Gibsonville DUI Lawyers

Gibsonville DUI Attorneys Serving Alamance and Guilford Counties

Have you been arrested for intoxicated driving in Gibsonville or the surrounding communities of Alamance and Guilford counties? A DUI conviction can have significant consequences, including fines, loss of driving privileges, higher insurance costs, and even jail time. The stigma of a conviction can also harm your professional prospects.

Don’t face these potential consequences alone. Instead, get dedicated legal representation to protect your rights and interests. Contact Greenwood Law today for an initial case evaluation to learn how a Gibsonville DUI attorney serving Alamance and Guilford counties will fight for your rights, reputation, and future.

Why Choose a DUI Attorney from Greenwood Law?

While a DUI arrest can be an overwhelming experience, you don’t have to let one incident have an outsized effect on your life. Hiring experienced legal counsel can help you mitigate the consequences of DUI charges. Choose Greenwood Law to help you pursue a favorable resolution to your case because:

We work hard to give you the personal attention and vigorous legal representation you deserve. Our firm will take the time to discuss your needs, concerns, and goals to provide you with tailored advice.
We treat everyone who walks through our doors as we want others to treat us – with compassion, dedication, and respect. Our team strives to uphold our core values of comprehensive service, attention to detail, and vigorous legal advocacy.
You will work with the same attorney throughout your case, so you always have an advocate in court who thoroughly understands the evidence and your needs.

North Carolina’s DUI Laws

In North Carolina, a person commits the crime of DUI when they operate a vehicle while under the influence of an impairing substance, after consuming sufficient alcohol to give them an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, or with any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance or its metabolites in their system. However, drivers operating commercial motor vehicles can commit DUI if they have an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more. North Carolina also has a zero-tolerance rule for drivers under 21, which prohibits those drivers from having any alcohol or illicit drugs in their system when operating a vehicle.

North Carolina also has an implied consent law, under which any person who drives on a highway or public vehicular area in North Carolina consents to chemical testing of their breath, blood, or urine following a DUI arrest. Before requesting a chemical test, an officer must warn a driver of their obligation under the implied consent law and the consequences of refusing chemical testing, including a driver’s license suspension of one year or more. Furthermore, prosecutors can use a driver’s refusal of chemical testing after a DUI arrest as evidence in the driver’s DUI trial.

Penalties and Consequences for DUI Convictions

Penalties for a DUI conviction in North Carolina will depend on the trial court’s grading of the offense. Trial courts grade DUI offenses at sentencing based on their evaluation of the aggravating and mitigating factors in the case. Gross aggravating factors include:

Causing severe injuries
Driving on a license suspended or revoked for a prior DUI
Driving with a minor passenger
Having a prior DUI conviction within the past seven years

Aggravating factors include:

Having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 or more
Reckless driving
Causing an accident
Fleeing from police
Driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit
Passing a stopped school bus

Mitigating factors include:

Driving with a BAC of 0.09 or less
Impairment caused by prescribed medication
Driving safely
Submitting to sobriety monitoring or substance abuse treatment offenses, while those with aggravating and mitigating factors balance become Level IV offenses. Offenses where aggravating factors outweigh mitigating factors become Level III offenses. Cases involving one gross mitigating factor become Level II offenses, and those involving two or more gross aggravating factors become Level I offenses.

Penalties for DUI offenses include:

Level V: A fine of up to $200 and 24 hours to 60 days in jail, with the option to suspend the sentence if the driver serves 24 hours in jail, 24 hours of community service, or surrenders their driving privileges for 30 days
Level IV: A fine of up to $500 and 48 hours to 120 days in jail, with the option to suspend the sentence if the driver serves 48 hours in jail, 48 hours of community service, or surrenders their driving privileges for 60 days
Level III: A fine of up to $1,000 and 72 hours to six months in jail, with the option to suspend the sentence if the driver serves 72 hours in jail, 72 hours of community service, or surrenders their driving privileges for 90 days
Level II: A fine of up to $2,000 and a jail term of seven days to one year
Level I: A fine of up to $4,000 and a jail term of 30 days to two years

Drivers who have four or more DUI convictions within the past ten years will face a felony DUI prosecution, which imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of one year. Convicted individuals must complete a substance abuse program while incarcerated to obtain parole.

Defense Strategies to DUI Charges

Drivers charged with DUI in Gibsonville may have factual or legal defenses to the prosecution’s case that can help them seek a favorable outcome to their charges, such as a reduction in grading, dismissal, or acquittal at trial. Depending on the circumstances, we might:

Challenge the legality of the traffic stop: A defendant may challenge the legality of the traffic stop by arguing the officer lacked reasonable suspicion or probable cause of a traffic infraction or crime to initiate or prolong the stop; proving the unlawfulness of the stop can exclude evidence obtained from the stop.
Contest the reliability of field sobriety tests: When a driver submits to field sobriety testing, they may challenge the reliability of the test by highlighting issues such as uneven ground, inclement weather, or medical issues like arthritis or inner ear infections
Contest the reliability of chemical tests: Defendants may contest the reliability of chemical test results by asserting that police failed to follow testing procedures or did not calibrate testing equipment.
Challenge aggravating factors or present mitigating factors: A defendant may seek a lower grading of a DUI offense at sentencing by contesting the prosecution’s evidence of aggravating factors or presenting evidence of mitigating factors, such as safe driving behavior or a valid prescription for the intoxicating drug.

How Can a DUI Defense Lawyer Help You Resolve Your Charges?

A DUI defense attorney can help you protect your rights and interests in your case by:

Investigating your charges to obtain evidence favorable to your defense
Reviewing the facts and circumstances of your case to identify possible defense strategies
Ensuring you understand your rights and options to help you make informed decisions throughout your case
Challenging the prosecution’s evidence at each stage to fight for a favorable resolution as soon as possible
Vigorously advocating on your behalf to seek the best possible outcome, whether that involves a favorable sentence or fighting for an acquittal at trial

Contact Our Firm Today to Discuss Your Options in Your DUI Case

If you’ve been arrested for DUI in Gibsonville, you need experienced legal advice and advocacy to help you pursue a favorable resolution to your charge. Contact Greenwood Law today for a confidential consultation with a Gibsonville criminal defense attorney serving Alamance and Guilford counties to discuss your legal options in your case.