A SC DUI/DUAC defense lawyer highlights the high price you pay for a conviction, showing the main reason to fight the charge- beisdes the fact you might not be guilty.
Transcript
The first question just about anybody who's charged with a DUI or a driving with an unlawful alcohol concentration, which we called DUAC wants to know is: “what am I facing?” The answer is, the same thing and a lot. It doesn't matter whether you're convicted of DUI or DUAC the penalties are the same and these are the major ones.
First, you may be facing immediate license suspension even without a conviction which after October 1st, 2014, you can choose between the restricted license, that only lets you drive some places or get costly, burdensome ignition interlock to avoid. You’re also facing possible jail time, which is mandatory if it's a repeat offense. You’re looking at fines and court costs. If you're convicted you're looking at another driver's license suspension which again can be headed off by ignition interlock, which we discuss at another article and video on our website. You’re looking at paying at least five hundred dollars to take and complete an alcohol drug and safety action program. You’re also going to have to get sr22 insurance which can dramatically increase the cost of your auto insurance premiums.
If you're a college student, you might lose your state scholarship and your parents could lose tax breaks associated with you being a college student and, perhaps worst, if you are a young person who's looking at changing jobs in the future or just going to be new in the job market, before too much longer, it could impair your employment future because your employer might be concerned about that driving record, especially if you're getting a job that's going to feature a company car.
Those are the major penalties associated with a DUI or DUAC conviction. The idea is, you owe it to yourself to fight against having to pay that price because you may not be guilty. I thank you for thinking about this with me.
