| Hawaii DUI Law | | | | offense. The look-back period in the state of Hawaii is |
| In Hawaii, DUI is actually referred to as OVUII laws for | | | | 5 years. This means that a defendant with no DUI |
| "Operating Vehicle Under the Influence of an | | | | offenses in a 5 year period will be charged as a first |
| Intoxicant." When you are arrested with this type of | | | | offense. |
| offense, two separate cases are put into motion. One | | | | Administrative Penalties |
| is the criminal charges for driving under the influence | | | | The Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office |
| and one is an administrative case that can have | | | | is responsible for handling the administrative penalties |
| consequences for your driving privileges. If you want to | | | | associated with a DUI offense in Hawaii. Hawaii is a |
| have a chance at defending yourself well in both | | | | participant in the Interstate Driver's License Compact. |
| cases, hiring a Hawaii DUI attorney is your best option. | | | | This compact is in place to allow different states to |
| Having a Hawaii DUI lawyer representing you in both | | | | share information about DUI offenses with each other. |
| the criminal and administrative cases can give you an | | | | This means that if you are arrested for a DUI offense |
| advantage because an experienced attorney will have | | | | in a state that is a participant, your offense will be |
| access to expert witnesses and knowledge that you | | | | reported to your home state and your home state will |
| wouldn't have if you chose to represent yourself. | | | | seek to suspend your driving privileges. This makes it |
| Hawaii DUI Information | | | | important for you to defend yourself against any DUI |
| Hawaii is like many other states in how a case can be | | | | charges you may face in Hawaii. A Hawaii DUI lawyer |
| prosecuted. Two types of cases can be brought | | | | can help you to present the best possible defense to |
| against a defendant. One is based on the impairment | | | | these charges and work to prevent your driving |
| of the defendant while operating a motor vehicle. This | | | | privileges from being suspended by your home state. |
| means that the defendant was less able to safely | | | | Criminal DUI Penalties |
| operate a motor vehicle than they would have been | | | | Being convicted of a DUI in the state of Hawaii means |
| had they not consumed alcohol prior to driving. The | | | | you will face criminal penalties. The offense is |
| prosecutor for this type of case will focus on bad | | | | categorized as a misdemeanor, but these penalties |
| driving habits, the smell of alcohol on the defendant's | | | | can still have a great impact on your life. This is why |
| breath, chemical testing results, and the physical | | | | having a Hawaii DUI attorney to defend you is so |
| appearance of the driver. If you want to be able to | | | | important. You want to minimize the effects of these |
| successfully defend yourself in this type of case, you | | | | penalties on your life, if possible, so you can continue to |
| will need the counsel of a skilled Hawaii DUI attorney to | | | | have driving privileges and keep your reputation intact. |
| guide you through the process and present the best | | | | For a first offense, the penalties include fines, |
| possible defense. | | | | surcharges, license suspension, and either community |
| The second time of case is known as "per se." This | | | | service or imprisonment. For a first offense, you will |
| means that the prosecution does not have to show | | | | face a substance abuse program of no less than 14 |
| that the driver was exhibiting bad driving habits or that | | | | hours as determined by the court. The license |
| the driver appeared to be intoxicated. This type of | | | | suspension period is 90 days, but some offenders may |
| case is based solely on chemical testing and the | | | | serve a 30-day suspension period and be granted a |
| prosecutor simply must show that the defendant's | | | | work restriction that allows them to commute to work |
| chemical testing revealed a blood alcohol concentration | | | | and to any substance abuse treatment or education |
| level of 0.08% or greater, which is the legal limit in the | | | | programs. A first offender can serve 72 hours of |
| state of Hawaii. Having a qualified Hawaii DUI lawyer | | | | community service or no less than 48 hours and not |
| represent you in this type of case can help you to | | | | more than 5 days of jail time. The court may also |
| defend yourself against the charges you're facing. | | | | impose a fine of not less than $150 and no more than |
| Hawaii is a state that has a "look-back" period for | | | | $1,000. There is also a charge of $25 that is put into a |
| driving under the influence offenses. A look-back | | | | fund that is used to help pay for the expenses of |
| period is where offenses are charged as first | | | | victims of brain injuries. Having a Hawaii DUI attorney |
| offenses if an offender has not had any other | | | | on your side can help you to win your case or, if |
| offenses within the look-back period. If the offender | | | | convicted, minimize the penalties you face as a |
| has had one or more offenses in this period, the | | | | convicted DUI offender. |
| offense will be charged as a second or subsequent | | | | |