Connecticut DUI Penalties

An arrest for drunk driving in the state of Connecticut will lead to two separate court hearings. The first is a criminal court case, where the offender will be faced with a multitude of penalties ranging from jail time, fines, community service and so on.

The second is a DMV hearing, where the individual’s driver’s license may be temporally revoked (the revocation period authorized by the DMV will be in addition to the penalties given by the Connecticut Court hearing).

In Connecticut, DWI, DUI, DWI, and drunk driving basically all mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably. Connecticut's DUI law is based on two concepts. The first concept is the ideal that driving under the influence of any sort of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of the two is illegal. In fact, under this concept blood alcohol content (BAC) (the state’s “per se” law states that an individual with a BAC of .08 percent or higher is technically driving intoxicated) has nothing to do with whether or not an individual is charged with drunk driving as it is only backed by the driver’s results in the driving pattern or field sobriety test which demonstrate whether or not the driver was physically and mentally impaired at the time.

The second follows a violation of the state’s “per se” law. Connecticut's “per se” law states that an individual with a BAC of .08 percent or higher is technically driving while intoxicated. Under this law, the actual impairment of the driver (i.e. if they were driving safely or not) does not matter, as the charge is solely based on the individual’s body chemistry.

Furthermore, Connecticut DUI law has a ten-year “look back” period. This ideal means that if an individual were to be charged for drunk driving on a particular date, and ten years later they receive another DUI charge, that later charge will be treated as a first time offense. However, if said person was to receive another DUI offense prior to ten years after their first offense, it will be treated as a second offense.

Connecticut DUI Court Penalties

A first time offense will result in a fine of $500 up to $1,000, and a jail sentence of 48 hours up to 6 months. In lieu of jail time, the offender would have to perform 100 hours of community service. Their driver’s license will also be suspended for one year. A second time offense will result in a fine of $1,000 up $4,000 and a jail sentence of 120 days up to two years. The offender might also have the alternative to perform the 100 hours of community service as an alternative to jail time. Furthermore, their driving privileges will be revoked for three years. Finally, a third time offense can result in a fine of $2,000 up to $8,000 and a jail sentence of year up to three years. The offender might also have the option to perform the 100 hours of community service as an alternative to jail time.

While the penalties of a DUI in Connecticut may appear to be overly daunting, a skilled Connecticut DUI lawyer can help an offender in avoiding or at least minimizing the negative consequences of their drunk driving. It is absolutely necessary to contact a Connecticut DUI defense lawyer immediately following a DUI charge.