DUI Pittsburgh Lawyers | AAAL - Allegheny Attorneys at Law | Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Defense

Pittsburgh DUI Lawyers | AAAL - Allegheny Attorneys at Law

In Pennsylvania, if you are stopped by the police for ANY REASON and determined to be incapable of safely operating your vehicle due to the consumption of alcohol or drugs, YOU WILL be charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). While such a charge is serious, the attorneys at AAAL - Allegheny Attorneys At Law, P.C. will work with you to defend your rights while guiding you through the criminal justice system. Simply because either you or a loved one has been arrested by the Police and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) does NOT mean you are guilty! The attorneys at AAAL will review your case with you to determine your best available options including pursuing possible plea agreements with the Office of District Attorney that can include:

  • Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD);
  • Plea Disposition;

House Arrest / Electronic Monitoring, Probation and / or Alternative Housing in place of time served at the County Jail; and, Occupational Limited (Bread & Butter) License through application to PENNDOT.

Why fight it?

One of the main reasons you should challenge a DUI is because of the serious nature of the penalties. A DUI conviction carries with it the possibility of jail time, steep fines and the loss of driving privileges. With the help of AAAL - Allegheny Attorneys at Law, P.C. all aspects of your DUI charge will be scrutinized so that your rights will be protected. You cannot afford a DUI conviction because:

  • you can receive jail time or either Alternative Housing or Intermediate Punishment (House Arrest with an ankle bracelet) at your expense;
  • your driver’s license can be suspended from thirty (30) days to eighteen (18) months;
  • your car insurance rates WILL rise or your coverage may be canceled;
  • the average out-of-pocket cost for a DUI conviction is between $1,500 and $5000;
  • you may be required to have an Interlock Ignition switch installed in your vehicle at your own expense; and,
  • you could lose your job due to any of the above.

The Traditional DUI Stop, What to Expect!

To execute a traditional DUI traffic stop (other than those made at a DUI checkpoint), a police officer must have a reasonable suspicion that you have committed some violation of the Motor Vehicle Code, usually for a moving violation or because your vehicle is not up to code.

From the moment the officer initiates the stop, he or she is observing your actions to determine if you are intoxicated. The officer will be observing and scrutinizing odors coming from the vehicle, your speech, your attitude, clothing, the conduct of passengers as well as other physical evidence to make his initial determination of whether or not to proceed further with his DUI investigation. If ordered out of your vehicle, the officer may employ several field sobriety tests to determine if you are intoxicated. These tests include the walk and turn, the one leg stand and various other counting or alphabet tests. If the officer finds that there is probable cause to believe that you are under the influence, you most likely will be arrested and taken for either a blood or breath test to determine your exact blood alcohol level.

In the event your blood alcohol level exceeds 0.08% or if the office simply believes, based on his observations, that you were incapable of safely operating your vehicle, you will charged with a DUI and most likely multiple other criminal and / or vehicular charges. At this point it is imperative that you immediately contact an attorney. The attorneys at AAL are available 24 hours a day and can be reached at 412.963.8495 or by e-mail at Marc@AlleghenyAttorneys.com. We look forward to resolving your DUI and DUI related charges.

DUI - First Offense (No Prior DUI Offenses within past 10 years)

General Impairment, BAC is .08 to .99. This is an ungraded misdemeanor for which a sentence of 6 months probation and a $300.00 fine is required. Required Court Reporting Network (CRN) evaluation, Alcohol Highway Safety School (AHSS) and possible Drug and Alcohol (D&A) assessment and treatment. There is no loss of driver’s license and no jail time with this particular category.

BAC is .10 to .159. This is an ungraded misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum 48-hour jail sentence up to a possible 6 months and a $500.00 to $5,000.00 fine. Required CRN, AHSS and possible D&A. The driver’s license suspension is 12 months.

BAC is .16 or higher, refusal to give a blood or breath sample, drug-related offense. This is an ungraded misdemeanor (or misdemeanor of the First Degree for refusals) with a mandatory minimum 72-hour jail sentence up to a possible 6 months and a $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 fine. Required CRN, AHSS and mandatory full D&A. The driver’s license suspension is 12 months.

DUI - Second Offense

General Impairment, BAC is .08 to .99. This is an ungraded misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 days imprisonment up to 6 months and a $300.00 to $2,500.00 fine. The driver’s license suspension is 12 months. Required CRN, AHSS, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .10 to .159. This is an ungraded misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum of 30 days imprisonment up to 6 months and a $750.00 to $5,000.00 fine. The driver’s license suspension is 12 months. Required CRN, AHSS, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .16 or higher, refusal, drug-related offense. This is graded as a misdemeanor of the First Degree with a mandatory minimum 90 days imprisonment up to a 5-year maximum jail sentence and a $1,500.00 to $10,000.00 fine. The driver’s license suspension is 18 months. Required CRN, AHSS, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

DUI - Third Offense

General Impairment, BAC is .08 to .99. This is graded as misdemeanor of the Second Degree with a mandatory minimum10 days imprisonment up to a 2-year maximum jail sentence and a $500.00 to $5,000.00 fine. The driver’s license suspension is 12 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .10 to .159. This is graded as a misdemeanor of the First Degree with a mandatory minimum 90 days imprisonment up to a 5-year maximum jail sentence and a $1,500.00 to $10,000.00 fine. The license suspension is 18 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .16 or higher, refusal, drug-related offense. This is graded as a misdemeanor of the First Degree with a mandatory minimum 1-year imprisonment 5-year maximum jail sentence and a $ 2,500.00 to $10,000.00 fine. The license suspension is 18 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

DUI - Fourth Offense

General Impairment, BAC is .08 to .99. This is graded as misdemeanor of the Second Degree with a mandatory minimum 10 days imprisonment up to a 2-year maximum jail sentence and a $500.00 to $5,000.00 fine. The license suspension is 12 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .10 to .159. This is graded as a misdemeanor of the First Degree with a mandatory minimum 1-year imprisonment up to a 5-year maximum jail sentence and a $1,500.00 to $10,000.00 fine. The license suspension is 18 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.

BAC is .16 or higher, refusal, drug-related offense. This is graded as a misdemeanor of the First Degree with a mandatory minimum 1-year imprisonment up to a 5-year maximum jail sentence and a $ 2,500.00 to $10,000.00 fine. The license suspension is for 18 months. Required CRN, D&A and Ignition Interlock for 12 months.