Knowledgeable Washington State DUI Lawyers Experienced In WA State Drunk Driving Law.
Washington DUI Penalties and Mandatory Minimums.
Washington State’s DUI penalties are among some of the most severe. With Washington State drunk driving laws, if you are found guilty and convicted of a DWI/DUI here in WA State, you’ll be subject to these mandatory sentences at minimum.
- Time spent in jail (All Washington State DWI/DUI convictions carry a mandatory sentence for prison time of at least 1 day / 24 hours)
- WA State suspension of your drivers license (90 days min)
- Installation of the Ignition Interlock Device (1 year min)
- Alcohol and drug evaluation
- Alcohol and drug treatment pursuant to evaluation and recommendations
- Attendance to a victim impact panel
- Fines, costs, fee assessments
Washington State’s DUI Penalties Can Interfere With Many Facets of Your Life.
Washington State’s DUI penalties will also lead to higher insurance and may be a serious impediment to future employment, particularly if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and drive for a living. Washington’s DUI penalties are broken out into two categories based on your alleged Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) or whether you refused to take a blood or DUI breath test. According to Washington State drunk driving laws, if your BAC was between .08 and .149, you fall into the lesser category of mandatory minimums. If your alleged BAC was .15 or higher, or if you refused to submit to a breath or blood test, you fall into the category of stiffer WA State drunk driving penalties.
According to WA State drunk driving law, the penalties you face are also directly related to whether or not this is your first offense. If this is your second or third drunk driving offense within the last seven years, the mandatory minimum penalties increase. For additional information about your WA State DUI case and the mandatory minimum drunk driving penalties that you are facing, please call us for a free consultation.
Our DUI attorneys are experienced in Washington State drunk driving law. Call now!
WA State DUI Sentencing Grid.
For additional information regarding drunk driving laws in Washington State and the mandatory minimum DWI/DUI sentencing guidelines visit: RCW 46.61.502
What You Need to Know About Washington DUI Penalties.
One of the most dreaded aspects of being arrested for a Washington DUI is the penalties associated with a conviction. Getting a clear understanding of the Washington State DUI penalties you face will give you a better idea of how you would like to see them mitigated. Obviously, everyone wants to beat a DUI conviction, but this is often not possible. However, a strong defense can go a long way toward minimizing penalties, either through aggressive negotiation or when and if you go to trial.
The penalties for Washington State drunk driving related offenses vary according to each individual offense. It is a good idea to talk to one of our qualified Washington State DUI attorneys as soon as possible, so you can ascertain what penalties you could be facing for your particular Washington DUI crime.
Your Washington State DUI lawyer will seek to minimize the penalties you face by thoroughly investigating your case and looking for issues that could help strengthen your defense. Depending on your particular circumstances, there could be ways of attacking the case against you, but much depends on the police reports and other variables.
A Quick Look at Washington State DUI Penalties.
If convicted of a DUI, you could face some, or all, of the following Washington DUI penalties:
- Jail Time – No one wants to spend a day in jail, but often this punishment is mandatory. One of our Washington State DUI lawyer’s primary goals is to keep you out of jail.
- Suspension of Your License – Again, this punishment is often mandatory, even in cases of reckless driving or minor DUI. Another focus of your defense will be to keep you validly licensed in Washington.
- Expensive Fines – Fines are just another one of the Washington State DUI penalties that are associated with almost every WA drunk driving conviction.
- Obtaining a Criminal Record – A criminal record can haunt you for many years, especially if you are convicted of a minor DUI. Washington court records are easily available in today’s technological world, so getting a job could become considerably more difficult if you don’t keep your record clean.
- Alcohol Treatment – In some DUI cases, the court can require a person to undergo alcohol counseling for a period of time.
- Placing an Interlock Ignition Device on Your Automobile – This is intended to make it impossible for you to start your vehicle without first “blowing” to see if you’ve been drinking alcohol.
- Requirement to Carry SR-22 Auto Insurance – If your license is suspended you will be required to carry this expensive, high-risk insurance for three years.