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Indiana DWI / DUI Lawyer

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A DWI (driving while intoxicated) or DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) violation is a serious offense and can carry severe penalties that may stay with you for the rest of your life. If you are convicted of a DWI crime, it may potentially stay on your record for many people to see. Future employers may have access to this report if they request a criminal background check on you, as would any other person doing a background check, such as a landlord or bank. In addition, if you had any desire to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL), it would be very difficult or impossible to do so.

In the State of Indiana, a DUI is referred to as an OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) offense. This offense is issued to drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher. These are considered misdemeanor charges in the State of Indiana. If your BAC level is 0.15 or higher, you will face stiffer sanctions.

If you are stopped for an OWI offense in the State of Indiana, the police officer at the scene will give you a breathalyzer test. If you refuse to take a certified breathalyzer test, your license will be automatically revoked for a period of one year. This is because Indiana has implied consent, meaning that your consent to a breathalyzer test is given once you get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

If arrested for OWI in Indiana, your car and your person will be searched. You will be handcuffed and taken in to the police station. In addition, your car will be towed at your expense. If a breathalyzer test shows that your blood alcohol content is .08 or higher, your driver's license will be suspended for a minimum of 30 days. Bail will be required in order for you to be released from jail.

The penalties and consequences for an initial OWI conviction may include imprisonment, probation, fines, an ignition interlock device installed in your car, urine testing, enrollment and participation in an alcohol education program, and the suspension of your driver's license. The penalties for subsequent OWI convictions may include up to three years in jail, community service, fines of up to $10,000, license suspension up to two years, alcohol education, probation, and urine testing. Repeat offenders or those with aggravating circumstances will face more severe penalties.

OWI laws are constantly changing and becoming more stringent; you will need an expert Indiana lawyer to help you sort through all the terminology. An experienced Indiana lawyer will be able to ask all the right questions and guide you through the necessary procedures.

A lawyer well-versed in Indiana OWI law will review your case in every facet and detail and try to provide options for your defense. Your Indiana OWI attorney may:

Challenge the police officer who stopped you in the first place. The officer must have a valid reason for stopping your vehicle.
Challenge the validity of the blood, breath, or urine tests that were taken, if applicable.
Challenge the maintenance of any equipment used in one of those tests.
Challenge the skill or training of the person administering the test.
Request that the charges against you may be dismissed, if you are not provided with a speedy trial within a certain specified time frame.

If you have a pending OWI charge against you in the State of Indiana, it would be beneficial to you to find a lawyer licensed to practice in Indiana who is also knowledgeable about OWI laws.