Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Nashville, TN

A DUI 1st offense in Tennessee is an A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail. In most cases, the jail sentence is the minimum 48 hours required by statute. A DUI conviction also results in the loss of driving privileges for one year, although your DUI attorney can assist you with obtaining a restricted driver's license.

Different states call their impaired driving laws different things. In Tennessee, our impaired driving law is titled Driving Under the Influence. Some states refer to this as Driving While Impaired. Additionally, Tennessee's law against impaired driving when the driver is under the age of 21 is actually called Driving While Impaired.

Our fees vary on a case by case basis, depending on the complexity of the case. Generally speaking, as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. In Nashville, the cost of a DUI attorney can range widely. My best advice is to consider that every attorney only has so much time in the day. If attorney A charges half the amount that attorney B charges, he only has half as much time to dedicate to each case and earn the same income. By far, the thing that will make the most significant difference in the outcome of your case is how much time your attorney invests in your defense.

Absolutely, and it happens all the time. In fact, someone can be charged with a DUI without having had anything to drink, or without being the least bit impaired. A DUI charge doesn't mean you were actually impaired, of that you will be convicted of a DUI. It is merely an allegation, based on an officer's subjective beliefs and observations. Hiring a competent DUI attorney can ensure that your DUI arrest doesn't become a DUI conviction.

In addition to obvious erratic driving, the most common factors law enforcement seem to base DUI traffic stops on are 1) time of night, 2) location, 3) vehicle type, and 4) characteristics of the driver. If you are leaving an area populated by bars and restaurants, late in the evening, your chances of being pulled over are exponentially higher.