Presenting Your Defense to Felony or Repeat DUI Charges
There's no such thing as a minor drunk driving arrest. Even first offenders without complicating factors face the risk of fines, jail time, the loss of the right to drive, and the creation of a permanent criminal record.
The stakes get higher when a basic DUI arrest results in felony charges, usually based on prior convictions but sometimes as the result of a serious or fatal accident. If you need the advice of a seasoned criminal defense lawyer to resolve the most serious repeat or felony DUI charges, contact Cox Law, PLLC in Boise for a free consultation.
Call 208-287-2008 for Advice About Felony DUI Defense
In many felony DUI cases, the only factor that accounts for the severe charge is the driver's prior convictions. Until recently, two previous drunk driving convictions within a 5-year period were necessary to support a felony charge. Recent changes to Idaho law have extended that period to ten years, which sometimes comes as an unpleasant shock to a defendant charged with a third DUI offense.
If your blood alcohol concentration was measured at .20 percent or higher, a second conviction in a 15-year period can be charged as a felony as well. In felony DUI cases based on prior convictions, our attorneys understand what's at stake for our clients — the threat of a year or more in prison and a driver's license suspension that starts at a hard year and takes it from there.
Our attorneys therefore explore all of your options for reducing, dismissing or defeating the charges. If it appears that the arresting officer had no legally sufficient right to pull you over or take you into custody, we'll challenge your arrest on constitutional grounds. If weaknesses in the toxicology evidence or the maintenance of the breath test apparatus can undermine the proof of intoxication, we'll use those facts as leverage in plea negotiations or to challenge the prosecution's proof of guilt at trial.
We also represent people charged with vehicular assault or manslaughter based on accident injuries related to a DUI arrest. Our commitment to careful investigation of the facts and thorough trial preparation can often turn up details about the accident and how it happened that can protect you through every stage of a criminal prosecution.
To find out more about our approach to the development and presentation of effective defenses in felony DUI cases, contact Cox Law, PLLC for a free consultation in Boise.
