Minnesota DUI Penalties

Minnesota DUI laws and penalties

Each State within the United States is given the authority to write their own laws on Driving Under the Influence, or better known as DUI. Within this article we will explore the different laws within the State of Minnesota, and their penalties. To begin with, Minnesota has what is known as a ten year "Lookback Period". This means that each DUI you have previously aquired in the past ten years becomes relevant in the sentensing process you are now facing with your current DUI charge. This is also known as a "washout" period.

What constitutes as a high BAC for a DUI in Minnesota?

Under 21: .00% zero tolerance
21 or Older: .08%

There is never an acceptable time to drink and drive, as your vision, reasoning, along with your mental capacity to make important decisions and judgments are severely hindered and are not capable of bouncing back to what you were able to perform without alcohol in your system. Each person is different, and their tolerance level for alcohol is severely unpredictable making it impossible to say how many drinks are "normal" or not. This is what requires law enforcement to perform chemical tests on suspected DUI offenders. If you are pulled over and are requested to perform a chemcial test to determine your BAC, or Blood Alcohol Content, the State of Minnesota has an implied consent law. This means that if you refuse to submit to a chemical test you will be subject to a fine and automatic license suspension. For refusal to take the chemical test, the penalties are as follows:

First Offense: 1 year licnese suspension
Second Offense: 1 year license suspension
Third Offense: 1 year license suspension

What are the penalties within the Minnesota DUI laws?

There are several penalties within the Minnesota DUI laws, and we will explore them in this seciton. Should you be pulled over and found guilty of Driving Under the Influence within the boarders of the State of Minnesota, the following are the penlaties you will be facing:

Penaltiy of Jail

First Offense: Up to 90 days
Second Offense: Up to 1 year
Third Offense: Up to 1 year
Fourth Offense: Up to 7 years

Penalties and Fines

First Offense: $1,000
Second Offense: $3,000
Third Offense: $3,000
Fourth Offense: $14,000

Penalty of License Suspension

First Offense: Up to 90 days
Second Offense: 180 days
Third Offense: Minimum 1 year
Fourth Offense: Up to 4 years

Penalty of Ignition Interlock Device (IID)

This is required for each and every offense, without exception.

Conclusion

It is important to note that the laws change, as do their interpretation and application of them. Due to the fact that there are multiple jurisdictions within a State and each may choose to enforce the laws in different ways, it is important to prepare for the unexpected. For this reason, it would be in your best interest to retain the services of an experienced and professional lawyer who is well versed in the DUI laws in the State of Minnesota, and is capable of giving you the direction you need for your specific case, along with being fully aware of the currtent laws pertaining to DUI.

(Tags - DUI Penalties - DUI Tests - dui state laws - Minnesota DUI law )