For most people, getting a DUI doesn’t mean they’re a criminal. On the contrary, many people who get arrested for a DUI are otherwise law-abiding citizens who misjudged how safe they were to get behind the wheel after drinking. While this is a regrettable mistake, these citizens are absolutely terrified and confused, after they’ve been charged with a DUI, and they want to know what they should do. First and foremost, it starts with contacting a competent Las Vegas DUI attorney for advice. Don’t try to handle it on your own. The stakes are too high.
What sorts of things are at stake if you forego a DUI lawyer in Las Vegas? Here are some of the guidelines for first offenders of drunk driving, put in place by Nevada. After you’ve been arrested for a DUI, you could face a jail sentence of two days to six months, a fine from $400 to $1000, an eight-hour DUI school, and revocation of your license for 90 days. If you were significantly over the legal limit of .08, starting with .18 and over, the Nevada Court is likely to require a drug and alcohol assessment before sentencing you. This often yields a mandatory further six months of counseling. As you consider all of the possible consequences that you face, it becomes even clearer that you’ll want to avoid as many of these severe penalties as possible. A quality DUI attorney in Las Vegas is equipped to mount a successful defense on your behalf, but the sooner you get started, the better your outcome will likely be.