| We are all familiar with the acronym DUI, which | | | | may be suspended. You only have 14 days after |
| stands for driving under the influence. In addition to a | | | | your arrest to request an administrative hearing to |
| Michigan DUI, you can also be arrested for dui laws | | | | attempt to retain your driving privileges; dui defense |
| such as DWI, DUII, DPS, DWAI, BMV, OUI, OWI, | | | | lawyers can help you with this process as well. |
| OUIL, OVI, OMVI and DUID. Although these are all | | | | Drivers arrested for DUI in Michigan are required to |
| criminal offenses, OWI, operating while impaired, is | | | | be jailed from four to 24 hours, depending on the |
| the least serious offense. All these dui charges boil | | | | BAC; subsequent penalties will vary depending upon |
| down to three drunk driving offenses. These are: | | | | any prior offenses and the specifics of the arrest. If |
| Operating under the influence of an intoxicating liquor; | | | | this is your first offense, the penalties include a jail |
| driving with an unlawful bodily alcohol level/content; | | | | sentence of up to 93 days, fines from $100 to $500, |
| and operating while impaired. The State must prove | | | | in addition to a $1,000 driver responsibility fee for |
| beyond a reasonable doubt that you were operating | | | | two years, and license suspension for up to six |
| a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or | | | | months (although you're eligible for a restricted |
| drugs that substantially affected your operation of | | | | license after 30 days). Other possible penalties include |
| the vehicle. If all this information seems confusing and | | | | up to 360 hours of community service, the installation |
| complicated, drunk driving attorneys are familiar with | | | | of an ignition interlock device (IID), and vehicle |
| all of these offenses, and is prepared to help defend | | | | immobilization. |
| your freedoms and privileges. | | | | Subsequent convictions increase the penalties. If |
| Your dui lawyer may also need to prepare a dui | | | | you're convicted of your second DUI, you will be |
| defense to combat Michigan's "per se" law. This law | | | | sentenced to jail from five days to one year, have |
| does not refer to alcohol impairment; it only relates | | | | your license suspended for a minimum of one year, |
| to body chemistry. A prosecutor must prove beyond | | | | your license plate confiscated, and your vehicle |
| a reasonable doubt that your blood (or breath) | | | | immobilized from 90 to 180 days; the fines range |
| alcohol concentration (BAC) was.08 or more while | | | | from $200 to $1,000, with the addition of your |
| you were operating your vehicle. | | | | $1,000 driver responsibility fee for two years. You |
| If you refuse to take a blood, breath, or urine test | | | | may also be required to perform community service |
| after you are arrested for your Michigan DUI or | | | | from 30 to 90 days. |
| other alcohol-related offense, your driver's license | | | | |