I am 21 with a clean record. I was charged with DUI and operating a vehicle under the influence of controlled substances. They found a piece of drug paraphernalia (no illegal substances however) in my car. I was not charged for it and nothing was found on it, but they drew my blood. It was for alcohol but drugs may be found as well. I was half the legal limit (I blew a .04%). I am pretty scared and am not sure which to be more concerned about, though both are very serious. Is jail time guaranteed? How do most cases like this end up?
Thank you.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Jail time is not guaranteed or likely in a first-offense case. What will ultimately happen depends on the existence of any viable defenses, who the judge is, what county you are in, and what you do between now and your court date regarding evaluation and counseling/treatment. I would strongly recommend consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. You should also be aware of the time limit for requesting a hearing with the MVA to protect your driving privileges.
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