ALABAMA DUI PENALTIES
DUI charges are handled with much determination by prosecutors. Since a DUI is a driving offense, a criminal offense, and sometimes a violent offense, the severity of punishment for DUI charges varies greatly from case to case. Depending on the circumstance of the alleged offense, a defendant may face a wide range of penalties, from license suspension to completion of a mandatory alcohol program.
DUI charges should never be taken lightly, no matter how trivial they may seem. Because the penalties and conviction can affect one’s future for many years, you should take action now if you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence.
- Imprisonment
- Fines
- Mandatory license suspension
- License revocation (for repeat offenders)
In Alabama, your first DUI offense is considered a misdemeanor offense. A first time DUI misdemeanor is punishable by a jail sentence up to a year and up to $2,100 in fines. Alabama Code section 32-5A-191, states that subsequent DUI charges may result in felony DUI charges, these carry much harsher penalties.
If you are facing a DUI charge for the second or third time within ten years of your first DUI conviction, you could be facing increased penalties for your repeat offense. The intensity of penalties can also vary depending on the circumstances of the case. A fourth-time offender can face up to 10 years in prison. Fines and license suspension also increase according to the number of convictions within five years of the first as well as other potentially aggravating factors concerning the event.
- A minor in the vehicle (under 14 years old)
- Refusing to submit to a breath test
- Injury or death related to the DUI (other than the offender)
- Breath test with a result of .15% or greater
