Mapping Out the Ramifications of a DUI
Your first DUI, unfortunately, is not over after the court date. There are about half of a dozen other experiences many judges and courts will order that you complete. These are for the purposes of deterring you from committing another DUI, seek help for alcoholism if you need it, and yes, take your money and your time a subsequent punishment.
DMV Matters
Most of us are aware that along with a DUI conviction comes a suspended license for a period of time. Alongside this, the DMV will also make you jump through the following hoops:
- Take time off work to obtain an H6 document for enrollment in your DUI program (to be discussed further)
- Obtain an SR22 from your insurance company
- Reinstate your restricted license
- Install an Ignition Interlock Device
- Reinstate your full Driver’s License
Every step along this path will cost you anywhere from $12 to over $200.
Court Requirements
In most cases, the court will assign you meetings and programs to complete in order for them to be sure that you have had access to information regarding the dangers of drinking and driving and help with alcohol abuse if needed. These programs can include:
- DUI Program: 2 hours, once a week for 3 to 30 months (most of these programs require that you attend 2 additional self-help meetings a month, such as Alcoholics Anonymous)
- Hospital and Morgue (HAM): 2, 4-hour informational sessions depicting staggering images of driving fatalities. In some cases, it requires a physical trip to the county morgue.
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD): Usually a 4-hour seminar
- Community Service: Depending on number of previous offenses, this could range anywhere from 10 to 100 days of mandatory volunteer work.
- Fines: The standard fine for the first DUI is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,800. These fines increase by around $500 per subsequent offense.
The courts usually provide ample time to complete these tasks, but they are made especially difficult by the inconvenience of a suspended license. They are not exactly free, either. Additionally, any hiccups in completing any of these tasks before the court’s due date may result in added jail time.
Without the help of experienced and aggressive legal defense, all of these obligations will have to be completed after a DUI conviction. The Law Offices of Jarrod M. Wilfert to help avoid these great many hassles and get yourself back on the road and back to your normal life with as little damage done as possible.