No one wants to be charged with a DUI, and if you find yourself in that situation, you’ll want to get a DUI lawyer in Mississauga to guide you through what happens next. Trying to navigate the field of DUI law on your own will leave you feeling confused, intimidated, and frustrated. You don’t want to simply accept all of the consequences if there were certain things missed throughout your DUI case. Certain things that were missed might end up in your charges being lessened, and you’ll need a DUI lawyer in Mississauga to analyze your case with you to figure out how to proceed.
DUI law is a specific field that lawyers specialize in, and these types of lawyers are widely familiar with all of the laws that will pertain to your DUI. Because of that, they will be able to develop a strategy much more effectively than any other type of lawyer out there. The laws surrounding DUI cases are a little bit different across the country, but there are a couple of rules that are the same across the board.
DUI Consequences In Ontario
If it’s your first time going through a DUI, there are a couple of consequences that you’ll have to deal with:
Fines
If you’re found guilty of driving under the influence, you’ll be dealing with fines. If it’s your first time being convicted of a DUI, you’ll face a fine of $1,000, but it all depends on how severe your case is. If you were charged and convicted in the United States, the fines might be bigger than just $1,000.
This $1,000 fine doesn’t include some of the other fees that are associated with things like:
- Alcohol treatment programs that you’ll have to go through
- Impounding fees
- Towing fees
- Fees to get your license reinstated
- Fees for the ignition interlock device
Suspension Of Your Driver’s License
If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, one of the consequences you’ll face is having your driver’s license suspended. If you live in Canada, you’ll face a suspension for up to one year. To get your license reinstated, you’ll have to abide by all of the applicable guidelines that are outlined for your case. A first-time DUI conviction might be able to be reduced if you pay for the ignition interlock device in your case and follow all of the protocols associated with it.
If you’re convicted in the United States, the suspension rules vary from state to state. A lot of states will suspend your license right when you’re arrested for your DUI, but there are some that might wait until subsequent arrests. There are also states that might suspend your driver’s license even if you refuse to take the breathalyzer test to test your blood alcohol content.
DUI Workshops
After being convicted of a DUI, you’ll most likely have to attend an alcohol treatment program that will cost you hundreds of dollars. The program will take around 10 or 11 months to finish, and some of the things involved with it are:
- A pre-assessment and analysis
- Workshops
- Follow-up appointments at certain intervals
If you’re convicted in the United States, you’ll also have to go through an alcohol treatment program that is fairly similar. Each program will be a little different from the next in terms of their:
- Assessments administered
- Requirements
- Eligibility
The main goal of these alcohol treatment programs is to reduce the chances that the same thing will happen in the future.
Ignition Interlock Device
If it’s your first time receiving a DUI conviction, you’ll have to get the ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle if you’re wanting to use it at an earlier point in time. You’ll be responsible for paying the fees associated with the device, including the installation fees. To drive your car, you’ll have to blow into the device before you even start it. You’ll also have to blow into the device at randomized times that will ensure you’re not under the influence.
For people receiving their first DUI convictions, you’ll have the ignition interlock device in your car for at least a year. In some cases, you can reach out to the Ministry of Transportation to have that specific clause on your driver’s license taken off. If you don’t have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle following your conviction, you’ll be dealing with even more fines ranging up to $1,000.
There are a couple of states in America that require you to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle even after the first conviction.
Criminal Record
Following your DUI conviction, you’ll have a criminal record attached to your name. That means whenever someone looks you up in the public records, they will see that you’ve been convicted of a DUI. A criminal record makes it more difficult to travel to and from certain countries. You’ll show up in the police database, and if you’re wanting to remove your criminal record, you’ll have to ask your lawyer about getting a record suspension. You could also potentially get a pardon, and you can expect to wait around 5 years to be able to apply for that.
For those that get convicted of a DUI in the states, they will have that attached to their record for up to a decade. Each DUI conviction that you get after that will lead to more severe punishments.
Traveling
A DUI conviction can cause a lot of issues with traveling to certain countries. Some countries might see that DUI conviction and deny you entry, and that can be embarrassing if you’ve been planning a trip with a significant other for a while and then later find out you’re not allowed entry into the country you’re planning on visiting.
Insurance
A DUI conviction will also increase your insurance rates. In certain areas of Canada, some insurance providers might flat-out refuse insurance to you. Some may simply just have you paying three times what everything else will pay because driving while impaired is a violation of their policies.
If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, getting a DUI lawyer in Mississauga is the first thing you’ll want to do. Jonathan Lapid is a DUI lawyer that has over 25 years of experience in the field. He has a high success rate across hundreds of clients, and you’ll have greater peace of mind throughout your DUI case with him on your side.
