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Each DWI lawyer defense attorney in New Hampshire we can pair you with will do their best to get your DUI case dropped. We work hard to ensure your 100 percent satisfaction and take pride in being able to offer clients access to the best DUI lawyers in New Hampshire. To set up a consultation with a DUI lawyer, call us today. There is a leading DUI lawyer standing by to help.
It is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent or higher in New Hampshire. It is also illegal for a minor (person under the age of 21) to operate a vehicle with a BAC level of .02 percent or higher and for a commercial vehicle driver to operate a vehicle with a BAC level of .04 percent or higher. The state also considers it illegal for anyone to drive under the influence of controlled substances, like marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit drugs. Anyone found guilty of these offenses will be charged with Driving Under the Influence, or DUI.
DUI charges in New Hampshire can also be referred to as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) charges. These types of crimes can be charged in two ways. On the one hand DUI/DWI charges can be convicted as common-law drunk driving cases, in which the driver is arrested and prosecuted under the assumption that they were physically affected and impaired by the consumption of alcohol and drugs, rendering them unsafe to drive. They can also be prosecuted as “per se” DUI/DWI cases. The “per se” law does not deal with the actual physical impairment of the driver but instead looks solely at the driver’s BAC level to determine whether or not they are guilty of DUI/DWI.
If you were arrested in another state and convicted for DUI/DWI, that conviction may be used against you in New Hampshire. This is part of the Interstate Driver’s License Compact. This law also states that if a motorist is from another sate and is convicted of DUI/DWI in New Hampshire, their home state can learn about these charges and impose their own penalties upon the driver.
The penalties for DUI/DWI convictions in New Hampshire are as follows:
• Imprisonment 10 days minimum for aggravated DUI/DWI only
• Fine $500 minimum ($750 for aggravated DUI/DWI)
• Driver’s license suspended from 9 months to 2 years (18 months to 2 years if aggravated DUI/DWI)
• Completion of Impaired Driver Intervention Program
• May be required to undergo alcohol/drug treatment or counseling program
• New Hampshire SR22 Insurance required for 3 years
• Class A Misdemeanor
• Imprisonment 30 days minimum
• Must spend 7 days in multiple DWI Offender Intervention Detention Center (if between 2-10 years of previous conviction)
• Fine $750 minimum
• Driver’s license suspended 3 years minimum
• May be ordered to install an ignition interlock device
• May be required to undergo alcohol/drug treatment or counseling program
• New Hampshire SR22 Insurance required for 5 years
• Imprisonment 180 days minimum
• Fine $750 minimum
• Driver’s license suspended indefinitely (court petition may be allowed after 7 years)
• May be ordered to install an ignition interlock device
• May be required to undergo alcohol/drug treatment or counseling program
• Minimum 28 days in residential treatment program
• New Hampshire SR22 Insurance required
If a driver is convicted of aggravated DUI/DWI in New Hampshire, penalties are much more severe. Anyone found guilty of the following will be charged with aggravated DUI/DWI in New Hampshire:
• Driving 30mph over speed limit
• Attempting to outrun police
• Causing an accident resulting in serious bodily harm to another
• Having a passenger in the vehicle at the time of DUI/DWI arrest under 16 years of age
• If the BAC level was at or above .16 percent
In New Hampshire, a motorist automatically gives their consent to be tested for alcohol and drug consumption. This is known as the implied consent law. Those who refuse a chemical test of their breath, blood, or urine to determine intoxication will have their license suspended for 180 days. If a driver has refused alcohol and drug testing previously at some point within 7 years of the current refusal, their driver’s license will be suspended for 2 years. Anyone who refuses testing will endure punishments as severe or greater than if their BAC level was actually tested.
If you have incurred a DUI or DWI charge in New Hampshire, you need to seek the help of a top DUI/DWI attorney immediately or risk severe penalties. Not only does a motorist convicted of driving under the influence have to ensure punishment by the state, but they will also have their lives drastically affected in other areas, such as employment or financial situations. By having a skilled New Hampshire DUI/DWI lawyer assisting you, your charges will either be significantly reduced or wiped clean altogether.
Don’t waste any time before contacting an elite DWI defense attorney in New Hampshire for help in fighting your charges.
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