in their power to reduce your penalties and prevent your life from being impacted due to a DUI conviction.
Schedule a free consultation with one of our criminal defense lawyers today by calling 405-591-3935.
What Is a DUI?
The law in Oklahoma strictly prohibits driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. The maximum blood alcohol concentration permitted in the state for those over the age of 21 is 0.08%. If a person is found to have blood alcohol content (BAC) higher than this, they will be charged with a DUI.
DUI criminal charges can also be brought against an individual driving under the influence of illegal drugs or prescription drugs. If you are taking prescription drugs, you must ensure that you are under the limit before attempting to operate a motor vehicle. Failing to do so could result in a severe car accident, causing injuries to yourself or others.
Minors
If you are a minor, you can still be charged with a DUI if your BAC is less than 0.08%. The law takes a zero-tolerance approach to anyone under the age of 21 who is caught drunk driving. If a minor is caught committing any of the following violations, their license will be immediately suspended and an ignition interlock device (IID) will be installed:
- Driving with any level of alcohol in their blood.
- Using or possessing drugs or alcohol while driving.
- Refusing to submit a breathalyzer test to authorities.
- Misrepresenting their age to acquire alcohol.
Contact one of our DUI lawyers if have been charged with a DUI as a minor. We can help fight against your DUI charge or help to end the suspension of your driver’s license.
Aggravated DUI Charges in Oklahoma City, OK
The law in Oklahoma includes the offense of ‘aggravated DUI‘, which is when an individual is found driving with a BAC of over 0.15%. If a person is driving with a high BAC, they are more likely to cause a serious accident, property damage, and injury to other drivers or pedestrians. As such, this offense is much more serious than a regular DUI charge and can lead to harsher penalties and a revocation of your license.
This charge does not automatically equate to a felony however the consequences of a conviction can be quite severe.
What Is a DWI?
DWI, or driving while impaired, is a separate criminal offense from a DUI in Edmond, OK. A DWI is much less serious than a DUI conviction and it is always charged as a misdemeanor. If you are found driving with a blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.08%, you can be charged with a DWI.
With a misdemeanor charge, however, you may be sentenced to time in county jail, have to pay fines, or receive penalty points on your license, depending on the particular circumstances. Speak with a DUI defense lawyer from our law firm to learn more about your DWI charge.
How Are DUIs Caused in Edmond, OK?
Often, people find themselves driving under the influence without the intent to do so. You may have ended up in a situation where you felt like you had no other choice, and are now facing a DUI charge which could affect the rest of your life.
Our Edmond DUI attorneys at Cannon & Associates have seen all too well how upstanding citizens have had to hire a criminal defense attorney to defend their DUI charges. Some examples of situations they got themselves in include:
- Getting stopped without probable cause by a law enforcement officer and then testing positive for being under the influence, even though they did not feel intoxicated.
- Taking medicine that was prescribed by their doctor and subsequently driving while under the influence of this medication.
- Drinking alcohol the night before and driving to work the next morning, feeling completely sober, and getting stopped by police at a traffic stop or for no reason. Then, taking a breathalyzer and discovering that they have a blood alcohol level of over 0.08%.
- Having a drink or two with friends after work, then driving home and getting stopped by police who determine that you are under the influence.
Regardless of why you have been charged with a DUI, the most important thing is that you do not have to pay serious penalties for a one-time mistake. Our DUI attorneys are highly experienced in criminal defense law, and we can help build up a strong defense on your behalf to ensure that you do not face serious penalties.
Penalties For DUI Convictions in Edmond, OK
As discussed before, DUIs are taken very seriously in Oklahoma, and if you are convicted, you could face jail time, penalty points, a revocation of your license, and fines. Each DUI case is different, and the penalties that you receive will depend on a number of circumstances including:
- Your blood alcohol concentration at the time of the criminal offense.
- Whether you have a previous criminal conviction for a DUI.
- Whether there were passengers in the vehicle, particularly minors, at the time of the incident.
- Whether any public or private property was damaged as a result.
- If there were any aggravating factors.
First Offense – Misdemeanor
If it is your first time being charged with a DUI, you may face the following penalties if convicted:
- From ten days up to one year in county jail.
- Revocation of your driver’s license for up to six months.
- A maximum fine of $1,000.
- Installation of an ignition interlock (breathalyzer) device.
Second Offense
Depending on the particular circumstances of your case, you may face charges at the felony level for a second DUI offense. Felony charges are far more serious than misdemeanor charges and can result in time spent in jail and a permanent criminal record. You could be looking at:
- Maximum fines of $2,500.
- From one to five years jail time.
- Revocation of your driver’s license for up to one year.
- Installation of an ignition interlock device.
Third Offense
Your third DUI offense will automatically be charged as a felony unless the two previous offenses were over 10 years ago. The penalties you can face for a third DUI include:
- Maximum fines of $5,000.
- From one to ten years jail time.
- Revocation of your driver’s license for up to three years.
- Installation of an ignition interlock device.
Fourth Offense
The penalties get more severe for repeat offenders. For a fourth DUI, you could be faced with:
- Maximum fines of $5,000.
- From one to twenty years of jail time.
- Revocation of your driver’s license for three years or more.
- Installation of an ignition interlock device.
- Requirement to complete 480 hours of community service in Edmond, OK.
The penalties for DUI criminal charges are serious, particularly if you have been convicted on more than one occasion. A criminal defense lawyer can help ensure that you do not face maximum penalties for your DUI offense in Oklahoma. DUI attorneys in Edmond are skilled in building up a strong criminal defense and discrediting the evidence brought forward by the prosecutor in an attempt to get your case thrown out.
What Can a Criminal Defense Attorney Do For Me?
If you are facing DUI charges in Edmond, Oklahoma, the most important thing you can do is get a DUI defense attorney who is skilled at what they do. An experienced criminal defense lawyer will do everything in their power to reduce your DUI penalty and build a strong defense for your case.
The first thing our DUI defense lawyers in Edmond will do is assess whether your case has any legal issues. We will check whether your arrest was carried out legally, whether your constitutional rights were upheld, and whether law enforcement adhered to due process. Next, we will take a look at your BAC test and assess whether it was carried out in accordance with proper legal standards.
If our criminal defense attorneys discover that there have been any legal issues during your arrest, testing, or processing, we will attempt to get the case thrown out immediately. Criminal cases that do not have sound legal standing will not get past our outstanding Edmond DUI lawyers at Cannon & Associates.
Reduce Your Sentence
In many criminal cases involving DUIs, the judge presiding over the case is likely to impose a more lenient sentence on a first-time offender, particularly if they plead guilty and have an experienced trial lawyer.
Judges will usually grant probation rather than jail time to first-time offenders, provided that they complete a rehabilitation program or drug and alcohol counseling. If you decide to choose us to represent you as your criminal defense lawyer, we will push to ensure that you do not serve jail time for your first DUI conviction.
If you lose your driving privileges as a result of your DUI conviction, we can petition the court to get you to get a restricted or modified license to allow you to drive under certain conditions such as going to and from work. You may need to get an IID installed in your vehicle, however, being able to drive to and from work means that you will not lose your job as a result of the DUI conviction.
What Type of Defense Can a DUI Lawyer Build For Me?
People facing DUI criminal charges are caught red-handed driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Many people are unsure how they can create a defense against the criminal case the prosecution has built. However, a lawyer who is experienced in criminal defense law will know the best strategies to reduce the penalties you may face.
If you were stopped by police at the side of the road and did not cause any property damage or personal injury to other drivers or pedestrians, our lawyers can help reduce your criminal charges so that you are not convicted of a DUI. For example, we could get the charges reduced to reckless driving which means that you would not face jail time and would not have a DUI on your record.
Our DUI lawyers can also argue that the criminal charges brought against you are not valid and that there were many legal issues surrounding your arrest. Regardless of your situation, our super lawyers will be able to build a strong defense on your behalf to ensure that your DUI charges or penalties are reduced substantially in Oklahoma City. Schedule a free consultation with one of our DUI lawyers today to discuss what defense options are available for your case.
Contact an Edmond DUI Defense Lawyer at Cannon & Associates
Driving under the influence is a serious offense in Edmond, Oklahoma. If convicted of a DUI, you could be looking at time in prison, fines, and losing your driving privileges. If you caused serious property damage or injured or killed someone while driving under the influence, you could be facing severe criminal charges.
At Cannon & Associates, we know how stressful it is to face DUI charges. Our DUI lawyers have helped hundreds of citizens in Oklahoma fight against DUI charges brought against them. Our criminal defense lawyers have the skills necessary to fight your case in court and reduce your charges or penalties substantially. We prioritize justice at our law firm, and we do not want your life to be ruined by a criminal conviction.
Our firm offers a free consultation in the local Edmond area for you to receive honest legal advice from one of our DUI lawyers with no strings attached.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation at 405-591-3935.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR OKLAHOMA CITY DUI DEFENSE ATTORNEY
DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY FOR A DUI IN OKLAHOMA CITY?
HOW CAN I FIND THE BEST DUI LAWYER IN OKLAHOMA?
HOW MUCH DOES A DUI LAWYER COST IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OK?
CAN I GET A DUI IF I’M ON PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION?
CAN I GET OUT OF A DUI IN OKLAHOMA?
WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS IF I GET PULLED OVER FOR A DUI IN OKLAHOMA CITY?
