You Need A Skilled Attorney To Defend DUI And OVI Charges.

A charge of DUI or OVI can happen to a person from every segment of society. More than 1.6 million drivers in the U.S. were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in 2008. Law enforcement officers nationwide are stepping up their enforcement of the drunk driving laws, largely in response to public outcry and the influence of lobbying groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Many people charged with drunk driving have never been in trouble with the law before. They don't know what to expect or how to find a DUI or OVI lawyer to help them. They may not understand the need to take immediate action to save their drivers' license. Losing your drivers' license makes everyday life much more difficult. Not only might you have to face significant jail time, but you can lose your job and affect your family. Having a highly competent DUI and OVI attorney is extraordinarily important and the best approach. Below is the pertinent DUI law in Ohio. Note the complexity and the importance of having quality counsel to represent you.

Under § 4511.19 of the Ohio Revised Code, subsection A (1) of 4511.19 it is an offense for any person to operate a motor vehicle while having any amount of alcohol or drugs or combination of the drugs and alcohol that impairs their physical or mental abilities to an appreciable degree. This offense does not require proof of any specific amount of alcohol in your system; therefore, you don’t have to take the blood, breath, or urine test to be convicted of this offense.

Under other subsections of § 4511.19 operating a motor vehicle with a specific level of alcohol in your system is itself an offense. These are called per se offenses and the levels of alcohol are:

1. a concentration of .08 or more by weight of alcohol in his blood;


2. a concentration of .08 of one gram or more by weight of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of his breath;


3. a concentration of .11 of one gram or more by weight of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of his urine;


4. a concentration of .17 of one per cent or more by weight of alcohol in the person’s blood:


5. a concentration of .17 of one gram or more by weight of alcohol per two hundred ten liters of the person’s breath:


6. a concentration of .238 of one gram or more by weight of alcohol per one hundred milliliters of the person’s urine.

At the higher levels of concentration of alcohol, the penalty will double in jail time and other increased sanctions. Also, each time one has been convicted of this or a similar offense in the past it will increase the penalties for the instant offense. If you are a minor (under age 21) the penalties are different than for an adult. The prohibited level for a minor is .02. They also include jail as a sanction and such conviction will count as a prior conviction in any future DUI cases to enhance the penalty.

Both criminal and civil penalties for drunk driving can be harsh and often include:

• Loss or suspension of license


• Large fines


• Substance-abuse treatment


• Jail or prison time


• Community service


• Restitution


• Criminal record


• Restrictive probationary license programs, including ignition interlock devices and “party” license plates


• In addition, the social stigma and effect on your career may have lifelong negative consequences.

If you find yourself facing drunk driving (DUI or OVI) charges, you need an attorney with experience defending drunk driving cases to look out for your interests and to help you get the best results possible. Your DUI and OVI defense lawyers at The Spitz Law Firm are standing ready to help you fight aggressively to protect your driving privileges and your record after being charged with DUI or any alcohol-related driving charge in Ohio. Our attorneys have the experience you can rely on to help you defend the charges aggressively.

Call The Right DUI & OVI Attorney 24/7 At: 1-888-70-RIGHT or (216) 291-4744