Third Offense DUI
Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is considered a serious crime in every state. You can be arrested in every state for DUI for having a blood alcohol content of at least .08%. If you have recently been charged with DUI and you have had two prior DUI convictions, you need to hire an experienced DUI defense attorney. Seeking legal representation is the only chance you’ll have at fighting the prosecution’s claims and protecting your rights and freedoms. Every state considers a third offense DUI a very serious criminal charge and the penalties are severe.
For example, in Virginia a third offense DUI is no longer considered a misdemeanor like a first or second DUI conviction. Instead it’s considered a Class 6 felony. And many states consider a third offense DUI as a felony, which carries far worse penalties than a misdemeanor charge. Wyoming and New York are the only two states that consider a second offense DUI a felony. In Texas and Georgia, a fourth DUI conviction is considered a felony.
It’s also likely that you will be sentenced to serve jail time. Unlike misdemeanors where you’ll serve jail time in a local jail, those convicted of a felony will be sent to a larger state prison. Obviously serving time in a state prison is going to be a far worse experience—you’ll be surrounded by rapists, robbers, murderers and other serious offenders.
If it applies to your state, you may be required to have an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle. This device (installed at your cost) requires you to blow into the machine in order to start your vehicle. The machine will be at a preset limit and if it detects this small amount of alcohol on your breath, your vehicle will not start. This of course will follow your driver’s license suspension time period, which is always higher for a third offense DUI.
So if you have been charged with a third DUI, immediately contact a local defense attorney.By giving your attorney the most possible time to work on your case, it’s more likely you’ll get the results you’re seeking.
