If you are convicted of a first-time offense for DUI in Iowa, expect to have your license suspended for 180 days. However, an offender is eligible for a restricted reinstatement of his or her license if his or her BAC (blood alcohol content) is under 0.10%. If his or her BAC is over 0.10%, he or she is still eligible for a restricted license. However, he or she must also use an ignition interlock device. If the BAC is above 0.15%, the offender is not eligible for a restricted license for 30 days.
What Happens If You Are Found Guilty of a First Offense
Therefore, you need to speak to a DWI attorney in Marion, IA if your BAC is tested and found to be 0.08% or more. For anyone under 21, the limit is 0.02%. Sometimes residents refer to DWI (driving while intoxicated) as OWI (operating while intoxicated). If you are found guilty of OWI, the license revocation remains on your record in Iowa for a period of 12 years.
According to DWI attorney law firms, a DWI is not considered to be a felony in Iowa. Instead, a DWI or OWI first offense in Iowa is defined as a serious misdemeanor. If you are found guilty of DWI or OWI for the second time within 12 years of a prior conviction, the offense is elevated to an aggravated misdemeanor with enhanced penalization.
Penalties for a Second Offense
DWI attorney law firms add that violators can face administrative penalties such as a license revocation as well as criminal penalties for a second conviction. In addition, adults with a second conviction incur a minimum imprisonment period in a community-based correctional facility or county jail of seven days to two weeks. Besides paying a fine, the violator is normally sentenced to substance abuse examination and treatment. A course for drinking drivers may also be imposed.
Whether you are guilty of a first or second offense, you need to contact a legal advisor immediately. You can find out more about Iowa’s drunk driving laws by visiting such websites as Jjwlegal.com online. Again, make sure you make an appointment right away if you have been charged with the crime.
