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very state has their own unique terminology for drunk driving laws, and in Michigan, a DUI is also referred to as OWI (operating while intoxicated.) If you’ve been charged with a DUI/OWI, you need to take the offense very seriously, and you need to find a Michigan DUI lawyer immediately. It’s important to remember that Michigan DUI laws are highly complex, and you need to find an DUI/OWI lawyer who specializes in this area of the law.
You should also take the time to learn more about Michigan OWI laws so that you’ll be prepared to choose the right lawyer for your needs. The more information you have about these laws, the better you’ll understand your case and your specific needs. Start your OWI education by reading this brief overview of Michigan’s drunk driving laws.
Michigan tries OWI cases by a few different methods. The easiest to understand are BAC cases. In these cases, any individual operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08% or higher will instantly be arrested for driving while intoxicated. Note – it doesn’t matter how well you might have been driving or if you didn’t seem visibly impaired at all. A .08% BAC or higher is considered drunk, period.
But this isn’t the only way you can be charged with an OWI. In other cases, your BAC isn’t as important. What’s important is how you’re driving and how you perform on the field sobriety tests. So, even if your BAC is below the legal limit, if your behavior indicates you’re impaired, you might be charged with an OWI.
You can also be charged with operating under the influence if any amount of illegal drugs is found in your system. In other words, if anything is affecting your ability to drive properly, you are subject to receiving an OWI. Of course, a lot of this relies on an officer’s judgment which is highly subjective and can be argued against in a court of law.
So, what consequences could you receive if found guilty of OWI? The basic Michigan OWI penalties are as follows:
For your first OWI offense, you could spend up to 93 days in jail. You’ll receive about $300 in fines (not including court and other fees,) and your license will be restricted for about 150 days. You’ll also have 6 points added to your record, and you could end up serving over 300 hours of community service.
What if this is your second OWI offense? Then you will face up to $1,000 in fines. You could also spend up to a year in jail, and your license will be taken away for a year. Again, 6 points will be tacked onto your driving record.
By the time you receive your third OWI conviction, the penalties start to really add up. The fines range up to $5,000; you may end up spending between 1 and 5 years in jail, and your vehicle may be immobilized for 1 to 3 years.
With such strict penalties awaiting you, it’s crucial that you find the right lawyer to stand with you in court. You need to find a specialist in Michigan OWI laws whose expertise will provide the support you need to ensure your rights are protected.
Thanks to TicketVoid’s FREE service, finding such a lawyer is easier than ever before. Just choose the city closest to you from the list below, and you’ll get to select from the top Michigan DUI/OWI lawyers in your community. Find the one who best matches your needs, and you’ll get the defense you need to get the verdict you deserve.
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