Davidson County DUI Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested on a driving under the influence charge, consult with a DUI lawyer in Davidson County for assistance in working to clear your name of all charges.

A DUI is a serious offense that could potentially impact your life for years to come if you’re convicted. Not only will you have to deal with the criminal penalties associated with a DUI, but you could also embarrass yourself and your family, lose your job, and be unable to obtain federal student loans if you had plans to go to school.

Thankfully, you can work with a Davidson County DUI lawyer and do what’s possible to attain the acquittal you need to put this entire experience in the past.

The attorneys at Raybin & Weissman, P.C. have worked rigorously over the years to clear our clients of the DUI charges they’re facing. We will review the circumstances of your arrest to determine which defensive strategy is most likely to help you dodge a conviction that could destroy your life. With our firm backing you up, you’ll have the individualized attention you need to get your life back on track.

If you’re facing a DUI charge in Tennessee, it’s important to recognize that it’s a serious matter and that it comes with serious financial and social consequences, can lead to loss of driving privileges, and can land you in jail. If you’ve been hit with a DUI charge, don’t wait to discuss your case with an experienced Davidson County DUI lawyer.

Indicators that the Police Use for Probable Cause

The police in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the country need probable cause to pull you over in the first place, which means they need a reason to believe you are committing – or have committed – a crime. In the case of DUI charges, this is often for moving violations, such as speeding or failing to stop at a stop sign.

Once a motorist has been pulled over – for any reason – any of the following can call their sobriety into question:

The smell of alcohol, which can be indicative of having had just one drink
Slurred speech, which can be associated with thyroid issues, dental work, or speech impediments
Watery, bloodshot eyes, which can be attributable to allergies, cigarette smoke, environmental toxins, and more
Difficulty producing the required documents, which can easily be attributed to the anxiety suffered as a result of being pulled over in the first place
Failure to perform well on Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTS)
Admitting to having consumed alcohol recently

When a motorist is pulled over for engaging in an unusual driving pattern, such as weaving or driving too slowly, the officer may have probable cause for believing they are driving under the influence (DUI) to begin with.

Before we go into further detail about your DUI charges, it’s important that you understand Tennessee’s implied consent law.

The moment you start driving your vehicle, if law enforcement has any reason to believe you may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it is implied that you are going to give your consent for a breathalyzer or other chemical testing that will establish your blood alcohol content (BAC).

This means that if you’ve been pulled over on a suspected DUI and you think that refusing to take the breathalyzer will work in your favor, you couldn’t be more wrong. Whether you’ve been drinking and driving or not, if you refuse to consent to a breath test, you can immediately expect to have your license suspended for a minimum of one year as a first-time offender.

This is in addition to how the courts are going to look on someone who is pleading “not guilty” to a DUI but refused to take a breathalyzer.

Implied consent refers to a legal requirement to submit to a blood, breath, or urine test if requested to do so by a law enforcement official who has probable cause for making a DUI arrest, and it applies to all drivers in Tennessee. Failure to comply leads to a mandatory license suspension that correlates with the following factors:

Whether or not there is a prior conviction involved
Whether or not the underlying incident was a crash that led to injury

Penalties For Drinking And Driving In Davidson County

When you’re facing a DUI charge, there are varying consequences, depending on if you are first-time or repeat offender and if someone was injured as a result of your illegal BAC.

For example, a first-offense DUI conviction will likely result in a maximum of nearly one year in jail, your participation in an alcohol or drug treatment program, fines not to exceed $1,500, and the installation of an ignition interlock device (IID), among other penalties

Habitual DUI offenders could be charged with a class E felony, have their license revoked for up to eight years, pay fines up to $15,000, and spend a maximum of 365 days in jail.

If you harmed someone while under the influence in your car, you could spend up to twelve years in jail and have your license revoked for up to five years if you are convicted. Fortunately, your DUI attorney will fight to secure a “not-guilty” verdict or to have your charges dismissed entirely.

Over the Legal Limit

Like other states, Tennessee sets the legal limit for blood alcohol content – or concentration – at .08 percent, but this is reduced to .02 percent for those under the legal drinking age of 21 and to .04 percent for those with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) – or for those with CDLs who refuse to engage in field sobriety tests, which are standardized mental and physical tests that are designed to detect impairment. It’s important to note that you don’t have to test over the limit to be arrested for DUI in Tennessee. If the officer believes your ability to drive safely is affected – whether by alcohol or another drug – they can make the arrest.

The Price of a Conviction

The price you pay for a DUI conviction goes well beyond the immense expense. It is best to avoid a conviction whenever possible with the right defense.

A First Offense

For a first offense, you could face up to 11 months and 29 days behind bars (with a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail), fines of from $350 to $1,000, one year of license revocation, DUI School, a victim impact panel class, or both. You may also be required to purchase and use an Ignition interlock device (IID). Further, if your BAC is .2 or higher, there is a mandatory sentence of seven days in jail.

A Second Offense

A second offense comes with two years of license revocation and a mandatory sentence of 45 days in jail – with the potential of facing a sentence of up to 11 months and 29 days. Also, the fines rise from $600 to $3,500, and an IID is mandatory.

A Third Offense

A third offense comes with a mandatory 120 days in jail with the same potential sentence of up to 11 months and 29 days. There are also six years of license revocation, mandatory IID, and fines of from $1,100 to $10,000.

Fines and penalties only increase from here.

Davidson County DUI FAQs

Do I Need a DUI Lawyer?

Without the professional legal guidance of a seasoned DUI lawyer, you’re far more likely to experience serious legal consequences. Your lawyer will build your strongest defense and fiercely advocate for your case’s most advantageous outcome.

What are the collateral consequences of a DUI?

In addition to the penalties and fines associated with DUI convictions, there are also social challenges to contend with. To begin, your overall social standing can be tarnished, and direct consequences like the following can apply:

A DUI conviction can affect your professional licensure or your ability to obtain professional licensure.
A DUI conviction can preclude you from obtaining a federal student loan and, as a result, dash your dreams of obtaining a higher education.
A DUI conviction can interfere with your ability to gain admittance to the college of your choice or to live on campus.
A DUI conviction can limit job possibilities.
A DUI conviction can limit your ability to rent a place to live or obtain a home loan.

What are the most common DUI defense strategies?

DUI defenses are generally based on field sobriety tests that are improperly conducted or improperly evaluated and on inaccurate blood and breath readings. The fact is that field tests are not especially accurate – even when they are properly administered – and many officers don’t have the training to administer them correctly. Further, there is a wide range of variables that can affect the accuracy of blood, breath, and urine tests.

It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced DUI Lawyer in Davidson County

If you’re facing a DUI charge, the focused Davidson County DUI lawyers at Raybin & Weissman appreciate the serious consequences a conviction would have in your life and have the legal insight, resources, and experience to help. We dedicate our imposing practice to skillfully advocating for the legal rights of every client we take on, and we’re here for you, too. The outcome of your case will play a critical role in your future, so please do not wait to reach out and contact us online or call us at 615-256-6666 for more information about how we can help you today.