A DUI conviction in Utah can mean jail time, losing your driver license, heavy fines, and even a felony conviction (for repeat offenses). Having an experienced Utah DUI attorney on your side can give you the best chance at a successful outcome for your case. As a criminal defense attorney in Utah, Stephen Howard has defended felony DUI charges for repeat offenders as well as first-time DUI charges for people with no prior record.
The term “DUI” is often used to describe a variety of related charges. Driving with a controlled substance metabolite (even if you are not impaired), driving while taking prescription medications that cause impairment, or driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs can all result in serious criminal charges.
Utah prosecutors aggressively pursue criminal charges for DUI/DWI even against first-time offenders. If you have prior DUI convictions, if a minor was in the vehicle, if an accident occurred, or if someone was injured, then the stakes go up. The level of the charge may increase (even to the felony level), or there may be higher minimum mandatory sentencing provisions imposed.
But just because a prosecutor is pursuing the case aggressively does not mean that you have no defenses. Issues that sometimes provide a basis for a strong defense in a DUI case can include Fourth Amendment violations (illegal/unconstitutional searches or seizures), problems with the administration of the field sobriety tests (FST’s), problems with the breath or blood test that was administered, questions of whether the defendant was in “actual physical control” of the vehicle, and more.
When you are charged with DUI, you are given a notice that your license will be automatically suspended if you do not request a hearing from the Utah Driver License Division (“DLD”) within 10-days. Do not ignore this deadline. This hearing may give you an opportunity to keep your driver license, and it also provides an early opportunity for your defense attorney to begin gathering important information that may help you in fighting your court case.
If you are facing charges for DUI in Utah, contact us now to learn what an experienced criminal defense attorney can do for you.