Tampa DUI Lawyer

Arrested for drunk driving in Tampa, Florida?

If you have been criminally charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it is extremely important that you do not hesitate to get the involvement of an experienced lawyer that you can trust to protect your legal rights. At Thomas & Paulk, we have over two decades of combined legal experience and are prepared to go the distance in helping to create a comprehensive defense crafted with the protection of your freedom in mind.

You can be confident knowing that should you choose to work with our Tampa DUI lawyers that you will be protected by a firm who has the experience, dedication and expertise necessary to helping you fight against the charges you are facing. From helping with alcohol related arrests at the Gasparilla Pirate Festival to DUI arrests during the holidays, you can trust that we will go above and beyond as we work to protect your rights and avoid the consequences of conviction.

Understanding Florida DUI Laws

According to §316.193 of the Florida Statues, it is considered a criminal offense to drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, chemical substances or controlled substances. This level of impairment can be determined through several methods, but most often is proven through breath tests and blood tests; if the subject test results show a blood alcohol level (BAL) over the legal limit of 0.08 percent, they can be legally considered impaired and arrested for a DUI. Per the law, a first conviction can bring penalties such as:

• Fine Schedule – Between $500 and $1000. If the BAL was over 0.15, between $1000 and $2000.
• Community Service – Mandatory 50 hours of community service or $10 fine per hour.
• Probation – Term of up to one year.
• Imprisonment – Up to six months of incarceration. If BAL was over 0.15, up to nine months.
• Vehicle Impoundment – 10 days, unless defendant has no other source of transportation.
• Driver License Revocation – Between 180 days and a year.

Upon an arrest for drunken or impaired driving, you will likely be taken and held in jail until you meet certain conditions for your release. Per 316.183(9), if you have been arrested for drunk driving and placed in jail, to be released it will need to be proven that you are no longer impaired by drugs and / or alcohol, that you have a BAL under 0.05 percent and that it has been over eight hours since the moment you were arrested.

Challenging the Evidence of DUI Testing

After an arrest, it is vitally important that you get in contact with an attorney as soon as you can. Being arrested does not mean that you will be convicted and our firm can help fight against this possibility with detail-oriented, tireless work ethic. We know the bests ways in which to defend your legal rights and will be able to go over your case with a fine tooth comb in an effort to protect your future. For example, if you were pulled over in a traffic stop under the suspicion of drunk driving, it is likely that you will be asked to submit to certain types of DUI testing, such as the breath test, blood test and field sobriety tests.

We can help to challenge the evidence presented by the results of these tests, looking for any and all faults, so that we can better build a case to defend you. We recognize that while these tests can be difficult to combat, they are not impossible. We know the common faults with blood testing and are able to challenge the breath test. Beyond this, when building any defense, we will take a comprehensive approach and look at every angle. We know the correct questions to ask and will be able to look for things such as whether you experienced a search / seizure violation or if you were pulled over without probable cause. We know your rights and will go above and beyond to ensure that these are protected to the full extent of the law.

Field Sobriety Tests
Established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), field sobriety tests include three separate tests that are used in conjunction to determine the level of impairment of any given subject. These tests, including the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), the Walk and Turn (WAT) and One Leg Stand (OLS), have been found to be accurate in 91 percent of all cases when used together. This, however, does not mean that they cannot be combated. For example, extenuating medical conditions can make even a sober person appear to have "failed" these subjective tests. Therefore, with the proper assistance of an experienced attorney, you may be able to fight to prove your innocence. Read more about field sobriety tests.

Areas of Practice: Focusing on DUI Defense in Hillsborough County

At Thomas & Paulk, we know the consequences of driving under the influence, and we are prepared to help you fight to protect your freedom. No matter whether you have been arrested for boating under the influence on the many waterways of the Sunshine State or if you are concerned about an upcoming DHSMV hearing addressing a driver's license revocation, you can trust in our ability to step up and fight for you. We know the importance of DUI defense and can help you learn why you really need an attorney.

Your freedom is far too important to leave up to the whims of chance – you need an aggressive advocate in your corner. This is exactly what you will receive should you choose to work with our firm. As one of the premier criminal defense firms in the area, we have experience in handling cases that range from drugs & DUI to felony DUI, multiple DUI offenses and even underage DUI. No matter the extenuating factors of your case, you can trust that our firm will have the experience necessary to investigate into your case and come up with a strategy best suited for you.

Contact an Experienced Tampa DUI Lawyer Today

Our legal team has successfully gained a local and national reputation for our knowledge of this area of the law and our work in protecting the rights of the accused. In fact, we have even been featured on media outlets, such as Fox 13 and ABC News in regards to the No Refusal Program. When your future is on the line, you simply cannot afford to work with an inexperienced lawyer. We know the penalties that you could potentially face, such as mandatory attendance at DUI school, large fines and court fees, as well as increased insurance costs, and will do everything that we can to help you avoid this possibility. You can trust knowing that should you choose to work with our firm that we will be completely committed to helping you prove your innocence and provide comprehensive defense against the case presented by the prosecutor. So don't waste a moment. With this much at stake, you don't have a moment to lose – call us today.

To learn more about how we can help, please do not hesitate to contact a Tampa DUI attorney from our firm by calling us toll-free at 800-239-3195.