If you've been arrested for Pennsylvania DUI, you should know that there are several possible sentencing enhancements that can increase your punishment, including having one or more prior driving under the influence convictions within the past 10 years. An experienced PA DUI attorney from Zachary B. Cooper, Attorney at Law, P.C. will determine whether it may be possible to successfully challenge any prior driving under the influence convictions to reduce your possible punishment.
The "washout" or "lookback" period for Pennsylvania DUI offenses is 10 years. This means that if you've been convicted of driving under the influence in Pennsylvania or elsewhere during the past 10 years, the district attorney can use the conviction to try to increase your sentence. If your driving under the influence arrest occurred more than 10 years ago, your current case will be treated like a first-time Pennsylvania DUI charge.
The punishment you face in a Pennsylvania DUI case, which includes jail, fines, and driver's license suspensions, will largely depend on the number of prior driving under the influence convictions you have and your blood alcohol content (BAC). High BAC is another possible sentencing enhancement in a Pennsylvania DUI case.
Your Pennsylvania DUI lawyer may use a pretrial motion to ask the court to exclude any prior DUI convictions from your record. If the motion is successful, it may be possible to have a graded misdemeanor charge reduced to an ungraded misdemeanor.
Another way that you may be able to avoid the increased repercussions of a multiple Pennsylvania DUI charge is to accept a carefully negotiated plea bargain, if one is offered.
Having prior driving under the influence convictions can substantially increase your punishment in a Pennsylvania DUI case, so you need a skilled DUI defense lawyer on your side. A Pennsylvania DUI lawyer from Zachary B. Cooper, Attorney at Law, P.C. will explain your options and do everything possible to minimize or eliminate your repercussions in your driving under the influence case.