Connecticut DUI Attorney
People who are arrested for drunk driving in Connecticut are concerned about how the charge will affect their ability to drive — and rightly so.
If you are arrested for a first drunk-driving offense, you submit to a breathalyzer test, and you are over the legal limit (.08), you are subject an immediate 90-day suspension of your driver's license by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If you refuse to take the test, you are subject to a six-month suspension. If you are later convicted of the charge, you will be subject to a one-year suspension in addition to a fine, community service, and/or jail time. For second and third offenses, the penalties increase dramatically.
I'm John Walkley, a DUI defense attorney in Monroe, Connecticut, serving people in New Haven by appointment. Most of the time, my clients are looking for an opportunity to leave court without pleading guilty and without the arrest having an effect on their driver's license after the case is over. Whether I am able to do this depends on the case.
Connecticut offers the Alcohol Education Program for first-time offenders. If the Court grants your application and allows you to participate in the program, you can resolve the case by attending classes. Then, if you satisfy the conditions, the DUI charges will be dismissed after a one-year probation. You will not face a one-year suspension of your driver's license. The only time you would be unable to drive would be during the 90-day or 6-month suspension from the Connecticut DMV. However, even then, I would assist you in applying for what is known as a work permit so you can drive to and from work during your DMV suspension.
If you are not eligible for this program, I can help you negotiate for the best possible outcome or defend you in court.
There are several defenses in a DUI case. If your blood alcohol count (BAC) was under the legal limit of .08, or if you were not operating a car on a public highway, the charges can be dismissed. There may also be technical defenses. If the stop of your car was illegal or the police made mistakes in the way you were arrested, the charges against you may be subject to dismissal.
For a free initial consultation, contact Connecticut DUI attorney John Walkley.
