An OVI/DUI is a very serious charge and there are many different situations and penalties. Attorney Dennis Gump is an attorney skilled in Ohio law governing OVI/DUI, who has courthouse experience in acting on behalf of drunken driving defendants. DUI under Ohio law is referred to as OVI (“Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated or Impaired”). Under any name, a conviction or even an arrest can affect your life and profession for years.
Ohio drunken driving laws are among the toughest in the country and they have been since the early 1990s. This is a reason people choose to have legal representation when accused of the crime. The consequences you face depend on the circumstances of your DUI/OVI arrest. Attorney Dennis E. Gump can defend clients facing any level of charges and penalties.
- You will lose your license if you are convicted of OVI in Ohio. Period. How long your license is revoked depends upon the severity of the details of your arrest. You will lose it immediately if you refuse to take a sobriety test or if the breathalyzer result is higher than the legal limit of .08% blood alcohol level (BAC). Authorities can also take your license plates and they may seize or disable your vehicle.
Because the penalties are so serious, an OVI lawyer is important:
- First time offenders face at least three days in jail, or a three day alcohol abuse program. The fine can be as much as $1075.
- The penalties get worse if it is not your first arrest, up to as much as a month in jail and a $10,000 fine for a 4th conviction. Plus you would be required to surrender the car you drive to the authorities. Some 4th offenders lose their licenses permanently.
- The length of driver license suspension also gets worse. First offenders will lose their driving privileges for 6 months to 3 years; a second conviction carries a 1 to 5 year license suspension. Third offenders face revocation up to 10 years and 4th time offenders may not legally drive for at least 3 years and perhaps never again.
An OVI/DUI lawyer can represent you in one or both of the cases involved in an OVI arrest: the criminal court case, and the case that goes before the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
How does an OVI lawyer defend against an OVI allegation? This will depend on the circumstances of your case, and we are not predicting or describing your defense. An argument may involve challenging the evidence police gathered. As an example, the procedures in which the roadside sobriety tests were applied – or the validity of blood alcohol testing may be brought into question by a OVI lawyer.
If you are reading this, chances are you have very recently been charged and are looking for a lawyer to defend you from this point. Perhaps you are searching for legal representation for a loved one or friend who has just been arrested. We are here to help you.