Bloomfield Hills Felony DUI Lawyer

Facing criminal charges for driving while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or another intoxicating substance can be scary under any circumstance, but felony DUI charges could follow you for the rest of your life. If you have been charged with operating while intoxicated (OWI), speak with a Bloomfield Hills felony DUI lawyer about your situation right away. A lawyer who has experience handling felony DUI cases could advocate for your best interests and fight to protect your legal rights. Felony charges place your freedom, finances, and future at risk, so working with a DUI attorney who represents excellence in criminal defense may be the best way to protect yourself.

In Bloomfield Hills, a DUI offense occurs when an individual is driving while intoxicated by alcohol or under the influence of a drug or controlled substance. Operating a vehicle when the blood alcohol level is at least 0.08 constitutes driving while intoxicated, while any amount of illicit drug in the body constitutes the charge. In general, DUI offenses are charged as misdemeanors unless certain aggravating factors are present.

DUI offenses are elevated to felonies when it is the third charge within a person’s lifetime. When there are two prior convictions or more, all subsequent DUI offenses are charged as felonies regardless of the amount of time elapsed since the most recent conviction.

Other occasions in which DUI offenses would be charged as felonies include when another person sustains serious impairment of a body function or dies as the result of someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Also, only one prior child endangerment conviction is necessary to raise a new charge to a possible felony. A Bloomfield Hills defense attorney who handles DUI and felony DUI cases could apply experience with previous cases combined with expertise gleaned from many hours of professional training to come up with strong solutions leading to the best possible outcome.

The penalties for felony DUI convictions in Bloomfield Hills include mandatory imprisonment and a fine. Additional legal sanctions could include suspension or revocation of the license to drive and immobilization or forfeiture of one’s vehicle. If immobilization is imposed instead of forfeiture, the vehicle may not be operable or useable for years.

Felony DUI offenses resulting in the death of another individual are punishable by a prison term of up to 15 years and a minimum fine of $2,500, with a potential maximum fine of $10,000. However, if the DUI offense resulted in the death of a police officer, firefighter, or other first responders, the maximum prison term that could be imposed increases to 20 years.

The consequences for felony DUI offenses resulting in significant impairment of a body function of another person include a prison term of up to five years and a minimum fine of $1,000, with a maximum fine of $5,000. The maximum term of incarceration increases from five to ten years if the defendant’s blood alcohol content was 0.17 or higher at the time of the offense as this constitutes a “super drunk” charge.

You do not have to face criminal charges for felony OWI alone. A Bloomfield Hills felony DUI lawyer could provide critical legal representation that includes preparing a strategy for fighting these charges. With an attorney on your side, you could also have someone who understands the law safeguarding your constitutional rights. A charge is not the end of your life, however serious it is. An attorney could work to get the best resolution possible in your case and fight to get your life back on track. Speak with a local attorney today who could help fight for you.