Ohio does not take drunk driving accusations lightly. If police believe you are drinking and driving, they will strip you of your driving privileges before they even charge you with a crime. This is an administrative suspension and may continue even if they drop the charges against you or never charge you at all.
In addition to the administrative suspension, Ohio has harsh penalties in place for those convicted of “operating a vehicle under the influence” or OVI. If your driving privileges and clean criminal record matter to you, you will want to fight the administrative and criminal allegations against you. A DUI & OVI lawyer in Colerain Township, OH at The Law Offices of Steven R. Adams can help.
We have the knowledge and resources to fully investigate what happened during your arrest and to put a solid defense strategy in place that ensures the best possible outcome in your case. We will be candid with you about the challenges we see in winning your case but will not stop trying to get a positive outcome no matter the situation. Call our office today at 513-929-9333 for a no-obligation consultation or to get started.
Consequences of a Colerain Township DUI & OVI Charge and Conviction
There are both administrative and legal penalties to deal with after an Ohio OVI arrest. In general, the administrative penalties begin immediately while you will not face the criminal consequences unless you enter a guilty plea or the jury convicts you.
Administrative Penalties
The arresting officer will take your driver’s license during your OVI arrest, and your administrative license suspension begins immediately. However, Ohio allows you a short period to file an appeal and attempt to reinstate your privileges.
If you want to try to fight this suspension, our suspended license defense lawyer can help you handle this appeal. You need to call us as soon as possible, though, because you only have 30 days to request a hearing. Occasionally, we can uncover evidence to clearly show you were not intoxicated or that the police acted in an illegal manner when stopping you or arresting you. When this happens, the Administrative Law Judge who hears your appeal may reinstate your license.
If your appeal is unsuccessful, we can help you apply for limited driving privileges that permit you to drive to work or school for the duration of your suspension. How long you might lose your license after an OVI depends on various factors.
Criminal Penalties
As you can probably imagine, the criminal penalties of an OVI conviction are much worse than the administrative penalty. If they convict you of a drunk driving charge, you could face jail time, significant fines, and even an extended driver’s license suspension. In many cases, the courts will allow first time offenders to serve probation instead of going to jail and require regular mandatory drug testing and mandatory alcohol addiction counseling.
While it is bad enough that you could lose your license, face large fines, have your car impounded, and spend time in jail, an OVI conviction will also go on your criminal record. This means that every time someone runs a background check on you, it will show up. This could hinder your chances of getting another job or even renting an apartment.
Employing a Defense Strategy That Can Win a Colerain Township DUI & OVI Case
No two cases are the same, so there is no one-size-fits-all OVI defense. Instead, we consider a number of possible defense strategies based on the unique facts of your case. We consider options that might allow us to reduce the sentence you receive, get a not guilty verdict, or get the charges against you dropped. Depending on the situation, any of these could be a best-case scenario for you.
Some possible strategies we could employ in your Colerain Township OVI defense include:
- Convincing prosecutors to drop the charges by presenting evidence you were not intoxicated
- Convincing the judge to disallow evidence against you because of a faulty blood alcohol concentration testing machine, improper testing procedure, illegal traffic stop, entrapment, or other illegal procedure
- Negotiating a plea deal for reckless driving or another lesser charge that comes with significantly reduced penalties
- Presenting a strong case to create reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors, leading to a not guilty verdict
- Pleading guilty to the charge and asking the judge for the minimum penalties to minimize the disruption to your work, school, or family
We know what it takes to win an DUI and OVI case in Colerain Township. We will thoroughly investigate all aspects of your stop, detainment, and arrest. We will focus on details, such as the accuracy of the blood alcohol concentration testing equipment and the experience of the person conducting the test. Often, this process uncovers key evidence to strengthen our defense.
Have You Been Arrested for a DUI in Cincinnati, OH?
If you are facing DUI charges, you need to speak with an experienced DUI attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Cincinnati office directly at 513-929-9333 to schedule your free consultation.
