How We Got a Michigan Man Facing DUI Charges in Pennsylvania Eligible for Expungement
You can never imagine how stressful a DUI charge can be, unless you have experienced it! And our client, Mr. Wilson, a Michigan resident, found this out the hard way! He was visiting a friend in Pennsylvania, and both of them were drinking while they were on their way back when he was pulled over by the cops and charged with a DUI.
Now, DUI charges are considered quite serious in Pennsylvania. Not just that, but the consequences of this charge are literally life-altering! A conviction would have meant a permanent criminal record. But fortunately, Mr. Wilson chose to hire a Pittsburgh DUI attorney from our firm. And that was the turning point that saved his reputation!
How? Well, let’s stick till the end to learn more!
What Were the Charges that Our Client Faced?
Mr. Wilson’s situation was quite complex. More so, because he was an out-of-state resident. He was charged under Section 3802(a)(1) of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, which relates to driving under the influence of alcohol.
However, it was his first-ever charge, and his BAC levels were 0.115%. This is where we got a chance to create a robust defense plan. We checked the evidence and understood that our client was charged with high BAC penalties, which included-
- A license suspension for 12 months.
- Imprisonment from 48 hours to 6 months.
- Attending an alcohol highway safety school.
- Installing an ignition interlocking device for 1 year.
- Fines from $500- $5,000.
Mr. Wilson could have faced these potential consequences. But since he had an experienced team of Pittsburgh DUI attorneys by his side, he did not suffer from any of the above consequences.
How Did We Help?
The moment we ran through our client’s profile and evidence, we knew that he was an eligible candidate for the ARD program. The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program is exclusively meant for first-time offenders and allows them to avoid a criminal conviction.
We negotiated with the District Attorney’s office and got Mr. Wilson admitted to the program. The process was smooth for him. The best part is, he only had to drive down from Michigan to appear in the Pennsylvania court for the ARD hearing once! Our lawyers handled everything else.
Our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys also communicated with the court and filed all the necessary paperwork. The program required Mr. Wilson to complete certain conditions, one of which was a two-month license suspension in Pennsylvania. However, the best part about this suspension was that it was limited to the state of Pennsylvania only! His Michigan license remained valid across all the other states, and especially in his home state.
Once he completed the program successfully, he became eligible for expungement. Once again, he requested our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys to look up the matter. We filed a petition and got Mr. Wilson his expungement! This meant that his record no longer had any charges attached to it.
A DUI charge carries severe consequences and can have significant effects on your daily life. And we at the Logue Law Group understand this very well. So, our in-house Pittsburgh DUI attorneys always make sure that a single mistake won’t determine the future of our clients, even when he/ she is a first-time offender. We believe in second chances, and that is all we try to offer our clients- a fair chance, and the best possible outcome.