What does it mean to be charged with a DUI?

What is officially considered as DUI?

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Answered By: Law Office of Thomas A. Medford, Jr., PC

Call now: (202) 355-6457

Generally the defendant would have been driving in the District of Columbia with a BAC of .08 or higher.

Answer Applies to: District of Columbia - Replied: 8/11/2012

Answered By: Jacob P. Sartz IV., Attorney at Law

Call now: (517) 410-5127

The term is somewhat broad; however, it usually refers to three types of charges in Michigan; Operating While Intoxicated, high BAC (alleged BAC at .17 or higher, i.e.,.twice the "legal limit") Operating While Intoxicated (alleged BAC at .08 or higher), or Operating While Impaired (no minimum if any alcohol impaired a person's ability to drive, the least severe of the three). Further, the term "legal limit," is a bit of a misnomer as well, since a person can be charged with an OUI (Operating While Impaired) if they have any alcohol in their system and the prosecutor can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it impaired their ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 7/12/2012

Answered By: Michael Breczinski

Call now: (810) 743-2960

Driving under the influence of alcohol or or substances that impair you ability to drive. It is a crime.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/16/2012

Answered By: Darrell B. Reynolds, P.C.

Call now: (404) 636-6616

If a person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol while driving an automobile on the public road one could be charged with a DUI.

Answer Applies to: Georgia - Replied: 6/13/2012

Answered By: The Short Law Group, P.C.

Call now: (503) 747-7198

Under Oregon Law, and individual can be arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence when they are 'intoxicated to a noticeable degree' or have a BAC over .08 at the time of driving. Simply because someone blows above the .08 does not necessarily mean they are 'intoxicated to a noticeable degree'. Many DUI Lawyers and Experts use things like extrapolation to help fight a high blow. A DUI is a Class A Misdemeanor with a maximum of 1 year in custody and a $6,250 fine. A DUI also has mandatory minimums in fines and fees. Contact a DUI Lawyer about the facts of your case.

Answer Applies to: Oregon - Replied: 6/13/2012

Answered By: Salladay Law Office

Call now: (208) 333-9600

It means the state has charged you with the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs- that youir blood alcohol level was above .08 or your driving was erratic and you had other indications of alcohol or drugs.

Answer Applies to: Idaho - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Phillip Weiser

Call now: (316) 260-7070

DUI means operating or attempting to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or a combination of both.

Answer Applies to: Kansas - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Thomas J. Tomko Attorney At law

Call now: (586) 795-8822

In Michigan, a DUI is more specifically stated as Operating While Intoxicated. In essence, it is alleged that a person was driving while their ability to drive was affected due to alcohol or a controlled substance. I hope that this was helpful.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Brendan M. Kelly

Call now: (402) 455-1711

DUI 1) driving or in physical control of a vehicle and 2) a test over .079% or other factors to lead people to believe you are over the legal limited.

Answer Applies to: Nebraska - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Peter F. Goldscheider

Call now: (650) 323-8296

Being at or above a .08 blood alcohol level and/or being under the influence so that your driving is impaired. Both are misdemeanors with a number of collateral consequences.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Glass Defense Firm

Call now: (304) 933-9883

It means that you were driving a motor vehicle in the state while you were under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs. This can be shown in one of two ways. First, you have a blood alcohol content above 0.08%. The other way is for the officer to show that you were under the influence based upon his observations such as erratic driving, performance on field sobriety tests, speech pattern, and other observations made during his contact with you.

Answer Applies to: West Virginia - Replied: 6/12/2012

Answered By: Clinton Law Office

Call now: (509) 323-1111

There are three different situations that can result in charges of DUI: 1) having sufficient alcohol in your system at the time of driving to create an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher in your blood or breath within two hours of driving; 2) being "under the influence or affected by intoxicating liquor or any drug at the time of driving; or 3) being "under the combined influence of, or affected by, intoxicating liquor or any drug at the time of driving.

Answer Applies to: Washington - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Freeborn Law Offices, P.S.

Call now: (253) 838-4477

Have a blood alcohol level of .08 or above (if you are 21 or over); .04 or above if you have a commercial drivers license; .0 if you are under 21 (illegal to consume alcohol); OR you could have a low blood alcohol, but your driving is affected to an appreciable degree by your consumption of alcohol and/or drugs.

Answer Applies to: Washington - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Gregory Casale Attorney at Law

Call now: (508) 752-7500

DUI stands for Driving Under the Influence. In MA the actual statutory language is Operating Under the Influence so the acronym in MA is actually OUI. Regardless of the three letter they use, it is all drunk driving and the elements that the Commonwealth must prove, all beyond a reasonable doubt, are: Operation - that you were operating the vehicle in the legal meaning of the word; Public Way - that you were on a way open to the public or where the public is invited, again within the legal meaning of public way; and Under the Influence or .08% or greater blood alcohol level - Here the Commonwealth can proceed under either of the two theories or both. All three of these elements must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, unanimously for a conviction.

Answer Applies to: Massachusetts - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Germaine & Blaszka, P.A.

Call now: (603) 434-4125

If you are charged with DUI in New Hampshire, the State is accusing you of driving a motor vehicle on a public way while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs or a combination of both. The standard in NH is "impairment to any degree" and driving is defined as having or the ability to exercise physical control of the vehicle.

Answer Applies to: New Hampshire - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Toivonen Law Office

Call now: (517) 402-5229

While most people refer to drunk driving as DUI, in Michigan the charges are OWI Operating While Intoxicated, and OWVI Operating While Visibly Impaired. You can be charged with OWI for demonstrating a BAC of .08. For many people it only takes two to three drinks to hit a BAC of .08. A BAC of .17 can result in even more sever penalties.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Richard Williams

Call now: (251) 272-3765

A DUI means that you were operating a motor vehicle or were in actual physical possession of a motor vehicle having consumed too much alcohol to be able to safely operate a motor vehicle on the public streets, or that you were were operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

Answer Applies to: Alabama - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Eric Sterkenburg

Call now: (562) 477-6940

If you are charged with a DUI you will be charged under two sections of VC 23152. One section requires that you have a BAC of 0.08 or higher the other section does not. below are the two code sections. 23152. (a) It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle. (b) It is unlawful for any person who has 0.08 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood to drive a vehicle. For purposes of this article and Section 34501.16, percent, by weight, of alcohol in a person's blood is based upon grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood or grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Jared Altman

Call now: (914) 737-0200

The officer's opinion that you are drunk or a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or more.

Answer Applies to: New York - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Law Offices of Kate Mesic, PA

Call now: (904) 388-4030

A short answer is that Driving Under the Influence is if you are driving and your blood or breath alcohol level is above .08 or your normal faculties are impaired. This is a serious charge and you need to get an attorney immediately if you are being charged with a DUI.

Answer Applies to: Florida - Replied: 6/11/2012

Answered By: Anderson Law Office

Call now: (763) 422-8664

DUI is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it is usually supported by some type of blood, urine or breath testing.

Answer Applies to: Minnesota - Replied: 6/10/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Gregory Crain

Call now: (501) 332-4300

When the police gives you a ticket for DUI.

Answer Applies to: Arkansas - Replied: 6/10/2012

Answered By: Leonard A. Kaanta, P.C.

Call now: (906) 346-4900

Operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/10/2012

Answered By: Harden Law Offices

Call now: (603) 788-2080

NH RSA 265-A:2 defines DWI as driving on a public way under influence of alcohol or drugs, or driving on public way with blood alcohol greater than .08.

Answer Applies to: New Hampshire - Replied: 6/10/2012

Answered By: Nelson & Lawless

Call now: (714) 960-7584

[D]riving [U]nder the [I]nfluence of any substance, legal or illegal, that impairs your driving.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Timothy J. Thill P.C.

Call now: (708) 443-1200

You were driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, that is, because you consumed enough alcohol or drugs to impair your judgment while operating the car, to an extent that exceeds that which a reasonable and prudent person would do.

Answer Applies to: Illinois - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Conway Law Pllc.

Call now: (800) 482-5297

Driving intoxicated on drugs or alcohol on a street of road open to the public.

Answer Applies to: Virginia - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Cynthia Henley, Lawyer

Call now: (713) 222-1220

DUI means driving a vehicle while having ANY alcohol in your system and being under the age of 21. DWI means driving while under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs and being less than normal.

Answer Applies to: Texas - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Larry K. Dunn & Associates

Call now: (775) 322-5656

DUI, Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs is the offense of driving while a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired to a degree that the person cannot safely operate a motor vehicle or a person is "over the legal limit" of .08 for alcohol and/or 2 nanograms of marijuana or 5 nanograms of marijuana metabolite. Impairment is usually determined by a person's driving pattern, physical characteristics such as odor of alcohol, slurred speech, red watery eyes and performance on a field sobriety test. A breath or blood test determines a person's blood/alcohol level or nanogram level.

Answer Applies to: Nevada - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Attorney Paul Stanko

Call now: (888) 778-2656

OWI, as we call it in Indiana, is Operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The charge can be a Class C misdemeanor if there is no allegation of endangerment or a Class A misdemeanor if there is such an allegation.

Answer Applies to: Indiana - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Law Office of William L Spern

Call now: (248) 703-9257

257.625. Operating motor vehicle while intoxicated; operating motor vehicle when visibly impaired; penalties for causing death or serious impairment of a body function; operation of motor vehicle by person less than 21 years of age; requirements; controlled substances; costs; enhanced sentence; guilty plea or nolo contendere; establishment of prior conviction; special verdict; public record; burden of proving religious service or ceremony; ignition interlock device; "prior conviction" defined (1) A person, whether licensed or not, shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, within this state if the person is operating while intoxicated. As used in this section, "operating while intoxicated" means any of the following: (a) The person is under the influence of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or a combination of alcoholic liquor and a controlled substance. (b) The person has an alcohol content of 0.08 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine, or, beginning October 1, 2013, the person has an alcohol content of 0.10 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine. (c) The person has an alcohol content of 0.17 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine. (2) The owner of a vehicle or a person in charge or in control of a vehicle shall not authorize or knowingly permit the vehicle to be operated upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of motor vehicles, within this state by a person if any of the following apply: (a) The person is under the influence of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or a combination of alcoholic liquor and a controlled substance. (b) The person has an alcohol content of 0.08 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine or, beginning October 1, 2013, the person has an alcohol content of 0.10 grams or more per 100milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine. (c) The person's ability to operate the motor vehicle is visibly impaired due to the consumption of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or a combination of alcoholic liquor and a controlled substance. (3) A person, whether licensed or not, shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles, including an area designated for the parking of vehicles, within this state when, due to the consumption of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or a combination of alcoholic liquor and a controlled substance, the person's ability to operate the vehicle is visibly impaired. If a person is charged with violating subsection (1), a finding of guilty under this subsection may be rendered.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Rankin Johnson IV, LLC

Call now: (503) 307-9560

Driving on premises open to the public while impaired by alcohol or controlled substances to a noticeable or perceptible degree, or with a .08% blood-alcohol content.

Answer Applies to: Oregon - Replied: 6/9/2012

Answered By: Steven Alpers

Call now: (510) 792-5110

Driving with .08 or more alcohol in your blood or having your ability to control the car affected. You can be fined, serve jail and have your license suspended for a first offense.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Law Offices of John Carney

Call now: (917) 696-2363

If you are charged with a DWI it means that the officer believed you were operating a motor vehicle while you were intoxicated. A DWAI means you were impaired to some degree and it is a violation, not a misdemeanor. Both are serious charges since you could lose your license, get a record for life, and have a hard time getting a decent job. Your insurance will be a fortune and you could get jail time or probation if you injure someone. Drunk driving is foolish, immature, selfish, and dangerous. It is much cheaper and safer to call a taxi.

Answer Applies to: New York - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Universal Law Group, Inc.

Call now: (626) 308-9936

DUI means driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Pursuant to Vehicle Code section 23152, you are "DUI" if your driving ability is impaired as a result of alcohol and/or drugs, or, your blood alcohol level is .08 or above.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Dunnings Law Firm

Call now: (517) 487-8222

Driving under the influence of alcohol.

Answer Applies to: Michigan - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Michael E. Jones, P.S.

Call now: (425) 259-4510

DUI refers to a gross misdemeanor traffic ticket for "driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor". It means you are facing a sentence of 364 days in jail and a$5,000.00 fine. Jail and fines are usually lessened; however, the minimum jail is always a mandatory minimum of 1 day in jail with a $350.00 fine. unfortuneatly, that minimum fine always has added penalties and costs that brings the total cost to $4,650.00 to as much as $74,500.00. If charged, you seek an immediate free consultation about you specific circumstances.

Answer Applies to: Washington - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Brian K. Wanerman

Call now: (916) 335-9056

DUI involves three elements. To convict you, the prosecution must prove each one beyond a reasonable doubt 1. Driving = you drove a motor vehicle 2. Influence = while driving you were under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and/or drug 3. Impairment = the influence of the alcoholic beverage and/or drug was such that your judgment was impaired to the degree that you could not safely operate a motor vehicle. If your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .08% or higher, the third element (impairment) is presumed and need not be proved.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Palumbo and Kosofsky

Call now: (877) 996-6849

Being convicted is officially considered being DUI.

Answer Applies to: New York - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Beaulier Law Office

Call now: (612) 240-8005

The terms DWI, DUI and OWI are synonymous. Different acronyms are used in different states but all refer to the same conduct. Generally, it is illegal to, in any way, operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated or under the influence of a narcotic or to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level in excess of .08 as tested within two hours of the driving conduct.

Answer Applies to: Minnesota - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Ross Law L.L.C.

Call now: (503) 224-1658

In many instances if you are charged with a DUII it means that the District Attorney has reviewed the police report and believes they can prove beyond a reasonable that you were driving a vehicle on a highway while under the influence of an intoxicant. (A violation of ORS 813.010) In Oregon there is not a lesser offense of DUII. Reckless Driving is a separate offense and you can be charged with both DUII and Reckless Driving.

Answer Applies to: Oregon - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Natty Shafer Law

Call now: (801) 450-2584

A DUI is officially a DUI if it is defined as such by the state law. Simple as that. There are lesser charges, such as "driving while intoxicated" in Utah, that don't qualify as a DUI.

Answer Applies to: Utah - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Attorney at Law

Call now: (760) 863-3840

Uh..., driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: The Law Offices of Harold L. Wallin

Call now: (312) 346-7730

Driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle after consuming any amount of alcohol that effects your ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Answer Applies to: Illinois - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Abom & Kutulakis, L.L.P,.

Call now: (717) 249-0900

It depends on the subsection of the dui offense charged.

Answer Applies to: Pennsylvania - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: The Law Office of Stephanie M. Arrache

Call now: (760) 237-8295

The charge is a misdemeanor charge typically (there are circumstances that could make it a felony). The elements are driving with an alcohol level of. 08 or higher OR driving under the influence of an intoxication substance (i.e. drugs).

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Law Office of Jeff Yeh

Call now: (213) 446-2495

It means, it's time to look for a DUI specialist to help you, and you better do it soon because you have only 10 days to save your license.

Answer Applies to: California - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Miller & Harrison, LLC

Call now: (303) 449-2830

Driving when you are incapable of doing so due to consuming alcohol, and it can be inferred you are if your alcohol level was measured at over .08.

Answer Applies to: Colorado - Replied: 6/8/2012

Answered By: Law & Mediation Office of Jeffrey L. Pollock, Esq.

Call now: (412) 421-2232

Being arrested or given a summons for operating a vehicle while impaired.

Answer Applies to: Pennsylvania - Replied: 6/8/2012

Disclaimer: The responses above do not form an attorney-client relationship. These answers may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. These attorneys may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

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