Kenton County DUI Lawyer

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Have you recently been arrested or charged with drunk driving in Kenton County, KY? If so, it is critical to speak with an attorney as soon as you can. The only way to protect your future is by asserting a strong defense from the start. The experienced Kenton County DUI lawyers at Suhre & Associates, LLC are prepared to help you every step of the way.

Give our law office in Kenton County a call or connect with us online to learn more. Your first case evaluation is free, so contact us for help today.

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How Our Law Firm Can Help You Fight Back Against Your DUI Charge

A Kenton County drunk driving charge can cause serious harm to your career as well as your relationship with your friends and family. However, if your charge becomes a conviction, the consequences can get even worse.

The best way to reduce your odds of being convicted is to enlist the services of a knowledgeable Kenton County criminal defense lawyer. At Suhre & Associates, LLC, we believe that the people of Kenton County deserve a vociferous defense when the Commonwealth of Kentucky accuses them of committing a crime.

So, when you ask us to assist you with your drunk driving case, we will:

Provide You with Sound Legal Advice

As you work through your DUI case, you will almost certainly have to make some tricky decisions – and your future may depend on whether or not you can consistently find the right solutions.

Fortunately, when you work with the law firm of Suhre & Associates, LLC, you won’t need to tackle these challenging situations on your own. Our team of knowledgeable lawyers will be available to provide you with the advice you need to make the right calls.

Search for Evidence to Help Your Case

The best way to get a DUI charge dismissed may be to prove that a law enforcement officer, lab technician, or prosecutor made an error while handling your case. To accomplish this feat, however, you will need plenty of evidence of their mistake.

Having worked in the legal field for years, our lawyers know where to look to find this evidence. When you hire us, we will use our knowledge to assist you with your search.

Negotiate with the Prosecution on Your Behalf

In Kenton County, and throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, DUI cases are often resolved when the defendant and prosecution agree to a plea bargain deal. Of course, before such an agreement can be signed off on, its terms must be negotiated.

Since our law firm was founded, our lawyers have hammered out countless plea bargain deals with Kentucky prosecutors. We know what it takes to persuade them to be lenient. With our team on your side, you can feel confident that you will be well represented at the negotiating table.

Represent You in Court

If the prosecuting attorney is not interested in agreeing to a plea bargain deal, your case will go to court – where a judge and jury will determine your guilt or innocence.

Fortunately, having represented numerous clients in state and federal courts across Kentucky, our attorneys know how to ensure that trials of this nature run smoothly and efficiently. When you hire our law firm, you won’t need to worry about courtroom errors that could cause you to lose your license or spend time behind bars.

If you want to have a skilled criminal defense attorney from Suhre & Associates, LLC, help you fight back against the accusations of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, please give us a call at your earliest convenience. We would love to arrange a free consultation to learn more about the details of your case.

An Overview of Kentucky’s DUI/DWI Laws

According to section 189A.010 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, it is unlawful for an individual to operate or physically control a vehicle in Kenton County or elsewhere in the Commonwealth if they:

Have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in excess of 0.08 percent
Have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in excess of 0.02 percent – if they are under the age of 21
Are under the influence of alcohol, or
Are under the influence of any other substance that impairs their ability to drive.

Per the ruling from Wells v. Commonwealth, 709 S.W.2d 847 (Ky. App. 1986), courts must look at the following four factors when deciding if a person was in physical control of their vehicle:

Whether or not the individual was awake or asleep
Whether or not the vehicle’s motor was running
The location of the vehicle and how it arrived there, or
The intent of the individual behind the steering wheel.

The attorneys here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, have been defending the residents of Kenton County and Campbell County against their DUI charges for years. We are experts in Kentucky criminal law. If you would like us to do the same for you, all you need to do is pick up the phone and give us a call.

Penalties for DUI Convictions in Kenton County

The Commonwealth of Kentucky doles out some hefty punishments to people who drive under the influence in jurisdictions like Kenton County and Boone County. To determine the exact nature of these penalties, courts look at the offender’s prior DUI record:

First DUI Offense

The punishments for first-time DUI convictions in Kentucky include:

A jail sentence of 2 to 30 days
A driver’s license suspension of 30 to 120 days
A fine of $200 to $500
Enrollment in a 90-day drug and alcohol abuse course
A community labor order of 2 to 30 days

Second DUI Offense

When Kenton County residents get caught drunk driving for the second time in five years, they can face the following penalties:

A jail sentence of 7 days to 6 months
A driver’s license suspension of 12 to 18 months
A fine of $350 to $500
Enrollment in a one-year drug and alcohol abuse course
A community labor order of 10 days to 6 months

Third DUI Offense

An individual’s third DUI conviction in five years can lead to the following consequences:

A jail sentence of 30 days to 12 months
A driver’s license suspension of 24 to 36 months
A fine of $500 to $1,000
Enrollment in a one-year drug and alcohol abuse course
A community labor order of 10 days to 12 months

Fourth DUI Offense

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a fourth drunk driving conviction in five years is a Class D felony. The punishments for this offense include:

A prison sentence of at least 120 days without parole
A driver’s license suspension of 60 months
Enrollment in a one-year drug and alcohol abuse course

The Impact of Aggravating Circumstances

In Kentucky, a convicted drunk driver can have their minimum jail or prison sentence doubled if one or more of the following “aggravating circumstances” plays a role in their offense:

Driving more than 30 miles per hour above the speed limit
Driving in the wrong direction on a limited-access road
Causing a collision that results in the death of, or serious physical injury to, another party
Driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.15 percent
Refusing to take a BAC test, or
Transporting passengers who are younger than 12 years old.

Were you recently arrested on an aggravated DUI charge near Northern Kentucky University? Then please contact the attorneys at Suhre & Associates, LLC, as soon as possible. We may be able to help you avoid spending time behind bars.

Defenses Against Kenton County DUI Charges

Being pulled over and taken into police custody for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be a frightening experience. Being convicted of that same offense can be even worse.

Fortunately, many arrestees can prevent their DUI charge from becoming a conviction with the help of one of the following defense strategies:

Unlawful Stop

In the United States, a law enforcement officer can only pull a driver over if they have reasonable suspicion that they have committed a crime. If a DUI attorney can show that their client’s stop was illegal, they should be able to get their criminal charges dismissed.

Improperly Administered BAC Testing

When administering a breathalyzer test in the field, police officers must follow a set of detailed procedures. Should they fail to do so, a skilled attorney may be able to get the results of the test thrown out. Without this evidence, the prosecution is likely to have little choice but to drop the case.

Inaccurate BAC Testing

Even when law enforcement officers closely follow their procedures, the results of BAC tests can still be inaccurate. If a lawyer can show that an equipment error or malfunction led to an inaccurate reading, they may be able to get the evidence, and their client’s DUI case dismissed.

Necessity

When emergencies arise, Kenton County residents sometimes have to get in their car and drive to a hospital – even if they have recently had something to drink. If defense attorneys explain that their client had no other option but to drive while intoxicated, they can often get their charges reduced.

Would you like to have one of our skilled DUI lawyers help you figure out the best defense strategy for you? If so, please reach out to us today to arrange an initial consultation with a member of our team.

An Experienced DUI Lawyer in Kenton County, Kentucky

The criminal defense lawyers here at Suhre & Associates, LLC, have been assisting the people of Kenton County with their drunk driving cases for many years. During that time, we have successfully gotten countless charges dismissed and reduced to lesser offenses. If you would like to have us stand up and fight for you, please give us a call or contact us online at your earliest convenience.