DUI Specifications

All Ohio drinking and driving charges have serious, life changing consequences, however, the penalties for felony DUI/OVI are some of the most significant under Ohio law. In addition, the District Attorney has the option of adding a DUI/OVI specification to an underlying felony DUI/OVI charges as well as other types of DUI charges. In Ohio DUI/OVI law, a DUI specification is as serious as it gets. If you have an Ohio DUI case with a DUI specification, you should consider talking to a top Ohio DUI lawyer to see if he can get the case dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense. The penalties on these pages only apply to drivers who are convicted of DUI/OVI and DUI specification. An experienced Ohio DUI lawyer may be able to prevent that from happening.

A conviction of the DUI/OVI and the DUI/OVI specification brings the following potential penalties:

• A prison sentence of up to 10 years
• Potential fines up to $10,500
• Probation
• Mandatory drug treatment or alcohol treatment
• Mandatory Ohio DUI/OVI lifetime driver’s license suspension
• A permanent criminal record
• Loss of job
• Liability in a civil lawsuit

There are Four Types of DUI Specifications in Ohio

Ohio DUI/OVI specification number 1: Ohio Revised Code section 2941.1413 provides for the imposition of a mandatory additional prison term of one, two, three, four or five years upon an Ohio DUI/OVI offender if the offender is facing a felony violation of the DUI law and within twenty years of the offense, previously was convicted of five or more Ohio DUI/OVI offenses.

Ohio DUI/OVI specification number 2: Ohio Revised Code section 2941.1414 provides for the imposition of a mandatory additional prison term of five years upon an Ohio DUI/OVI offender if the offender is facing a charge of aggravated vehicular homicide and the victim of the offense is a peace officer or an investigator for the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.

Ohio DUI/OVI specification number 3: Ohio Revised Code section 2941.1415 provides for the imposition of a mandatory additional prison term of three years upon an Ohio DUI/OVI offender if the offender is facing a charge of aggravated vehicular homicide and has three or more prior Ohio DUI/OVI convictions or three or more convictions for equivalent offenses.

Ohio DUI/OVI specification number 4: Ohio Revised Code section 2941.1416 provides for the imposition of a mandatory additional prison term of six months upon an Ohio DUI/OVI offender if the offender is facing a charge of DUI/OVI and has five or more prior Ohio DUI/OVI convictions or five or more convictions for equivalent offenses.

Penalties for a Felony DUI Conviction with a Felony DUI Specification

Courts have a lot of leeway in sentencing drivers in Ohio felony DUI/OVI cases. The maximum penalties are as follows when a DUI/OVI specification is attached to the felony DUI/OVI offense: (a) ten years in a state prison; (b) $10,500 in fines; (c) a lifetime Ohio DUI/OVI driver’s license suspension; (d) drug and alcohol treatment supervised by the court; (e) Ohio DUI/OVI license plates and ignition interlock device if the court grants the driver privileges after the mandatory three year waiting period; and (f) state forfeiture of the driver’s motor vehicle if he was driving it during the Ohio DUI/OVI offense.

Common Mistakes in Ohio DUI/OVI Investigations

No Ohio DUI/OVI/drinking and driving arrest is perfect and the best Ohio DUI/OVI lawyers knows this. Most Ohio DUI/OVI investigations include a number of witnesses, including police officers and the personnel who collect, store and test chemical samples.  These witnesses are human and they make mistakes. Further, most Ohio DUI/OVI investigations include a breath testing device or other testing equipment that is not always maintained according to current Ohio DUI/OVI regulations.

Do You Want Award-Winning Ohio DUI/OVI Representation?

There are over 1 million laws in the United States. I am a top Ohio DUI/OVI defense lawyer who devotes his entire practice to ONE. Because of my experience and concentrated focus, I know the Ohio DUI/OVI laws better than most attorneys in the state. I am passionate about Ohio DUI/OVI defense and I get results, however, I only accept a limited number of clients. If you’re serious about your case and want a top Ohio DUI/OVI lawyer on your team, call me, the Ohio DUI Dude at 1-844-DUI-DUDE.