How We Helped a University Freshman With His Career, and Expunged His Charges
The college and university days are some of the most exciting days of a student’s life. It’s the prime time when everyone is up and ready for new experiences. But sometimes, these new experiences lead to major trouble, especially if alcohol is involved. One poor decision can result in a criminal charge, which is more than enough to ruin a student’s future.
Not just that, but a criminal conviction can also affect job prospects and career opportunities, as many employers do background checks before hiring. And a criminal record is enough to deter such employers, no matter how bright the candidate might be!
Our client, Eric Whittaker, was a university freshman who sought our help when he was stuck in a similar situation. His clean and brilliant record was about to get tarnished. It is at this point that we intervened and came up with a solid defense strategy. Finally, we were able to get what we expected- a full and final expungement for Eric Whittaker.
But the question is, how did our dedicated Pittsburgh criminal lawyers make this possible? Well, follow this blog till the end to find out.
Penalties for DUI
When it comes to DUI, Pennsylvania has strict regulations. Not just that, but the penalties are based on the blood alcohol content (BAC) of an individual. Let’s take a closer look-
- BAC of 0.08% to 0.099%: The first tier of DUI. Considered a misdemeanor, it results in a fine of $300, along with up to six months of probation, and mandatory attendance in an alcohol highway safety school.
- BAC of 0.10% to 0.159%: This is a second-tier DUI offense, where even if you are a first-time offender, you will face a one-year license suspension and imprisonment of a minimum of 48 hours, which can go up to 6 months. Apart from that, fines at this tier can range from $500 to $5,000.
- BAC of 0.16% and above: Charges at this tier lead to a minimum 72-hour imprisonment, which can go up to 6 months. Along with that, fines range between $1,000 and $5,000, with a one-year license suspension.
Eric Whittaker, along with possession of alcohol, had a BAC of 0.097% when he got pulled over by the cops. He was just about to get his record marked with a criminal conviction. That’s when we received a call from his parents, and our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys took the matter up.
How Did We Manage to Help?
We started digging into the student’s personal profile and found out that Eric Whittaker was a brilliant student with an impeccable academic record. He was elated to score the highest in the entire university, and hence, decided to celebrate with his friends. For such a bright student, a conviction would have meant a permanent criminal record and would have disrupted his whole career.
So, we immediately decided to move for an expungement and started strategizing our ways to achieve it. Our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers filed the necessary petitions with the court and came up with a strong defense strategy. We argued that the incident was nothing but a mistake. And after looking at the records of Eric, the judge sentenced an ARD program, completing which he was promised to receive an expungement.
Finally, after the ARD program was complete, Eric’s record was completely cleared, and he walked away with no conviction. This meant that his future was now secured, and he could apply for jobs with confidence. That’s what we at the Logue Law Group take pride in doing! Our team of experienced Pittsburgh criminal lawyers makes sure that your minor errors don’t cost your whole life. Call us at 844.PITT.DUI to book a free consultation.