What to Expect When an Offender Receives a DUI in Tennessee

Driving drunk, otherwise called “driving under the influence” (DUI), is unlawful in Tennessee. The DUI laws in Tennessee include blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits for adults and minors, criminal sentences with prison time and fines, driver’s permit repudiations, and implied consent to alcohol testing for all drivers. 

BAC Limits 

Tennessee has a blood alcohol level at which the state assumes the driver is intoxicated. This is known as a “per se” BAC and is set at .08 in Tennessee. Likewise, having a very high BAC, in Tennessee of .20 or above, can bring about more severe punishments. 

For minors and adults under the drinking age of twenty years of age in Tennessee, the state has a “zero tolerance” strategy. On the off chance that an individual under the age of twenty-one has a BAC of .02 while driving, regardless of whether or not they are intoxicated, the individual can be found to have committed a DUI. In the event that an adolescent (sixteen to twenty) is seen as liable for impeded driving, their license will be suspended for one year, they will get a $250 fine, and the court can mandate community service.

Punishments and Sentences 

Tennessee possesses required prison time for first-time DUI offenders. At a minimum, offenders will get forty-eight hours in prison, unless one’s BAC is .20 or higher. At that point, the sentence is seven days. Be that as it may, a first-time DUI can ultimately lead to a sentence of eleven months and twenty-nine days in prison as well as a $350-$1,500 fine. Additionally, the offender’s license can be suspended for one year. Furthermore, DUI offenders are also required to attend an alcohol treatment program. 

A second DUI leads to at least forty-five days in prison, a compulsory fine of $600-$3,500, and a license suspension for a year. When the offender does get their license restored, it is limited to going to work, school, court-ordered rehabilitation, and/or court-ordered community service. The offender’s vehicle can be seized beginning at the offender’s second DUI. 

A third DUI offense conveys at least one hundred and twenty days in prison (greatest under one year), $1,100-$10,000 in compulsory fines, and license suspension for six to ten years with no chance of getting a limited license, for even limited necessities like work. Fourth and ensuing DUIs are lawful offenses that will get the offender at least three hundred sixty-five days in prison, a $3,000-$15,000 required fine, and an eight-year license suspension with no restricted license available. 

Additionally, the appointed court authority can arrange compensation to any individual hurt by the offender for any DUI. Furthermore, getting a driver’s license after a DUI includes many expenses, including, but not limited to, a $100 reestablishment charge.

Implied Consent 

In the event that a DUI offender will not submit to a blood liquor test when pulled over by a police officer, they can have their driver’s permit repudiated for one year for the principal offense, two years for the subsequent offense, and two years if the accident brought about real injury, regardless of whether or not it’s the offender’s first offense. In the event that the accident killed somebody and the offender declined a blood alcohol test, they might have their license suspended for several years. Additionally, a police officer can affirm different components that demonstrate the offender’s inebriation, regardless of whether or not they submitted to the test.  These components include the smell of the offender’s breath, visible alcohol in the vehicle, and the offender’s behavior.

As a rule, denying a blood alcohol test will not assist an offender with keeping away from the outcomes of driving under the influence. Only not driving drunk can shield a potential offender from these punishments. 

Have More Questions About Tennessee DUI Laws? Converse with an Attorney 

In the event that a DUI offender is confronting a DUI accusation in Tennessee, it is to their greatest advantage to connect with an accomplished DUI lawyer close to them for the purpose of examining their case and finding out about legal alternatives. It is very conceivable that a skilled attorney might have the ability to successfully fight the offender’s case and get them back on the road far before anyone thinks is conceivable.

If you or someone you know has been pulled over for a DUI and are in need of legal representation, or if you simply have further questions regarding driving under the influence,  please call the DUI experts at Logan Thompson in Cleveland,  TN at 423-716-6261 or find them online at loganthompsonlaw.com.

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