Felony DUI Attorney In Brevard County, Florida

In the state of Florida, having your driver’s license is critical for mobility. In many cases, without the opportunity to drive, citizens of Brevard County, Florida, would not be able to reach work, take their children to and from school, run errands, pursue their passions, and take vacations. Getting arrested on DUI misdemeanor charges can threaten a Floridian’s ability to drive, upending their life and those of their family members.

If the charges associated with your Brevard County DUI crime are characterized as a felony, this can lead to even more severe consequences than having your driver’s license revoked. Therefore, it’s critical to have a Florida criminal defense attorney who is experienced in working with drunk driving defense cases. That way, you can be informed about your rights and work toward building a strong defense that is personalized to your case.

In Brevard County, DUI charges are classified into both misdemeanors and felonies. A misdemeanor DUI offense happens if you are arrested for drunk driving a first, second, or third time. For the highest misdemeanor DUI offense, you can face up to one year in jail and up to $5,000 dollars in fines. In addition to this, you will have a minimum license suspension of 10 years.

DUI felony crimes in Brevard County are even more serious than misdemeanor crimes, and they come with greater associated penalties. In addition, having a felony on your criminal record can impact your reputation and hinder your ability to pursue education, housing, and employment opportunities.

If you are caught drunk driving for a fourth time in Brevard County, FL, then this will automatically be classified as a felony. Additionally, if you are arrested for drunk driving a third time within 10 years of being arrested for your last drunk driving offense, then this will also be classified as a felony.

Regardless of whether you have been arrested previously for a DUI, if you are drunk driving in Florida, and it results in the death or bodily injury of an individual involved in an associated accident, then the charges will be classified as a felony. A felony DUI can have penalties that include having to pay up to $5,000 in fines and spending up to 5 years in jail. You can also have your license permanently revoked.

In the state of Florida, there are some common defense strategies that can be deployed to fight against certain drunk driving charges that you may be facing. It’s important to remember, however, that the right strategy is specific to each case and the associated details. Some common DUI felony defense tactics are: 

• Arguing that the evidence against you was obtained illegally. If an officer did not have reasonable suspicion to carry out the traffic stop at which you were arrested, then you may be able to suppress the evidence that they collected, such as a breath test or the results of sobriety exercises.
• Proving that the breath test that was used was faulty. In many cases, the devices that are used to facilitate breath tests can be faulty or calibrated incorrectly. If your defense can prove that there was a mechanical or chemical failure with the device used to determine your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels, then you can get this evidence suppressed.
• Showing that you were drunk driving out of urgent necessity. If you can prove that you were drunk driving out of necessity, meaning that you were driving someone with an emergency to the hospital or escaping immediate danger due to threats from a hostile individual, then this can be used for a DUI defense.
• In addition to these defense strategies, there are other tactics that can be employed, such as showing that an officer deliberately entrapped you into drinking and driving or that you were unknowingly given drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

An experienced and compassionate felony DUI defense lawyer can:

• Speak with you about the intricacies and conditions of your case.
• Help you understand what your legal options are.
• Mount a strong defense against your charges.