In Massachusetts, drunk-driving laws are strictly enforced. Law enforcement has the right to stop any driver on the road in which they suspect is guilty of an OUI. Operating under the influence charges are based on the blood-alcohol content determined by a breathalyzer. In basic, any driver who is 21 or old who has a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent is guilty of this infraction. For commercial drivers, the limit is reduced to 0.04 percent; it is 0.02 percent for any driver under 21 years of age. If you are charged with drunk driving Easton you should hire an attorney to represent you.
Operating Under the Influence in MA
The way the county court assigns penalties for drunk driving Easton depends upon his or her previous record. According to Massachusetts laws, the penalties for first offenses are license suspension for one year, a fine between $500 and 5,000, and up to two years and six months in jail. All offenses require reinstatement fees for their driver’s license that range up to $1,200 and alcohol education programs based on their age.
Any drivers who are under the age of 18 and convicted of an OUI are required to attend a youth alcohol program and receive a two-year license suspension. Drivers convicted of OUI and are at least 18 and no older than 21 attend the youth alcohol program and receive a licenses suspension of six months. View website for more details on the laws for drunk driving Easton.
Drivers who receive a second OUI conviction receive a two-year license suspension, fines between $600 and $10,000, up to two years and six months in county lockup with a minimum of thirty days. A second conviction requires the driver to install an ignition interlocking device into their vehicle.
In Massachusetts, a third OUI offense is classified as a felony charge. All drivers who are convicted of these felony-OUI charges will receive a licenses suspension of eight years. Sentencing for this charge is subject to the judge’s discretion. The driver could receive a jail sentence of up to two and a half years or a prison sentence of up to five years.
If you are facing an OUI charge, you should hire an attorney. All that the prosecution needs to convict you is a breathalyzer reading that implies the correct blood-alcohol content value. A criminal defense attorney, however, can fight a conviction.
