How Do DUI Penalties Work In Colorado?
DUI charges can be incredibly damaging, but they are also quite common. If you are dealing with a DUI charge now, then you are not alone. You may have heard about the horrors of DUI punishments, but there is no reason to lose hope in your current fight. By understanding how the law works, you can increase your chances of winning, or at least decrease the chances of an extreme punishment. Here are some such laws that you will need to know when it comes to DUI accusations in Colorado:
What is a DUI in Colorado?
DUI's can get a little complicated in Colorado for a number of reasons. The first thing that you need to know is that there are two separate classifications to be familiar with: DUI's and DWAI's.
A DUI is a charge that can be leveled at an individual that was found to have a BAC over .08%. A DWAI is a lesser charge that applies when the BAC was found to be less than .08%, but more than .05%.
Consequently, you should be more worried about a DUI charge than a DWAI charge, since a DUI charge tends to carry harsher penalties.
How much money can a DUI cost you in Colorado?
Colorado is unique in that it has fairly high maximum penalties, but doesn't really use minimums. For a DUI, the maximum fine will be $1000 for your first charge and $1500 for any subsequent convictions.
This means that the biggest factor in your case is going to be the attitude of the court. Sympathy can go a long way in reducing the amount of money that you will need to pay, and could even theoretically reduce your fine down to $0.
How much time will you spend in jail for a DUI in Colorado?
Jail time is treated similarly, with fairly high maximums that don't change from the first to third offense. For DUI's, the maximum is 1 year for all offenses, where DWAI's can be punished by up to half a year for the first offense and 1 year for the remaining offenses.
This can help you when it comes to later offenses and cultivating sympathy, but it can also be a huge problem if it's your first offense and you aren't particularly sympathetic. This could result in you spending up to a year in prison, whereas other states might cap your jail time at a few days or weeks for a first offense.
To learn more about DUI's, contact a law firm like Hart Law Offices, PC.