How type of evidence will the prosecution rely on if I didn\u2019t take a chemical test?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFirst, if you refused a chemical test, the prosecution will be permitted to introduce that fact as evidence against you called \u201cconsciousness of guilt.\u201d This is basically evidence that allows the jury to infer that you refused the test because you knew you would fail it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Second, in nearly every DUI arrest, the police will require you to submit to standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs). These tests include the vertical gaze nystagmus test, the finger to nose test, the walk and turn test, and the one legged stand test, to name a few. The prosecution will likely rely on the police officer\u2019s observations and determinations of how you performed on these tests to try and prove your guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, the prosecution will rely on any other conduct observed by the police during their investigation. For example, erratic driving (like the failure to maintain a lane), can be used to infer that you were under the influence. Once the police pull you over, other observations that they may have like whether they can smell alcohol on your breathe, whether your speech was slurred, and whether you had bloodshot or glassy eyes can also be used as evidence to infer intoxication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are DUI arrests limited to alcohol?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nNo, they are not. They also apply to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a drug. When most people hear drugs, they think of controlled substances or illegal narcotics like fentanyl, heroin, PCP, or cocaine. Even though Connecticut has legalized recreational marijuana, you can also be prosecuted for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. Finally, this charge can still apply even if the only \u201cdrug\u201d in your system is one prescribed by a doctor (like Xanax).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What criminal penalties do I face for my DUI arrest?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Connecticut, DUI cases include an escalating set of penalties that depend on whether it is your first DUI conviction or a subsequent offense. Criminal penalties include potential imprisonment, fines, and periods of community supervision (probation). Additionally, the courts and DMV are interconnected because DUI convictions can also carry with them rules regarding license suspensions and lengths of time where you can only lawfully operate a motor vehicle with an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First Offense<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Up to 6 months of imprisonment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- A fine between $500 and $1,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Up to 1 year of probation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Second Offense<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Up to 2 years of imprisonment, 120 days (4 months) of which are a mandatory minimum (meaning a judge cannot have you serve less than 4 months in jail)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- A fine between $1,000 and $4,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Up to 3 years of probation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Third Offense<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Up to 3 years of imprisonment. 1 year of which is a mandatory minimum<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- A fine between $2,000 and $8,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Up to 3 years of probation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Additionally, a third DUI conviction will trigger a lifetime revocation of your driver\u2019s license, subject to a restrictive restoration procedure that cannot begin until two years have passed since your initial revocation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Is my DUI conviction a misdemeanor or felony?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis depends, again, on whether it is a first or subsequent offense. A first time DUI conviction is a misdemeanor offense whereas any subsequent offense is considered a felony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are some common ways of defending against a DUI arrest?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHiring an experience DUI attorney is critical to defending against your DUI arrest. You need to find the team that can thoroughly explore factual and legal defenses to your charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did the police have probable cause to initiate the traffic stop against you? Or to conduct SFSTs? Are the police officer\u2019s observations borne out on their body worn camera or dash cam footage? If you submitted to a chemical test, did the police adhere to rules and restrictions regarding how these tests must be conducted? If the police claim that you refused a chemical test, did they give you an opportunity to submit to one and did you actually refuse?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are just a few of the types of information that will be investigated by an experienced defense attorney when developing your defenses to the charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you or someone you love is facing a DUI arrest, call the attorneys at Black\u2019s Law Group for a free consultation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDUI arrests place you in the crosshairs of the criminal justice system and the Department of Motor Vehicles, but can also affect your job, your family, and reputation in the community. You or your loved one are probably scared of what lies ahead. You will want to hire the right team of Connecticut defense attorneys to thoroughly evaluate, investigate, and guide your case towards the best possible outcome. That\u2019s where Black\u2019s Law Group comes in. Call Black\u2019s now to schedule your free consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you or a loved one have been charged with a DUI in Connecticut, you are likely overwhelmed and concerned about the consequences criminally and with the Department of Motor Vehicles. We hope that you will call the experienced attorneys at Black\u2019s Law Group to help guide you through the process. Until then, we hope […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3213,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"page-type":[11],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":""},"post_excerpt_stackable":"
If you or a loved one have been charged with a DUI in Connecticut, you are likely overwhelmed and concerned about the consequences criminally and with the Department of Motor Vehicles. We hope that you will call the experienced attorneys at Black\u2019s Law Group to help guide you through the process. Until then, we hope that we can help ease your concern by providing some basic information regarding DUI arrests in Connecticut. Before moving forward, a quick note. Most people know the term DUI. However, in Connecticut, the technical term for the charge is Operating While Under the Influence, aka,…<\/p>\n","category_list":"","author_info":{"name":"Brendan","url":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/author\/brendan\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3215"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3215"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4184,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3215\/revisions\/4184"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blackslawgroup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/page-type?post=3215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}