Drunk Driving (DUI)
Are you facing the loss of your driver's license in Pennsylvania due to D.U.I., traffic tickets, or underage drinking? You may face an uncertain future because of a criminal charge. The new Pennsylvania Drunk
Driving law carries more serious penalties than the previous DUI law. Depending on your blood alcohol content and previous offenses, if any, penalties vary from probation to jail time and from no driver's license suspension to very lengthy license suspensions.
It is critically important to contact a defense attorney knowledgeable of the new D.U.I. law in order to familiarize yourself with the nature of the charge, the seriousness of the charge and what options are available to you. Furthermore, it is important to understand how the legal penalties of jail, license suspensions, and convictions can impact on your employment, education, and career. For instance, a criminal conviction goes on your "record" and in most instances will remain there forever.
One major opportunity to prevent having a "criminal record" is to seek admission to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (A.R.D.) Program. The A.R.D. Program not only allows for the expungement of one's criminal record, but also allows you to avoid jail, often with lesser license suspension penalties. As admission to the A.R.D. Program is a "privilege", and not a "right", applying for the Program in a timely and appropriate manner is of critical importance.
Admission to the A.R.D. Program is for first-time offenders of non-violent crimes that meet certain strict criteria. We at Proden & O'Brien can quickly review your case and advise you on your eligibility for the A.R.D. Program and the options you have if you are not eligible for the Program.
The new DUI law, requires "mandatory" penalties of jail time and lengthy license suspensions if you are not eligible for A.R.D., or if you are a multiple DUI offender. The attorneys at Proden & O'Brien are experienced at helping clients successfully face the challenging issues of a DUI offence.
