Many people drink alcohol from time to time in Tennessee. There are many different events where alcohol is served, or people may simply consume it as a way to wind down after a long day. In moderation, alcohol does not cause many problems, but when people consume too much, they can find themselves in bad situations.
For example, police will be on the look-out for those they think are drunk driving. Even if a person does not harm anything and even if they believe they are sober enough to drive safely, they may end up being arrested and charged with a DUI. Moreover, if the person is convicted of drunk driving, they can face serious consequences.
If it is the person’s first DUI they could go to jail for between 48 hours and 11 months as well as lose their driver’s license for a year. If it is their second one then they could go to jail for a period of 45 days to just under one year and they lose their license for two years. For a third DUI, jail time increases to 120 days to just under a year and a six-year license revocation. If the person has four DUIs, the person could go to jail for one year and lose their license for eight years.
Those are just the basic consequences for a DUI though and they could be even worse depending on other factors such as causing injury or death. However, just like any other crime, everyone is innocent until proven guilty and there may be defenses available to the driver.
Many people in Tennessee are charged with DUIs every year. While the consequences are severe for those who are convicted, simply being charged does not mean one is guilty. There may be defenses available and it is ultimately the prosecutor’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Attorneys understand the defenses available and may be able to help protect one’s rights.
Source: Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security, “DUI Offenses” accessed Aug. 28, 2017