The penalties for a first-time West Palm Beach DUI can have a serious impact on an individual’s life. If convicted, a DUI will stay on a person’s criminal record and driver’s license for life. The person would be also be placed on probation for six to 12 months and incur a host of additional penalties.
If you were charged with a first-offense DUI, you should not assume that Prosecutors and Judges will be lenient. They will pursue these charges to the full extent of the law, but a defense attorney could stand by your side. Call Leifert & Leifert today to schedule a free case review.
Rules of Probation
Probation requires an individual to report once a month to a probation officer and pay $50 a month for that privilege. In addition, the person may not:
- Get in any legal trouble
- Leave the state without permission
- Change residence without permission
- Change jobs without notifying probation
- Carry, own, or possess any weapons
- Use any drugs or alcohol to excess
In a DUI case, these penalties occur in addition to fines and Court costs. For first offense non-aggravated DUIs, these costs are at a minimum around $1,000. The person must also do 50 hours of community service.
DUI School and Substance Abuse Counseling
In addition to probation and fines, the penalties for a first-time West Palm Beach DUI include mandatory classes and counseling. Someone convicted of a DUI must complete the first level DUI school, which is a 12-hour class. It can be broken into two six-hour sessions or three four-hour sessions. After the classroom time, there is a substance abuse evaluation in which the facts of the person’s case will be discussed along with any recommended future treatment.
From that evaluation, a person can be required to do substance abuse counseling, usually on an outpatient basis. The person who does the evaluation has the discretion to decide how many sessions the person needs. Usually, they require between four and 12 sessions of a group and/or individual therapy.
Victim Impact Panel
On top of the DUI school requirements and community service, someone convicted of a DUI must attend a one-night class put on by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
The Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is an hour and a half presentation by people who have been charged with DUIs in which they describe how it affected their lives. There will be horrible pictures of crash scenes and images of bodies being smashed, mangled, and burned. They will present the results of violent crashes and statements from people who were either hurt or lost family members to a DUI driver.
The VIP is meant to make offenders think twice before drinking and driving again. It shows how driving while impaired can affect other people besides the driver.
Vehicle Immobilization
In West Palm Beach, authorities punish not only the offender but also the vehicle. They will come to a convicted person’s home and put a club on the steering wheel to make sure the car cannot be driven for 10 days. This is one of the penalties for a first-time West Palm Beach DUI that could impact your driving privileges.
Call Leifert & Leifert to Learn How a West Palm Beach Attorney Could Help
If you want the best chance at avoiding or minimizing the penalties for a first-time West Palm Beach DUI, call Leifert & Leifert today. Our legal team has been handling DUI cases in West Palm Beach for years, and we could put our experience to work for you. Call today to schedule a free initial consultation.
