All Ohio DUI, OVI and drinking and driving charges have serious consequences, however, the penalties for felony DUI/OVI are some of the most significant under Ohio law. If you have an Ohio DUI case, 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. An experienced Ohio DUI lawyer may be able to prevent that from happening.
If an Ohio DUI/OVI/drinking and driving Defendant pleads guilty in court to a felony DUI/OVI, at a minimum, he will be sentenced to the following: (a) sixty days in jail or prison; (b) an $1350 fine plus other financial sanctions; (c) a three year Ohio DUI/OVI driver’s license suspension with no driving privileges; (d) probation with mandatory drug/alcohol treatment monitored by the court; (e) mandatory Ohio DUI/OVI license plates and mandatory ignition interlock device on any automobile the Defendant drives after his suspension is complete; and (f) forfeiture of the Defendant’s motor vehicle if he was driving it during the Ohio DUI/OVI/drinking and driving offense. Remember, these are just the minimums that the court must impose if an Ohio DUI/OVI driver is convicted of a first felony DUI/OVI. That being said, the penalties can be much more significant depending on a number of variables.
Just as a judge cannot deviate below the minimum penalties for an Ohio felony DUI/OVI offense, the judge cannot exceed certain maximum penalties. The maximum penalties are as follows: (a) ten years in prison if the driver is also convicted of an Ohio DUI/OVI specification; (b) a $10,500 fine plus other financial sanctions; (c) a lifetime Ohio DUI/OVI driver’s license suspension; (d) probation with mandatory drug/alcohol treatment monitored by the court; (e) mandatory Ohio DUI/OVI license plates and ignition interlock device on any automobile the Defendant drives if the court grants him privileges after three years; and (f) forfeiture of the Defendant’s motor vehicle if he was driving it during the Ohio DUI/OVI offense.
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.
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.