Nashville DUI Attorney
If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence and you aren’t sure how to avoid a conviction, get in touch with a Nashville DUI attorney as soon as possible.
The fallout of a DUI arrest can seriously impact your life. You could face substantial legal penalties on top of the embarrassment you likely feel for being charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Thankfully, with the assistance of a qualified Nashville DWI lawyer, you may be able to put this entire ordeal behind you.
The team at Raybin & Weissman, P.C. is prepared to build a powerful defense in your favor so you can hopefully get out of being convicted of such a severe offense. We’ll examine the circumstances of your arrest to determine which strategy will yield the most favorable outcome on your case. You can be sure that we’ll stop at nothing to ensure you aren’t found guilty.
Read more about our Nashville DUI attorneys: David Raybin and Ben Raybin. They have the experience to help you.
Penalties for Drunk Driving in Nashville
Many criminal charges are associated with driving under the influence in Nashville, all of which can be discussed with your DUI lawyer for more specifics. For the purposes of this article, we are going to review the following crimes and their penalties:
- Violation of Implied Consent – Every driver who gets behind the wheel does so under implied consent laws. This means you are willing to submit to blood alcohol testing if you are pulled over by law enforcement on suspicion of drunk driving. If you refuse to comply with the Tennessee’s implied consent laws by providing a breath or blood sample, you can expect your license to be suspended for a minimum of one year as a first-time offender. Repeat violations can result in the revocation of your license for up to two years or even five if you caused the death of another in a drunk driving crash.
- First-Time DUI Offense – A first-time DUI conviction will result in a minimum of 2 days in jail, a maximum of nearly one year in jail, a one-year license revocation, fines of up to $1,500, an ignition interlock device (IID) being installed in your vehicle, and an order to complete an alcohol and drug treatment program. A DUI conviction can never come off your record.
- Repeat Offenses – If you are repeatedly charged with DUIs, the penalties are severe. Second offenders must serve at least 45 days in jail, and four-time offenders and those with any subsequent DUIs can be classified as Class E felons. These felonies require a year in jail, a maximum of $15,000 in fines, the installation of an IID, seizure of your vehicle, participation in a drug and alcohol treatment program, and a maximum license revocation of eight years.
- Vehicular Homicide – Vehicular homicide occurs when your drunk driving has caused the death of another. It is considered a Class B felony and is punishable by a maximum license revocation of ten years, a maximum prison sentence of up to thirty years, and fines not to exceed $25,000.
These are just a few of the crimes tied to DUIs in Nashville. If you’ve been charged with one of the previously mentioned crimes or if you are facing other DUI charges, reach out to your DUI or drunk driving attorney so we may begin fighting for your not guilty verdict today.
Other Ways Your Life May Be Impacted by a DUI Conviction
In addition to the penalties we’ve described above, your life is also likely to be impacted in a number of other ways. For example, you may find it difficult to find gainful employment in the future when your background check shows a DUI conviction.
Avoiding a guilty verdict is of utmost importance to your future and a DUI attorney can help with this. Being convicted of any DUI-related offense can ruin your life, which is why retaining an experienced DWI lawyer is in your best interest when fighting your Nashville DUI charges.
Defensive Strategies That May Apply to Your Case
It’s difficult to say off the cuff what defense will be best for your case without reviewing the circumstances of your particular charges, but some defensive strategies are used by DUI attorneys more frequently than others in DUI cases.
For instance, our Nashville DUI attorneys may be able to get your charges reduced to Reckless Driving if the prosecutor doesn’t have the evidence needed to find you guilty of a DUI. We can also argue that the police officer who pulled you over did not have probable cause to do so, resulting in an improper stop.
Alternatively, we may question the validity of any of the chemical tests that were done upon your stop and arrest. If the field sobriety test or breathalyzer gave inaccurate results, you may be able to avoid a conviction altogether.
Another possible defense our DUI attorneys could use is that your blood alcohol levels were actually below the legal limit but rose higher between the time that you were stopped by law enforcement and the time of the breathalyzer test. Your attorney will need to thoroughly examine the details of your stop and arrest to ascertain which of these defenses may fit with your case.
Consult with a Nashville Drunk Driving Lawyer
When you’re dealing with a driving under the influence charge, you need to do everything you can to avoid being convicted. A guilty verdict will follow you for the rest of your life and severely impact your ability to lead a normal life even once you’ve paid your debt to society.
Working with a seasoned Nashville DUI lawyer at Raybin & Weissman, P.C. is your best option for fighting your charges. You can come in for a no-obligation consultation with one of our DWI lawyers by giving our office a call at 615-256-6666 or by filling out the form below.
Nashville DUI FAQ
Whether you’ve previously been charged with a DUI or you are a first-time offender, your arrest and charges can bring up a lot of questions about what will happen next. For this reason, our Nashville DUI attorneys addressed some of the questions we are most commonly asked by our clients below. Additional questions can be answered by our DWI lawyers during your free initial case review.
How much will it cost to hire a DUI attorney in Nashville?
Our firm sets certain fees depending on the type of DUI crime you’ve been charged with. You can contact our office directly to determine how much it will cost to work with one of our qualified attorneys based on your individual charges.
Will I have to go to court to defend myself from a DUI charge?
In most cases, you will need to come to court at least one time. However, hiring a DWI lawyer upon arrest may limit the number of court appearances you need to make, and can also help to reschedule appearances if you live out of town or cannot make the scheduled date.
When will a misdemeanor DUI become a felony DUI in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, up until your fourth DUI charge, your DUIs will be considered misdemeanor charges. The fourth DUI and any additional DUI charges will be considered felony charges. The penalties for each DUI-related felony will vary depending on which type of DUI crime you’ve been charged with.