Reader’s Question:

My son has just been arrested for DUI in Midwest City, Oklahoma. His lawyer already advised us that the State has a strong case against him. But still, the lawyer is doing everything he can to fight the charge. If my son will be convicted for DUI, what are the penalties involved.

Ola

Midwest City, OK

The criminal penalties associated with driving under the influence can be severe depending on the number of prior offenses and any aggravating circumstances involved in the DUI case. If this is your son’s first offense for DUI in Midwest City, Oklahoma, it is considered a misdemeanor. First DUI offense carries penalties of $1,000 in fines and not less than 10 days and not more than one year in jail. A second offense for DUI in Oklahoma increases the penalties to a fine of not more than $2,500 and jail time of not less than one year and no more than five years.

A felony DUI offense results in fines of not less than $5,000 and jail time of not less than one year and no more than seven years. A third or subsequent DUI offense carries penalties of a fine of not more than $5,000 and jail time of not less than one year and not more than seven years. I hope that the DUI lawyer who represents your son on his DUI case does everything in order for your son to avoid these harsh penalties.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI advice, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

My father has a DUI conviction in Oklahoma. He’s trying to find a car insurance company who would give him coverage after his conviction because his former insurance company cancelled his policy after the term. How can he find the best car insurance in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?

Aldo

Oklahoma City, OK

You don’t have to be surprised that your father’s car insurance after his DUI conviction will be affected for several years. That is because he is now considered as high risk by insurance companies. To get a high risk policy, your father would most likely need to seek out smaller insurance companies that can give him coverage after his DUI conviction. These smaller insurance companies are set up specifically to provide high risk coverage and charge as you could have guessed a bit more for their services. In some instances his car insurance after a DUI can be at least 2 or 3 times what a ‘regular’ policy costs.

What you have to keep in mind about getting car insurance after a DUI conviction is that there are no laws in effect that regulate the premiums that are charged. This means that each insurance company is free to charge whatever prices they want in order to issue someone one of these high risk insurance policies. The best thing that you can do is to shop around. It’s a good thing that you can freely get an online quote for great car insurance in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from this site.

Tags: drunk driving insurance, drunk driving laws, DUI, insurance, SR22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

My cousin has just been charged with DUI here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We were advised that we need to get a DUI lawyer who would help him defend his case. What is the importance of retaining a lawyer in cases such as this?

Felisha

Tulsa, OK

It is illegal to drive under the influence in the state of Oklahoma. Since your cousin was arrested for DUI in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he is now facing two separate charges. One is the criminal case for DUI and the other one is the administrative case. With regard to the criminal case, he will be charged with DUI and any other offenses related to that offense and he will face substantial criminal penalties. With the administrative case, the state will seek to suspend your driving privileges for a period of time that matches the level of the offense and any special circumstances.

These charges are both serious cases with stiff penalties that have a strong potential to reduce your cousin’s quality of life and make it difficult for him to carry out normal activities such as maintaining employment or attending college. These penalties can also tarnish his reputation and leave him with a criminal record that can haunt him forever.Because of that, it is important that he contacts an Oklahoma DUI lawyer as soon as possible. Having an Oklahoma DUI lawyer to represent him is his best chance of having a successful outcome in his DUI case.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI advice, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

I have never been arrested for DWI here in Oklahoma though I admit that I sometimes drink and drive. I just hope this won’t ever happen to me, but just in case I get caught, what happens in a DWI arrest and how can I bail myself out?

Charity

East Canadian, OK

There are many things that you would have to worry about if you get arrested for DWI in Oklahoma. During a DWI arrest, the police officer would most likely give you some type of field sobriety test (FST) or a chemical test that would hopefully tell the police officer what your approximate blood alcohol content (BAC) level is. The police officer should read to you your Miranda rights which you need to listen carefully to and if the Miranda rights are not read to you during the arrest, you need to make your DWI lawyer aware of this as soon as you have chosen a lawyer.

The officers would go through the booking process once they have gotten you to the jail. This includes finger printing and mug shots. The officers at the jail will then keep you in jail until it is time for your bail hearing wherein the judge will look at all of your past offenses as well as past arrests and make a decision as to how high or low your bail should be.

You would have to find some way to get yourself out of jail once you have been assigned a bail amount. You might want to call someone to come pay your way out if you have the money at home. But if you don’t have money at home, you might want to call a bail bondsman to get something worked out so you will have a way out of jail.

Tags: DUI, DWI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

My brother was just recently charged with DUI here in North Cleveland, Oklahoma. He wasn’t sure of what to do next. He doesn’t want to discuss this matter with us. Does he need to hire an attorney to defend him on his DUI case?

Betsy

North Cleveland, OK

The probable reason why your brother was unsure of what to do next following his DUI arrest in North Cleveland, Oklahoma is that he does not have previous experience to fall back on. This can also be because he doesn’t want to discuss the matter with family and friends.

Regarding your question if he needs to hire an attorney to defend him on his DUI case is usually the first question from anyone charged with DUI. And the answer is yes, he needs to get the services of an expert on this matter. Oklahoma DUI attorneys have the expertise to protect your brother’s interests. DUI attorneys are experienced in helping people suspected with DUI throughout the process - including examining the case to see if it is possible to dismiss or significantly reduce the charges.

I strongly advise you to make sure that your brother finds law firms with experience in criminal defense, but it is also important to find a firm that has unique expertise with the entire DUI process. Most of these attorneys are often members of National Drunk Driving Defense Force or National College of DUI.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

My sister was caught drunk driving. She failed all the tests that the police officer asked her to do. She has been charged with DUI here in Oklahoma. There was no accident involved when she was arrested. Should we hire a lawyer and can the charges against her be dropped if there was no accident caused by DUI?

Karen

Edmond, OK

DUI or driving under influence of alcohol or drugs is a criminal offense and therefore, punishable in the court of law. The punishment depends upon the gravity of the offense and the condition of the accused at that time.

DUI may seem like a small offense when there was no harm caused to any third party, but it is actually not. In your sister’s case, even if there was no case of injury or harm to anyone, a court of law can decide to punish the offender, depending upon the blood alcohol count, as well as her condition and behavior at the time of the arrest.

In such situation, your sister will need the assistance of an Oklahoma DUI lawyer. She should never make the mistake of skipping hiring a lawyer in the hope of saving some money. It is also equally important that she does not compromise on the quality of the lawyer that she chooses to represent her. If she did that, she might end up spending more money in the long run. She has to choose a lawyer who is knowledgeable, experienced and approachable.

Tags: DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

I was just recently arrested for DUI here in Oklahoma. I want to have the best legal defense possible. How can I determine which one is the right for me?

Bobby

Oklahoma City, OK

I must say that it would be a right move for you to get a legal representation in your DUI case in Oklahoma. DUI is not just another criminal case one can easily get away with. To help you identify the best DUI lawyer to defend you on your DUI case, there are several questions that you should be prepared to ask any lawyer you are considering.

First is that you have to know how long the lawyer has been defending DUI cases in Oklahoma. This is quite important because your lawyer should have defended numerous DUI cases in Oklahoma and has actually gone to court trial for DUI cases. You also have to take note as to how successful the DUI lawyer has been at getting DUI charges reduced or dropped. This is to make sure that they have proven track record of successfully helping clients defend their cases.

You might also want to ask the DUI lawyer the kinds of honors or awards he/she has received in their field. This is to know how good they are if they are being recognized. Lastly, you can also ask the DUI lawyer how the fees are being determined to give you an idea as to how much you will be paying the DUI lawyer and also for you to prepare.

So if you are facing a DUI charge in Oklahoma, get help from an experienced DUI lawyer. Hire a lawyer who has handled thousands of DUI cases with experience and a track record that speaks for itself.

Reader’s Question:

There is really never a good time to be arrested for DUI. We went out to celebrate my birthday. Of course, we had some drinks. I was the one who drove ourselves home and unexpectedly, we were stopped for a DUI suspicion. I failed the blood alcohol test, thus I was charged for DUI. I want to get the best legal representation. But I want to know, how much would be the fees for an Oklahoma DUI lawyer?

Camden

Lawton, OK

A DUI case is a unique situation. You have to face both conventional court proceedings and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) unlike most other criminal cases. You are right; there is never a good time to be arrested for DUI. So in cases like this, you will need the service of an expert Oklahoma DUI lawyer.

An Oklahoma DUI attorney fees differ greatly, depending on a lot of factors of the case. The fee is normally very high, but could be paid in affordable, easy options. The variation in fee is based on how much effort is expected and involved in the case. A good DUI attorney also adjusts his fee structure to the financial situation of his clients.

Most DUI attorneys follow “set fee structures” when quoting the fee for the cases, regardless of their complexity. That means that you may overpay for DUI attorney services. Overpaying could also occur when a lawyer says that his price quote contains the trial fee.

Just to give you a general idea as to how much would be the fee for an Oklahoma DUI lawyer; it usually ranges from $500-$2,000 depending on the gravity of the offense. But DUI lawyers normally offer free initial consultation. You can learn your rights and choices on the DUI case during the consultation. You can move on to another attorney office if you are not satisfied with the lawyer.

Reader’s Question:

My wife has been charged with DUI here in Oklahoma and part of my concern is, of course, her auto insurance rates. Does that mean that it will go up once she gets convicted? What are the best options that we have now?

Clark

Norman, OK

I have to be honest with you that if your wife will be convicted for her DUI charge in Oklahoma, her insurance company will not give her a big refund. We have to face the fact that insurance companies are private companies and they are here to make money. Reality is they don’t care about you. Insurance companies are there to take your money for years but when you try to make a claim, they will try to avoid paying you.

Unless they decide to cancel you altogether, expect that your insurance company will raise their rates substantially if your wife receives a DUI conviction. It might also be more difficult to obtain automobile insurance after a DUI conviction.

This may sound somewhat odd, but if you can get along without an automobile, then do so. After all, you would save a lot of money. But if you think that this option will not work for you, shopping around would definitely help you in getting the lowest rates possible that you can get. You can start by searching different insurance companies through the internet. They are a lot of advertised insurance companies that offer free no-obligation consultation and price quote.

Reader’s Question:

I am a Communication Arts major and was tasked to do a little research about drunk driving laws and bills that have not passed here in Oklahoma. Can you give me detailed information of a bill that has not passed the House and the Senate? Your help would definitely narrow down my research.

Robert

Oklahoma City, OK

A Democratic Representative has authored a bill that would have DUI convictions noted on Oklahoma driver’s licenses. This bill calls for an Oklahoma DUI conviction to be noted on the offender’s driver’s license after the first conviction and the notation would stay on the driver’s license for up to four years. It can only be removed after four years if the person has not had another Oklahoma DUI conviction during that time.

The Representative said that the bill is designed to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the state of Oklahoma. He notes that 39% of the traffic fatalities in the state were alcohol-related in 2005.

Any Oklahoma resident with a DUI conviction in the past four years would be forced to reveal that conviction when boarding a plane, buying cigarettes, cashing a check, entering a bar of the other times when their driver’s license is used as proof of age or identification.