Many people arrested for driving under the influence or driving while impaired in Florida assume that DUI/DWI cases are pretty much cut and dry so there is no reason to incur the cost of a Florida DUI defense lawyer. This can be a very costly mistake because a DUI/DWI conviction in Florida is very expensive. It is also not an accurate assumption that you will incur these costs regardless of whether you retain an experienced Florida DUI/DWI attorney. There are many very effective defenses that an experienced DUI lawyer can use to mitigate the cost of being arrested for DUI. While this will mean paying for a skilled DUI lawyer, it could save you thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.
We have provided an overview of the costs associated with a typical DUI case in Florida, which reveal how spending money to retain a good DUI defense lawyer today may save you a fortune in the future. Fines alone for a first time DUI in Florida range between $500-1000 but may be as high as $2000 if your blood alcohol level exceeds .15%. While this may sound like a substantial fine, many people arrested for DUI find that it is the least of their financial challenges. A person sentenced for DUI in Florida must also cover the cost of drunken driving education classes and community service. The classes range in price but are typically hundreds of dollars. Community service also involves opportunity costs. A person’s time is worth money so if you are attending community service it means that you cannot be engaged in other revenue earning activities. If you consider this opportunity cost too high, you can pay $10 per hour of community service and opt out of actually performing the community service.
While many people arrested for DUI may be familiar with these costs, there are many others that one may not consider. If a driver is ordered to have an ignition interlock device installed, this may cost hundreds of dollars plus a monthly monitoring fee. The cost of having one’s vehicle towed and impounded can easily exceed a thousand dollars. There are also other incidental fees that add up like license reinstatement fees. There are also court costs and attorney’s fees which will typically be several thousand dollars.
These are the concrete immediate costs of a Florida DUI arrest, but there are other long-term effects that may be even more costly. If you are incarcerated, you will lose time from work and could even lose your job. A DUI conviction may also make you ineligible for future higher paying professional positions or for jobs that require state licensing. The cost of these adverse employment effects of a DUI conviction can easily translate in tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of potential lost future income. Other long-term costs include increased auto insurance premiums and even costs associated with a family breakup like a divorce.
While some assume that they cannot afford to retain an attorney to handle Florida DUI/DWI charges, the reality is that given the high cost of a Florida DUI conviction you cannot afford not to retain legal representation. The cost of an experienced successful Florida DUI lawyer is trivial when compared to the massive costs associated with a DUI conviction in Florida. If you or someone you love has been arrested for DUI in Florida, we invite you to speak to the knowledgeable attorneys and staff at Musca Law. We have successfully represented thousands of DUI defendants throughout Florida. If you or a loved one has been charged with DUI, we invite you to contact a Florida DUI defense attorney at Musca Law to schedule a free confidential consultation: (800) 687-2252.
