Under Florida Statute 316.193, a DUI is defined as an “offense, proved by impairment of normal faculties or unlawful blood alcohol or breath alcohol level of .08 or above.” Simply put, if you are impaired by any substance, whether by alcohol or drugs, you can be charged with driving under the influence and forced to face the consequences which can include jail and driver’s license suspension.
How to Get Out of Jail
When you are arrested for DUI, you can get out before your arraignment if you pay a bail as long as no aggravating circumstances are involved in your case. It could take weeks before your first courtroom appearance is scheduled, so you can enlist someone such as a spouse or criminal defense lawyer in Florida to post bond on your behalf. Under Florida law, your bond cannot be more than 10 percent of the total bail amount. So, if your bail is $1,200, you only need to pay $120 bond, and you can be released from jail before you are arraigned.
You can find more information about posting a bond in Miami by visiting the Miami-Dade County official website. http://www.miamidade.gov/corrections/inmate-release.asp
After you learn about posting bond, you need to figure out where the accused was taken. If you don’t know, use an inmate locator listed below.
Miami-Dade County Inmate Locator: http://egvsys.miamidade.gov:1608/wwwserv/crts/IPSAWNSI.DIA
Florida Department of Corrections:
Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center
1321 NW 13th St.,
Miami, FL 33125
Women’s Detention Center
1401 NW 7th Ave.
Miami, FL 33136
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center
7000 NW 41st St.,
Miami, FL 33166
It’s important to note that police are not going to release you from jail until you sober up, eight hours have passed, or your BAC is below 0.05 percent.
A Jail Sentence is Possible
A DUI is not considered a crime in Florida unless aggravating circumstances such vehicular homicide apply to your case, but there are severe penalties for first offenses, repeat DUIs and other levels of drunk and impaired driving charges.
First Offense DUI in Miami:
Jail: No minimum, maximum six months
Fine: Minimum $500 to $1,000
Probation: Up to one year
License Revocation: Minimum 180 days up to one year
Other penalties: Immobilization or impoundment of your vehicle for ten days, community service
A DUI Conviction Will Cost Several Thousand
In addition to the fines listed above, there are lots of incidental costs associated with a DUI conviction in Florida. Once those incidentals, fines, legal fees, and other costs are added up, your DUI can cost you close to if not more than $10,0000. For most Floridians, ten grand is not easy to come up with in such a small amount of time.
Below are common costs associated with drunken and drugged driving convictions:
Costs of taxis, buses and other alternative modes of transportation
Reinstatement of suspended or revoked driver’s license
Installation and maintenance of ignition interlock device
Drug or alcohol treatment program
DUI assessment course
Increase insurance premiums
Lost wages because of court dates, obligations and termination
Hire a DUI Lawyer in Miami
A DUI charge is no joke! And the repercussions of conviction will be more encompassing than you realize. The ramifications are not limited to the legal realm. For most, a DUI conviction will affect their job and potentially lead termination. Some employers have a no tolerance policy towards arrests and will fire an employee with an arrest or conviction. That is especially true of delivery drivers, distributors and truck drivers.
Not being able to drive also impacts your personal life, but it is possible for you to minimize your penalties by retaining a DUI lawyer in Miami. You need someone to develop an effective defense strategy to get the best outcome. Let USAttorneys.com refer your case to an assertive and skilled lawyer to explain your charges and what penalties you face if convicted.
You have rights. Police are not supposed to violate those rights even though they think you broke the law. If an officer uses excessive force, arrests you without probable cause or plants evidence, we suggest you speak with a police brutality lawyer in Miami, Florida.
