When you enjoy a night consuming alcoholic drinks and decide to drive home, a police officer could catch you for Operating Under Influence (OUI). Getting intoxicated while surrounded by people you trust may seem harmless—but the moment you get behind the wheel while under the effects of alcohol and other substances, you’re putting your life and the people around you in danger! Besides that, you can expect to face high costs due to your reckless decision to drive home despite your condition.
The Intricacies of OUI
In the state of Massachusetts, an officer can convict you for OUI if you’re driving your vehicle and have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. The strings attached to a seemingly fun night out can be overwhelming, potentially burning a hole in your pocket over time for choosing to drink and drive.
When you face the first two offenses, you are charged with a mere misdemeanor. But when you undergo a third, fourth, and fifth offense, you will need to address felony charges that will require a DWI attorney’s help.
Keep reading below to find out what else you can expect to experience for receiving an OUI conviction.
Paying For Charges
An OUI sentence will automatically involve a corresponding fine that an offender must take care of immediately, where the expenses depend on the gravity of the violation. The fines range from a minimum amount of $50 and could reach up to $500,000 when facing the 5th offense.
Completing Jail Time
When you are incarcerated for OUI, you can suffer from additional charges each day you spend in prison. The longer you stay in jail, the more expenses you have to face once you’re permitted to leave and get back to your old life.
Paying For The Cost of Bail
Aside from being confined in prison, you have an option to request bail with the help of a criminal lawyer and a family member or loved one willing to post a bond or pay the total amount. However, if they don’t show up in court on the scheduled date, the bail or bond will be forfeited.
Addressing Your Lawyer’s Fees
People that get arrested for an OUI offense will most likely require the help of a criminal attorney, regardless if it’s their first offense or fifth offense. Lawyers with different skills and expertise come with corresponding fees, and the more complicated your case is, the more expensive you can expect them to be.
Getting Your License Suspended
Massachusetts requires everyone convicted of OUI to suspend their driver’s license from as short as thirty days to as long as ten years. The person at fault will have no choice but to use public transit or ask a family member to drive them temporarily until they get their license reinstated, which also comes with a price.
Undergoing Treatment Sessions
Depending on the severity of the OUI case, the court has the authority to order an offender to attend drug or alcohol treatment sessions. They have the power to make it a requirement to seek classes as part of their sentence or probation, which will come from the defendant’s savings.
Conclusion
If you aren’t careful about your every move when you’re intoxicated, and you forget that you aren’t supposed to drive while under the influence, you must be prepared to face the consequences. The financial outturns listed above are just some of the possible worst-case scenarios that could lead you to shell out thousands of dollars for one mistake. A way to address your situation is to depend on a professional criminal defense attorney to represent you and handle your case the best way they can.
Are you looking for the best criminal lawyer in Boston to help defend you in your OUI case? The Fernandez Firm delivers solutions to our clients in Boston, providing legal advice on all kinds of criminal defense cases. Get in touch with us today to receive a free consultation with one of our attorneys!