Third Offense DUI in Washington

The prime concern for any person charged with a third offense DUI in Washington would be the punishment and penalties he will have to bear. While the reprimands are quite severe, there are still chances of getting off without much punishment if the fault was not entirely yours.

Administrative Penalties

The severity of the punishment depends on the age of the person charged. While a third offense for a minor would mean a year suspension of his license until the age of 21 (or whichever is earlier), an adult may suffer a license revocation of up to two years. A sum of $98 would have to be paid as the license reinstatement fee.

Criminal Penalties

Time served in prison or fees paid for legal offenses fall under criminal penalties and show up on your record. The criminal penalties for a third DUI in Washington are as follows:

• Imprisonment from a day to a year, or 15 days under Electronic Home Monitoring. For a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of 0.15 or above, the term is a minimum of two days to a year or home monitoring for a month.
• A minimum fine of $865.50 and $1,120.50 (BAC greater than 0.15) is charged. This penalty can go as high as $2,000 depending on the severity of the case.

In some cases, the court assigns different ways to serve the sentence depending on the person’s circumstances. These may include community service, completion of an alcohol education program or spending a part of the jail term on probation.

The Lookback Period

For DUI cases in Washington DC, the normal lookback period, or the duration when the court will look into to see if you have prior DUI offenses, is 15 years.

Felony vs. Misdemeanor in Washington

In Washington DC, offenses related to drunk driving are classified purely as a misdemeanor unless other charges are involved. These other charges include injury caused to an individual or destruction of property wherein the criminal charges cause it to become a case of felony.

Plea Options

Every defendant charged with a third offense DUI in Washington has the option to plead guilty, not-guilty or to try for a plea bargain. While a plea bargain can help you reduce your sentence, any competent attorney would recommend a not guilty plea in the beginning.

Legal Help

The safest and surest option in any DUI case would be to enlist the help of a good Criminal Attorney. Proper legal help can prove to be very helpful. Since DUI laws vary from state to state, it is important that you seek the help of a legal professional at the earliest time possible.