Reader’s Question:

My daughter was charged for DUI here in Indiana. We know a lot of good lawyers around but none of them is a DUI lawyer. How would a regular lawyer help us in my daughter’s case?

Nancy

Fort Wayne, IN

Thanks for asking, Nancy.

There are many urban legends, half-truths and falsehoods about DUI charges. Some people mistakenly think a chemical test refusal will get them out of a DUI stop. Some believe such nonsense as sucking on loose change can help beat a breathalyzer test if pulled over by police under suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The number one myth of drunk driving arrests is the idea that any lawyer can represent someone accused in a drunk driving accident or a DUI stop.
A qualified Indiana DUI legal expert is your daughter’s best defense against a DUI charge. If your daughter believes that she has been falsely or inaccurately accused, she doesn’t have to try her luck with a lawyer who has no proven track record in DUI cases.

Reader’s Question:

This is my second offense for DUI here in Indiana. I feel so dumb because I refused to take a chemical test. What are the consequences that I am facing now?

Bloomington, IN

You should know better since this is your second DUI offense in Indiana. Well, you always have an option to refuse any test. But, of course, there are several consequences that you will face.

In the state of Indiana, since this is your second offense, there will be a two-year license suspension. While there is a work-restricted license option available for those who were found guilty of a blood alcohol level above .08%, this will not be available for you. If a refusal was written in the complaint, there is a minimum jail sentence that is a mandatory penalty.

If you choose to refuse blood, urine or breath testing, the evidence can be used against you in court as consciousness of guilt. Your lawyer can suggest other possibilities, like a phobia to needles or that you were unable to blow into the breathalyzer hard enough

Reader’s Question:

Is it possible to lose my driver’s license permanently in the State of Indiana if I was convicted with DUI?

Melanie,

Fort Wayne, IN

Yes, you may lose your driver’s license permanently in Indiana for DUI convictions. By having 4th DUI conviction, you may permanently lose the privilege to drive in Indiana . This means a 4th conviction at anytime. In Indiana , a work permit is not possible on a permanent revocation at the present time.

If you are wondering if there can be an exception in your case, unfortunately, the court cannot make an exception in any case. The court is mandated to revoke your license permanently if you are convicted with fourth DUI. The court also does not have the authority to allow you to have a work permit.

One other way to lose your driver’s license for life is to be convicted of vehicular manslaughter or DUI manslaughter.

If you are also wondering how you will get to work, neither the court, the assistant state attorney, nor probation officer can help you. Should you caught driving on a permanent revocation in all likelihood, you will serve jail time for a number on months.