DUI / DWI laws have gotten stricter across the nation in recent years – the legal limit is now .08 percent blood alcohol content (BAC) in all 50 states. DUI / DWI punishment has increased, and jail sentences, higher fines, increased car insurance premiums, longer driver's license suspensions, mandatory alcohol schools, and ignition interlock devices are common punishments.

However, these punishments can be avoided with the help of an expert criminal defense attorney who concentrates on DUI / DWI defense. A skilled attorney will seek to challenge every ounce of evidence in a drunk driving case, dismantle the prosecutor’s case, and create reasonable doubt in the driver’s guilt.

In most states, DUI / DWI is a unique offense that generates two separate cases: a court case that can result in fines and jail time, and a Department of Motor Vehicles hearing that can lead to the suspension of the driver's license.

Although it seems as if this two-pronged attack would violate drivers’ constitutional protection against double jeopardy, the two cases are allowed because the DMV case is considered an administrative action, not a criminal case. Even so, many criminal defense attorneys who focus on DUI / DWI defense consider drunk driving law to be the "exception to the constitution."

The good news is that the Department of Motor Vehicles’ administrative action also can be successfully challenged. Although a DMV hearing is a complex and technical procedure, a skilled DUI / DWI criminal defense attorney will attack the evidence at a DMV hearing and fight to protect the driver’s license.

Drunk driving defense is a specialized area. Let one of the qualified DUI LAWS attorneys find a solution to your legal problem. Contact a DUI LAWS lawyer near you for a free consultation.