Month: January 2023

Getting charged with a DUI in New Jersey has the potential to affect your life permanently. Thousands of drunk driving accidents occur every year in our state. Due to the seriousness of this offense, our courts tend to take DUI charges pretty seriously, and you could face various serious penalties. If you’re a New Jersey driver who’s just been charged with a first-offense DUI, you might wonder if you risk jail time as a punishment. No need to panic because our effective law firm has the answers and guidance you need! Read this blog to learn more about penalties for DUI charges or reach out to a Bergen County, New Jersey DUI Lawyer today for individual legal counseling. CAN YOU GET JAIL TIME FOR A FIRST-OFFENSE DUI? Yes. First-time DUI offenders risk the possibility of jail time, but incarceration is not mandatory as a penalty for driving while intoxicated. Mostly this is because a first DUI is usually considered a traffic violation and not a criminal charge. The maximum penalty for a first-offense DUI is 2 days in jail. WHAT OTHER PENALTIES CAN YOU FACE FOR A FIRST DUI? The penalties you’re given after a DUI arrest depend on the […]

Getting charged with a DUI can be an adverse experience for various reasons. Many people facing these charges worry about their ability to drive in the future, which could be greatly affected by your insurance rates. Have you ever wondered about what happens to your auto insurance after a DUI conviction? Our law firm has the answers you need. To learn more, read this blog or reach out to a Bergen County, New Jersey DUI Lawyer today! WILL A DUI CHARGE AFFECT MY AUTO INSURANCE RATES? Yes, a DUI charge will likely have a substantial effect on your auto insurance. Some insurance companies even refuse to cover drivers who have a DUI conviction. This is because companies calculate your rates based on the risk of you getting into a future car accident, and a DUI is a bad look on your record. Most companies look at the past 3-5 years of your driving record, but some companies might look back further than this for DUI charges. In New Jersey, you can expect your insurance rates to rise by about 82%. While the average annual cost for auto insurance for drivers with a clean record is around $1,500, the average annual […]

New Jersey has some of the strictest DUI laws in the country. To prevent unfortunate drunk driving accidents from occurring, police offers will sometimes take precautionary measures to ensure intoxicated people don’t attempt to operate a vehicle. Subsequently, people have gotten a DUI charge even if they weren’t actively driving when the police officer found them intoxicated. To learn more about how you could be at risk of a criminal charge even if your keys aren’t in the ignition while intoxicated in your vehicle, read this blog or reach out to a Bergen County, New Jersey DUI Lawyer today. CAN I GET A DUI IF MY KEYS AREN’T IN THE IGNITION? Yes, it is possible to be charged with a DUI even if you don’t have your keys in the ignition while you’re under the influence of alcohol. This is because New Jersey law defines a DUI as “operating” a vehicle when your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08% or higher. Operating does not mean the same as driving, and an officer can also charge you with a DUI if they have reason to suspect you intended to drive while intoxicated. For example, let’s say you drove yourself to a […]

Though thousands of drunk driving accidents occur per year in the United States, most drivers are at least somewhat aware of the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol. However, not as many people are educated on the potential dangers of driving while on prescription medication. Tons of New Jersey residents take prescribed medications, but certain legally prescribed drugs could affect one’s ability to drive safely. To learn if you could get a DWI for taking a prescribed drug before driving, read this blog or reach out to a Bergen County, New Jersey DUI Lawyer today! AM I AT RISK OF A DWI IF I DRIVE WHILE ON A PRESCRIBED DRUG? It is possible to receive a DWI (driving while intoxicated) or DUI (driving under the influence) charge if you take a legally prescribed medication and it affects your ability to drive. Most people think of alcohol when they hear DUI, but both illegal and legal drugs could cause someone to be “under the influence”. This is because intoxication is defined in New Jersey law as the substantial decrease in mental and physical abilities due to alcohol or drugs. If you take a prescription medication that causes certain […]