Peoria DUI Defense Lawyer

Peoria DUI Lawyer

Arizona has strict laws against driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. If you get arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), you may face serious consequences such as jail time and the loss of your driving privileges. It is important to hire an attorney in Peoria who has experience defending clients during DUI cases. Having a lawyer by your side can help you minimize the effect that this arrest has on your life and future.

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI in Peoria, Arizona, contact a criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of John Phebus to schedule a free consultation. Our Peoria DUI defense lawyers can discuss your options and protect your legal rights.

Charged With a DUI? The Law Offices of John Phebus Glendale Criminal and Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

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Why Choose Our Peoria DUI Defense Attorneys?

  • We have many years of experience defending clients from DUI charges in Peoria. We can help if you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, or if you are under the age of 21.
  • Our DUI defense attorneys personalize their defense techniques for each individual client. This ensures that you achieve the best possible results for your DUI case. We will listen to your story, gather all relevant information and custom-tailor a defense plan for you.
  • We understand how stressful it is to be arrested for an alleged DUI. Our Peoria DUI lawyers can answer your legal questions and provide legal support during this difficult time. You will have direct communication with your attorney every step of the way.

Why You Need to Hire a Peoria DUI Attorney

Throughout your DUI defense case, a lawyer will search for ways to protect your rights and make your life easier. Your defense attorney can help you reinstate your driving privileges if your license gets suspended after your arrest, for example. Your lawyer can also handle all communications and negotiations with the prosecution, such as arranging a plea deal that lightens the sentence you face. You can trust your DUI defense lawyer to look out for your rights and best interests when you need help the most.

Arizona’s DUI Laws

In Arizona, an individual can get arrested for driving under the influence under Arizona Revised Statute 28-1381 if he or she is pulled over by a police officer and blows a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level at or above 0.08 percent. For a commercial driver, the legal BAC is 0.04 percent. If the driver is under the age of 21, any discernible amount of alcohol can result in a DUI arrest. A BAC is the percent of alcohol in a driver’s bloodstream. It is typically collected through a breathalyzer test, where the driver breathes into a device.

With a BAC at or above the legal limit, a driver can get arrested for a “per se DUI” in Arizona. This means that no further proof of intoxication is necessary to make an arrest. Even with a lesser BAC, however, a driver could get arrested for being impaired even to the slightest degree by drugs or alcohol. An officer could make an arrest based on the driver’s actions and behaviors that point toward intoxication, such as reckless driving or slurred speech.

Various Drinking and Driving Charges Our DUI Lawyers Handle

Arizona law has several different types of DUI charges. The potential penalties you are facing after being arrested for a DUI will depend in large part on the classification of the charge. At the Law Offices of John Phebus, our attorneys can defend your rights against various drinking and driving charges in Peoria, including:

  • Impaired to the slightest degree: a BAC under 0.08 percent, but still too impaired to legally drive. Even if you are not feeling too drunk to drive, you may be over the legal limit or appear intoxicated to a police officer.
  • Underage DUI: driving or actual physical control of a vehicle with any BAC level as someone who is under the legal drinking age of 21. Arizona is a Zero Tolerance state for underage drinkers.
  • Standard DUI: a BAC of 0.08 percent to 0.14 percent for a standard driver, or 0.04 percent for commercial motor vehicle drivers. This is a misdemeanor charge. Arizona’s “per se” DUI law means that someone driving over the legal limit can be found guilty of DUI even without evidence of impairment.
  • Extreme DUI: a BAC of 0.15 percent to 0.19 percent. An extreme DUI means that a driver was essentially operating a motor vehicle (or in actual physical control) with double the legal BAC limit.
  • Super Extreme DUI: a BAC at or above 0.20 percent. This serious type of charge is reserved for cases where the individual was in control of a motor vehicle with a “super extreme” BAC level that exceeds 0.20 percent. 
  • Aggravated DUI: a DUI with aggravating circumstances, such as a car accident with bodily injuries, is charged as a felony in Arizona. This is a serious charge that can result in prison time.

Our attorneys can assist you with other alcohol-related charges, as well, such as open container, furnishing alcohol to a minor and using a false ID to obtain alcohol. Even if you have been arrested for a first-offense DUI, you could be facing life-changing penalties, such as jail time and the suspension of your driver’s license. It is important to always contact an attorney to defend you against DUI charges.

Our DUI Drug Attorneys Can Help With Substance Driving Violations

Arizona’s DUI laws do not only apply to alcohol. You can also be arrested and face jail time for driving or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the intoxicating influence of a drug – including prescription medications, if you do not have a valid prescription. Any controlled substance found in your system at the time of an arrest could lead to a DUI. This includes marijuana, despite this substance now being legal in Arizona. Drivers are not permitted to operate vehicles while under the influence of marijuana. 

At the Law Offices of John Phebus, we can help you protect yourself against drug DUI charges in Peoria with sound legal strategies. For example, we may be able to argue a lack of probable cause for the traffic stop or arrest, an illegal search of your vehicle, police misconduct, civil rights violations, or lack of actual physical control of a motor vehicle. Our attorneys can argue against the accuracy of drug tests performed or look for issues in the chain of evidence, such as missing test results or illegally confiscated drugs. We will advise you on the best course of action for your situation – going to trial or seeking a plea agreement – to achieve a positive outcome.

Is a DUI a Felony in Arizona?

A DUI is typically charged as a misdemeanor crime in Arizona. It can be elevated to a felony, however, if there are aggravating circumstances. Arizona Revised Statute 28-1383 lists the following for an aggravated DUI:

  • If the driver’s license is suspended, revoked, restricted or canceled.
  • If this is the driver’s third or subsequent DUI in an 84-month period.
  • If a person under the age of 15 was in the vehicle.
  • If the person was ordered by the court or otherwise required to equip the motor vehicle with an ignition interlock device.
  • If the individual was driving the wrong way on a highway at the time of the offense.

If you are convicted of a felony DUI in Peoria, you could face a minimum of four months (and up to three years) in prison, plus $4,000 or more in fines and fees. It is critical to contact an attorney to aid in your defense if you are facing felony DUI charges.

Penalties for a DUI in Arizona

Being convicted of a DUI in Arizona can come with life-changing consequences. A conviction for a first-time DUI is a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 10 days in jail, plus a $250 base fine and license suspension from 90 days to one year. For a second offense, these penalties are increased to 30 to 90 days in jail, a $500 base fine and license suspension for one year. A third or subsequent offense comes with a minimum of four months in jail, a $750 base fine and license suspension for one year.

Anyone convicted of a DUI must also install an ignition interlock device on his or her vehicle at the driver’s expense. This device requires a driver to blow a BAC level below the legal limit before the vehicle’s engine will start. It will also test the driver periodically throughout the drive and automatically send the results to the administration in charge of overseeing the device. Mandatory drug or substance abuse counseling may also be part of a DUI sentence.

How Long Is a DUI On Your Record in Arizona?

In addition to the legal trouble that comes with getting a DUI, you may face lasting effects from having a DUI conviction on your record. In Arizona, a DUI remains on a person’s driving record for five years. It also puts eight points on the driver’s license for three years. Even worse, a DUI stays on a driver’s criminal record and appears on background checks forever. Under Arizona law, however, you may qualify to have your DUI record “set aside,” which is similar to expungement and blocks your DUI record from appearing on background checks.

Contact a Peoria DUI Defense Lawyer Today

Driving under the influence is a serious crime in Arizona. In an effort to protect the public and prevent drivers from making this reckless mistake, Arizona punishes this crime severely. It is imperative to hire an experienced DUI lawyer if you’ve been arrested for a DUI in Peoria.

An attorney can take over your case and negotiate for a more positive outcome, whether this is having the charges against you dismissed entirely, reducing the charges (e.g., negotiating a felony down to a misdemeanor) or minimizing your sentence upon conviction. Your Peoria DUI lawyer will explore all available strategies to use in your defense.

For more information or advice about what to do after a DUI arrest in Peoria, contact the Law Offices of John Phebus to request a free consultation. Call (623) 400-5675 today.

Neighborhoods We Proudly Serve

Peoria, Sun City, Youngtown, El Mirage, Cobblestone Village, Bumstead, Pivotal Peoria Center, Cottonwood Ranch, Foxwood,
Sweetwater Ridge, Sweetwater Estates, Foxfire, Copperwood, Deer Creek,Sun Air Estates, Fairmont, Pinecrest, Suntown, Park View West, Braemar, Barclays Suncliff , Suncliff, West Olive Farms, West Green EstatesCrosspointe, Glen Harbor, County Meadows

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you have been injured, hiring a personal injury attorney is one of the best decisions that you can make for your future. There are a number of reasons why it is beneficial to hire an attorney as opposed to handling the case without a lawyer. First, some personal injury cases involve complex legal concepts that may be difficult for you to understand if you don’t have a legal background.

Personal injury attorneys can also ensure that you accurately calculate the value of your claim. If you have sustained a serious injury that will continue to affect your life in the future, it can be very difficult to calculate how much you will need to cover medical expenses and lost wages in the future. But if you don’t calculate this accurately, you may end up accepting a settlement that does not cover all of your expenses. Don’t make this mistake – let an attorney analyze your case and help you determine the true value of your claim.

Personal injury lawyers can also handle the negotiations with the insurance company. Insurance adjusters are notorious for their attempts to get victims to accept unfair settlements or admit fault for the accident that caused their injuries. Saying the wrong thing to an adjuster could impact the rest of your case, which is why it’s so important to let an attorney speak to the insurance company on your behalf.

Having an attorney by your side is crucial if your case ends up going to trial. Most personal injury cases can be settled outside of the courtroom, but this is never guaranteed. You will need an attorney who can handle your case regardless of where it ends up. For these reasons – and so many more – it is crucial that you work with an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney.

If you have been injured, hiring a personal injury attorney is one of the best decisions that you can make for your future. There are a number of reasons why it is beneficial to hire an attorney as opposed to handling the case without a lawyer. First, some personal injury cases involve complex legal concepts that may be difficult for you to understand if you don’t have a legal background.

Personal injury attorneys can also ensure that you accurately calculate the value of your claim. If you have sustained a serious injury that will continue to affect your life in the future, it can be very difficult to calculate how much you will need to cover medical expenses and lost wages in the future. But if you don’t calculate this accurately, you may end up accepting a settlement that does not cover all of your expenses. Don’t make this mistake – let an attorney analyze your case and help you determine the true value of your claim.

Personal injury lawyers can also handle the negotiations with the insurance company. Insurance adjusters are notorious for their attempts to get victims to accept unfair settlements or admit fault for the accident that caused their injuries. Saying the wrong thing to an adjuster could impact the rest of your case, which is why it’s so important to let an attorney speak to the insurance company on your behalf.

Having an attorney by your side is crucial if your case ends up going to trial. Most personal injury cases can be settled outside of the courtroom, but this is never guaranteed. You will need an attorney who can handle your case regardless of where it ends up. For these reasons – and so many more – it is crucial that you work with an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney.

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