What options do I have to plead for a third DUI offense?

A third dui offense is taken very seriously by the court. When you have been charged with a DUI for the third time, you have shown to the court that you have a serious problem with drugs and alcohol, and that previous DUI penalties have not been enough to deter you from driving drunk. As a result, most states take 3rd time DUI charges very, very seriously. Penalties generally include:

• Loss of your license for a year or more, or potential permanent loss or suspension of your license
• Jail time, sometimes a significant amount
• A long period of probation
• High fines, in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars
• The installation of an ignition interlock system
• The requirement to wear a bracelet that tests your blood alcohol content

If you are in this situation, you may be able to arrange a plea bargain with the prosecutor to lessen the penalties you face. However, because of the serious nature of the offense, you are likely to have to pay high fines and even serve some time in jail. To try to convince the prosecutor to give you lesser penalties, you can consider:

• Agreeing to go to counseling or rehabilitation
• Agreeing to a bracelet or ignition interlock system
• Proposing the idea of house arrest as an alternative to jail time

Your success at arranging a plea bargain that minimizes the penalties you face will often depend on you having a great DUI lawyer, so make sure you call an attorney as soon as possible after your arrest.