PA DUI

PENNSYLVANIA DUI - DRUNK DRIVING

One mistake — one drink too many

One mistake — one drink too many, and now you’re facing a DUI charge. Multiple DUIs or even a first-time DUI can create a number of legal and personal difficulties that can impact your life, as well as the life of your family.

It is critical to consult with an experienced DUI lawyer as soon as possible. The Simon Law Group will help you avoid the harsh penalties that Pennsylvania imposes upon offenders. Contact us 24/7 for a free consultation — Call our at 800-709-1131

 Speak with an Attorney

With many years of experience, we have handled hundreds of DUI / DWI cases.  In a free consultation, we can quickly analyze your case and tell you exactly what we can do.

How Your DUI Case Could Be Won

Never assume that you’re case cannot be won, regardless of whether your blood alcohol content was above the legal limit. There are numerous DUI defense strategies that can be used to win your case at trial, or to have the charges dismissed:

§  Was there legitimate reasonable suspicion for the officer to pull you over?

§  Is there explicit proof that you were the driver of the vehicle, or that you were “in control” of the vehicle?

§  Did the officer improperly search your vehicle?

§  Was your blood-alcohol test administered within the required time period?

§  Was a proper chain of custody established during the collection and testing of your blood sample?

§  Were you advised of your rights regarding the breathalyzer test?

§  Was the officer biased against you by ignoring the things you did right during the Field Sobriety Test (FBT), and did he or she follow the proper procedures outlined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

§  Did you have a physical or mental ailment that prevented you from being able to pass a field sobriety test?

§  Were the “symptoms of intoxication” caused by embarrassment, frustration, allergies, or fatigue?

§  Upon being arrested, did the officer attempt to elicit incriminating responses from you before advising you of your Miranda Rights?

First DUI Offense Arrest Attorney

A first-time DUI conviction is a serious matter in the state of Pennsylvania. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you face the possible suspension of your driver's license, jail, and fines. Since insurance companies gather information on DUI arrests and convictions, you can expect your insurance costs to increase as well. If you drive a company car or are sentenced to jail, you could lose your job. While the consequences of a first-time DUI can be serious, how your attorney handles your case will often determine whether the charges or sentence against you is reduced. At the SIMON LAW GROUP, we have the experience and resources needed to help people resolve a DUI arrest. When there is good reason to challenge the breathalyzer results or the use of reasonable suspicion and probable cause in your arrest, we can often get the charges against our client dismissed.

If you've been arrested for drunk driving for the first time, contact Pennsylvania DUI defense attorneys at the SIMON LAW GROUP today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can help you.

First DUI Offense Conviction Penalties in Pennsylvania

In the state of Pennsylvania, DUI penalties are categorized according to one's blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of their arrest. In general, the following penalties apply for first DUI offense convictions:

§  BAC between .08% and .099%: a fine of $300; drug and alcohol assessment, alcohol safety training, and court reporting evaluation required; six months  probation.

§  BAC between .10% and .159%: a fine between $500 and $5,000; a mandatory 48 hour jail sentence; up to 6 months in jail; a one year suspension of your driver's license; drug and alcohol assessment, alcohol safety training, and court reporting evaluation required; eligibility for a DUI hardship license only after a 2 month suspension of your license.

Call Simon Law Group today and speak with a PA DUI Attorney for your free consultation for your PA DUI.

IDRC

Free Consultation 800-709-1131

Intoxicated Driving Resource Center (IDRC): 

What you need to know

describe the image

Anyone found guilty of a DUI/DWI is required to participate in the Intoxicated Driving Resource Center (IDRC) education program.

Typically, a first offender receives a 12-hour sentence and a second offender receives a 48-hour sentence.  However, being a State bureaucracy, the IDRC Centers may require additional time of each participant. As of recent, and with this newly recognized power, the IDRC centers typically do require “additional treatment”. New Jersey has an IDRC in each county for first and third-time offenders and three regional centers for second-time offenders.

During the program, participants attend Alcohol and Highway Safety Education courses which include lectures, tests and films.

IDRC also evaluates each offender for an alcohol or drug problem and determines the need for continued treatment.

If treatment is needed, the IDRC refers the offender to an appropriate provider for a minimum of 16 weeks of additional treatment.

Participants may be allowed supplement the treatment with attendance at a self-help group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

The IDRC monitors compliance and will report noncompliance to the courts and Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC).

Satisfactory participation in IDRC is a requirement toward restoring your license. Failure to comply may result in additional license suspension and jail time.

IDRC fees and other related charges may apply:

•    $100 attendance fee  MVC

•    $230 first offender fee  IDRC

•    $280 second offender fee  IDRC

•    $100 license restoration fee  MVC

Resistance is Futile.  Once sentenced, it is in your best interest to comply with the IDRC requirements set forth by the court and the IDRC personally.  Failure to comply will only cost additional money in fines, center fees and attorney fees.

You May Contact the County IDRC centers at:

Atlantic  (609) 645-5945

Bergen  (201) 336-3310

Burlington  (609) 265-5857

Camden  (856) 225-5109

Cape May  (609) 465-9001

Cumberland & Salem  (856) 794-1011

Essex  (973) 395-8425

Gloucester  (856) 232-4840

Hudson  (201) 533-2437

Hunterdon  (908) 788-1900

Mercer  (609) 394-8988

Middlesex  (732) 745-4500

Monmouth  (732) 308-3713

Morris  (973) 538-5327

Ocean  (732) 341-9700

Passaic  (973) 777-2048

Salem & Cumberland  (856) 794-1011

Somerset  (908) 704-6304

Sussex  (973) 426-1420

Union  (908) 527-4791

Warren  (973) 538-5327

 

48–Hour IDRC 

North Region  Passaic County (973) 777-2048

Central Region  Monmouth County (732) 264-8210

South Region  Atlantic County (609) 645-5945

If you have been charged with a DUI and are in need of legal help from an experienced NJ DUI Attorney, call the Simon Law Group today, 1-800-709-1131

DUI & CDL / DUI SDS

DUI & CDL

TRUCKS - A DUI & CDL

CDL DUI Attorney The Commercial Motor Vehicle Act of 1986 (The Act) has established a 0.04% blood alcohol content as the maximum alcohol level a commercial vehicle driver can have in his or her system. Once a truck driver’s BAC level goes above 0.04%, they can be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI or DWI).

When a commercial vehicle driver is arrested for a DUI or DWI, he or she may be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for one year following their first DWI conviction. If the driver was transporting hazardous material when they receive their first DUI or DWI conviction, the minimum disqualification time period increases to 3 years. After a second DWI conviction, the driver will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life. A New Jersey (NJ) DWI, DUI attorney may be able to save your license as well as your job.

Don't risk your future, call today for your free consultation 800-709-1131

DUI SDS

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS (DUID)

A DWI charge involving drugs is a serious matter with severe penalties. However, in the case of a DWI involving drugs, the state has a difficult case to prove. The sobriety and breathalyzer tests that show a person to be under the influence of alcohol do not show if a person is under the influence of drugs. Only a skilled New Jersey DUID or DUI-CDS Attorney can help you prove your innocence.

Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) charges can be brought up against any person suspected of driving while under the influence of any hallucinogenic, narcotic, or other habit-producing drug. Drugs considered to affect the influence of driving include marijuana, cocaine, LSD, heroin, or other narcotics, including prescription or over the counter drugs. DUID attorney NJ

If you are pulled over under the suspicion of DUID, you are not required to provide a blood, breath or urine sample to the officer. The New Jersey law of Implied Consent to take these tests is limited only to suspicion of drunk driving –not drugs. Those with commercial licenses are required to submit to a chemical test if suspected of DUID.

Even if you took a chemical test, a Drug Recognition Expert must administer the test. If the station you tested at did not have an expert on hand, your test results will be inadmissible in court.

Our New Jersey DWI attorney is well versed in every aspect of DWI defense, and has successfully defended a number of clients facing DWI related charges. We thoroughly examine each case, challenge the charges, and aggressively work to dismantle both the physical and circumstantial evidence in a prosecutor’s case.

If you have been charged with a DUID or DUI - CDS, please contact the SIMON LAW GROUP 800-709-1131 for a FREE initial consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI attorney.

DUI APPEALS

When you have been convicted of a DUI charge, you may feel like your options have run out and you have no choice but to quietly fulfill your sentence –even when you feel it is unfair. While this opinion is rather common, it is not accurate. In New Jersey, you have the right to appeal any case, including DUI trials. If you are considering appealing your case, please speak with a New Jersey DUI attorney immediately. Appeals attorney NJ

After your conviction, you only have 20 days to file an appeal to a higher court. These proceedings are held by a Superior Court judge. No new evidence is admitted in these trials. Your New Jersey DUI lawyer will instead work to show that you should not have been found guilty based on the evidence, or that the sentence is not in line with the actual criminal act committed. The judge cannot give you a stricter sentence than you have already received, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by filling an appeal.

If the judge upholds your conviction and you still believe you have received too harsh of a sentence or should not have been found guilty at all, you may further appeal your case to the Appellate Division within 45 days of the first appeal. This Division is headed by multiple judges who will discuss your case with one another and chose to uphold or change the original ruling. You are well-advised to only work with a top New Jersey DUI attorney at this level of proceedings.

The appeals process can be slow. Sometimes cases taken all the way to the Appellate Division may take years to work out. But appeals are an important part of the political process. Without appeals, there would be no checks to the powers of the courts. More importantly, problems in the judicial system would rarely be discovered and resolved in a timely manner. With the help of appeals, many innocent people have been released and many pieces of illegal evidence have been put aside and never again used in court. In fact, your original drunk driving defense in New Jersey was almost certainly based on successful past appeals to the judicial system. If you win your appeal, you may even set a precedent for any DUI convictions following yours.

If you are ready to take a stand and fight for your rights, please contact a skilled New Jersey Attorney from the SIMON LAW GROUP. 800-709-1131