Orlando DUI Defense Lawyer
Key Takeaways
- For those facing driving under the influence charges in Florida, it is critical to seek out a criminal defense attorney to guide you.
- With our years of experience, we can offer clear DUI defense strategies to help you get charges dropped or reduced.
- A public defender may not have enough time to help you navigate your case with as much care and attention as our legal team can provide. Most public defenders are great attorneys, but they have too many cases. Let us open the conversation to discuss what your legal rights are.
- Darling Law provides exceptional legal representation to clients facing life-changing charges and the risk of incredibly challenging outcomes. Our extensive experience can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.
- We offer free consultations with our criminal defense attorneys. Do not go to court without the legal guidance you need.
Driving under the influence (DUI) charges can be a worrisome experience because of its significant impact on your rights to drive, maintain jobs, and obtain loans. It may seem like there are very few opportunities to defend against DUI charges.
With the help of a skilled Orlando DUI defense lawyer from Darling Law, you gain protection of your rights and insight into the DUI defense strategies that may help you get charges dropped or reduced.
Types of DUI Cases Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Handle in Orlando, Florida
Darling Law provides criminal defense services to anyone facing DUI charges in Florida. If you were accused or charged, let our criminal defense lawyers help you, including the following:
- Felony DUI: Including those that cause serious bodily injury or death or a third violation
- Misdemeanor DUI: Including first-time offenses
- DUI manslaughter: Involving the death of another person as a result of a DUI accident
- DUI property damage: Including any damage to another person’s property
- Underage DUI: Occurring for anyone under the age of 21
- Commercial driver DUI: In situations where you have a commercial driver’s license and law enforcement has charged you with driving under the influence
Every type of DUI charge is a serious one. All involve high risks of conviction because it is often your word against a trusted police officer, evidence in the form of blood and breath tests, and witness statements. Hiring a criminal defense attorney is critical because there is so much risk in these cases.
Types of DUI Offenses in Florida
Your DUI arrest and outcome are dependent, in part, on whether or not you have been charged and convicted of DUI in the past. We recommend working with a DUI defense lawyer, even if this is your first offense.
If you are convicted of a DUI and then charged with another within 5 or 10 years, depending on the previous convictions, you could face additional charges or consequences. In some cases, this includes mandatory jail time and the revocation of your driver’s license.
Consider the DUI offenses that may be applicable under Florida criminal law:
- First offense: Fines of $500 to $1,000, imprisonment for no more than 6 months, vehicle impoundment of 10 days
- Second offense: Fines up to $1,000 to $2,000, imprisonment of not more than 9 months, 30 days of vehicle impoundment or immobilization
- Third offense: Finds of $2,000 to $5,000, imprisonment for a mandatory 10 days with at least 48 hours of consecutive confinement, up to 90 days of vehicle impoundment
Note that if a person’s blood alcohol level (BAL) is .15 or higher, fines and imprisonment are increased. The risk of additional punishment is higher if the second or third offense occurs within 10 years. Additionally, if a person is under the legal age for alcohol consumption (21) and is charged with DUI, the BAL level may not apply. Any presence of alcohol could warrant a conviction in these cases.
Florida DUI Punishments in Orlando and Tampa
A DUI conviction can create long-term complications in your life. In every case, a judge may consider various factors, including previous criminal records and DUI convictions, circumstances of this case, and actions you take to correct the action. Some of the most common punishments we see in these criminal cases include:
- Fines
- Jail time
- License restrictions
- License suspension or revocation
- Ignition interlock device
- Alcohol education classes
- Community service
- Restrictions on driving privileges
The justice system is severe with these cases as Florida law aims to punish offenders and dissuade them from engaging in these actions again. Working with a local Orlando DUI attorney or Tampa DUI attorney is critical to protect your future.
Why Choose Darling Law as Your Criminal Defense Law Firm?
Darling Law is committed to providing exceptional legal representation for anyone facing criminal charges. Our law office recognizes the severity of your charges and works hard to protect your rights. As a criminal defense firm, we take every case seriously.
Testimonials
“Darling Law is top notch! Andrew Darling immediately got to work on my case from the minute I contacted him. He and Ashley from his firm were extremely professional and kept in constant contact with me which made me feel extremely comfortable with the process. They got my case dismissed in very timely manner and cause very little disturbance to my everyday life. I would definitely recommend Darling law to anyone looking for an attorney!” — Julius F.
Our Results as a Criminal Defense Attorney
Your criminal record is on the line with a DUI conviction. Consider some examples of other Florida DUI cases we have represented.
Consider a Central Florida case where our client did not initially qualify for pretrial diversion, meaning they faced a significant conviction risk. Thanks to the advocacy of our criminal defense attorneys, this case was allowed to go to pretrial diversion. After several weeks of communication and multiple forms of mitigation to the state attorney’s office, they allowed our client into diversion. The client has since completed the diversion program, and their record has now been expunged.
We have assisted several DUI clients in getting their charges reduced or dismissed by focusing on all aspects of the traffic interaction:
- Whether the law enforcement officer had reasonable suspicion for a stop
- Whether they had probable cause to begin a DUI investigation
- Whether they followed the proper procedures during any field sobriety exercises (FSEs) or breath/blood extractions.
Facing a DUI Charge in Orlando or Tampa?
At Darling Law, we encourage our clients to take DUI charges seriously, as the implications can be long-term. As a criminal defense attorney serving Orlando and all of Orange County, we encourage you to set up a free consultation with us before you head to court.
Call our offices at (407) 329-8260 now to schedule a consultation or fill out our contact form, and we will contact you. Free consultations are available for all criminal defense cases we handle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Set up a free consultation with us. Our legal team will help you determine what your drunk driving charges are and what opportunities exist for reducing them, getting them dropped, or offering other strategies under DUI laws. As experienced Florida attorneys, we will consider all aspects of your case to determine potential opportunities.
Our legal team can help you achieve a more favorable outcome under Florida’s DUI laws. In some cases, that may include reducing your charges.
After establishing an attorney-client relationship with you, we will learn as much as possible about your case. From there, we will provide legal advice on the types of criminal defense strategies that may apply to your situation. There are numerous potential DUI defense strategies. Some of the most common include:
- Challenging why a police officer stopped you. If we can show that the officer did not have reasonable suspicion to pull you over, the charges could be dropped.
- Questioning field sobriety tests may include showing that the police officer did not administer them correctly or that conditions were unfair.
- Questioning breathalyzer results. If a breathalyzer was not calibrated or used correctly, that could affect whether errors were possible.
Medical conditions you have that could cause you to fail such tests. If we can show your blood alcohol content (BAC) was normal, but you failed field sobriety tests, this defense may apply.
Laws in Florida allow for a first-time conviction of DUI to result in the loss of a driver’s license for 6 months. Though there are steps our attorneys will take to reduce this risk, it is still a possibility and likely to occur if convicted in some cases.
Florida defines DUI as driving with a BAC over .08 or less if you are under 21. A police officer or other party doesn’t need to notice you engaging in drunken behavior of any type. You do not have to display reckless driving if the police officer has other cause to pull you over.
Under state DUI laws, any person has the legal right to refuse a field sobriety test. However, utilizing that right automatically forfeits your license for a year. This applies if a police officer requests, with good reason, a breathalyzer test. Refusal of a blood test if requested by police is not possible. If requested, you must provide a blood test.
Written By Andrew Darling
Andrew Darling is a dedicated attorney, husband, and father. He served in the U.S. Army, deploying to Iraq twice. He is the owner and lead attorney at Darling Law. He coaches youth football. His passion for coaching and mentorship have instilled in him a winning culture, which he brings to his legal practice.
