An arrest for driving under the influence will require the services of an experienced Las Vegas DUI attorney. Receiving a charge of DUI, or driving under the influence in Las Vegas is a very serious matter. The district attorney is intent on making an example of anyone who drives in their jurisdiction under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs. A DUI charge can cost you your freedom and your drivers license. If you are visiting Las Vegas from another state, a DUI arrest can cause you to lose your driving privileges in your home state as well.

The laws of Nevada consider it illegal to operate a motor vehicle if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08% or higher. Motorists under the age of 21 are not legally able to drink, and will be charged with a DUI during a traffic stop if their BAC is .02% or higher.

When you get arrested for a DUI offense, you might think that you got caught red handed and there is nothing you can do. It might come as a surprise that this is not the case at all. There are many legal strategies a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney can employ that you would have never imagined. If you choose not to hire legal representation, things can go much worse for you.

Las Vegas DUI Arrests Explained

Police use two types of tests to determine the sobriety of a motorist — field sobriety tests and various chemical tests.

A field sobriety test consists of performing various actions to determine the motorists cognative ability. These can include walking in a straight line, reciting the alphabet backwards, or extending the arms out and touching the tip of your nose with your fingertips. While field sobriety tests can often give officers a good idea of how impaired a driver is, they know that some people are able to pass the field sobriety tests even while they are intoxicated.

A chemical test can determine someone’s blood alcohol concentration by measuring breath, blood, or in cases pertaining to drugs, urine. These tests can determine how much alcohol is in the bloodstream of the driver being charged with driving under the influence. Chemical tests are much more accurate than field sobriety tests, and they are typically the prosecutions main item of evidence against you. Refusal to take a chemical test will result in immediate suspension of driving privileges.

Las Vegas DUI Sentencing

The penalties for DUI in Nevada will vary based on your arrest record. The sentence given for a DUI arrest in Las Vegas will depend on whether there has been a drunk driving conviction within the past 7 years. The start date used to determine the 7 year period is the date of prior arrest, not the date of conviction. While this is an overview of what each of these offenses entails, the judge presiding over the case will have discretion to enhance your potential sentence if he or she feels it is warranted.

• For a first time conviction: 48 hours to 6 months of incarceration, or a minimum of 96 hours of community service. It is possible that the court will allow you to do community service in lieu of the mandatory jail time. Fines will range from $340 to a maximum of $1,175. A first time conviction for a DUI will result in a 90 day drivers license suspension, with the possibility of being granted a restricted license after 45 days to drive to work.

• For a second conviction: A minimum of 10 days in jail up to 6 months. Fines will range from $675 to $1,175. An alcohol treatment program will likely be included in the sentencing, in addition to a (breat interlock ) and the possibility of 100 to 200 hours of community service.

• For a third conviction: If a person in Nevada has received three or more DUI offenses within 7 years of the initial arrest date, they will be charged with a felony. There will be a minimum of 1 year in jail up to 6 years in a State Prison facility. The minimum fine will be $2,085 and fines can reach up to over $5,000. There will be mandatory alcohol treatment and a 3 year suspension of driving privileges.

Contact A Las Vegas DUI Attorney

If you have recently obtained a Las Vegas DUI you will need legal representation, no question about it. It is advisable to locate a Las Vegas criminal lawyer with a great deal of experience defending clients charged with drunk driving. Police misappropriate drunk driving arrests regularly, and even the slightest error on their part can present defense strategies available to fight the charges against you. Contact my office for a consultation and let me show you what makes me the premier DUI attorney in Las Vegas.