Pittsburgh 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 Law Offices of David S. Shrager, 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 Pittsburgh DUI defense attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Shrager today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can help you.

First DUI Offense Conviction Penalties

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.

The Preliminary Hearing and DUI Arrests

If there are questions surrounding how a field sobriety field test was conducted, the accuracy of a breathalyzer, or whether an officer had reasonable suspicion to pull you over in the first place, the preliminary hearing affords an excellent opportunity to have your case dismissed. During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors must establish determine that a crime happened and that, in all likelihood, you committed it. Here, witnesses are called. In DUI cases, the arresting officer is almost always the sole witness. As a result, our attorneys have an excellent opportunity to cross-examine an officer, to expose mistakes in procedure or failures in following proper protocols in giving DUI chemical tests.

Contact Pittsburgh DUI Attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Shrager

Don't let a DUI arrest lead to the suspension of your license or a permanent criminal record. To learn how we can help you, contact Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania first DUI offense attorneys at the Law Offices of David S. Shrager today.