Miami DUI Defense Lawyer
The Miami DUI defense lawyers at Ratzan & Faccidomo represent people charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Miami. DUI is a multi-million dollar business in South Florida, from the overtime paid to the arresting officer to the fees paid to probation and the required courses. The “business” of DUI often leads police to make questionable arrests and causes over-zealous prosecutors to seek significant penalties. A DUI is a serious offense, and in many ways it is more serious than other felonies and misdemeanors in the same classification. Without even being convicted of any offense, you can have your license suspended administratively and your driver’s license taken away for up to a year. If convicted, in addition to fines, court costs and fees, and up to six or nine months in jail, there are many additional penalties above and beyond what a person convicted of any other crime would receive, such as:
- Being required to attend a victim awareness program/DUI school
- Being required to install and maintain, at your own expense, an ignition interlock device on your vehicle for up to six months
- Having to pay significantly higher rates for automobile insurance
- Losing your job if driving or a clean driving record is required for employment
- Being denied or losing a professional license
- Being required to perform up to 50 hours of community service or pay a $500 fine
- Being placed on probation for one year
Also, if you are in America on an immigrant or non-immigrant visa, a DUI could lead to deportation or removal proceedings or result in your application for naturalization being denied.
Help is Available with Your Florida DUI
DUI defense is a specialized and rather complex area of law. Whether you chose to or were coerced into taking the breathalyzer test or were arrested based solely upon the officer’s speculation, you may have many different defenses available to fight a DUI charge. For instance, sometimes an arrest is based on unscientific “field testing,” or the testing equipment used was inaccurate. There may have been other factors which caused your driving to appear to be impaired, or the police may not have had authority to stop you in the first place. At Ratzan & Faccidomo, our Miami DUI lawyers look at all the possible defenses and formulate the best strategy in your case. We can advise you on your options such as trial versus a plea agreement and work to get the best outcome possible in your circumstances.
If you have been charged with DUI, don’t assume you have to plead guilty until you have had your case evaluated by a knowledgeable and experienced Miami criminal defense lawyer. Contact Ratzan & Faccidomo for a free consultation.
