Defending against Holiday Office Party DUI Charges in Connecticut

 Posted on December 18, 2017 in Driving Under the Influence

In the month of December, with holiday celebrations either already underway or imminently approaching, there is the risk of a Connecticut DUI charge. One such occasion in which this risk is encountered is the holiday office party. When alcoholic beverages are served as employees let off steam, vent about stress, and celebrate the close of the corporate year, consumption can lead to a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) elevated beyond the legal limit for drivers in the state.

If you commute to work via subway, bus, train, carpool, or by foot, this scenario will not result in a DUI charge. However, if you drive to work and are unable to utilize public transportation, Uber, or Lyft after consuming holiday office party alcoholic beverages, you run the risk of being stopped and arrested for DUI if your BAC is over the legal limit. If holiday office partying has resulted in a Connecticut DUI charge, you need a Fairfield County DUI defense attorney.

Conviction for DUI in Connecticut Can Affect Your Ability to Commute to Work

Under Connecticut state law, you are legally intoxicated if your BAC is .08 or above. This is the legal conclusion drawn, irrespective of whether you subjectively feel intoxicated. Because of Connecticut’s Implied Consent Law, any person who operates a motor vehicle is presumed to have given her or his consent to a test to ascertain blood alcohol concentration. If your BAC test registers at .08 or higher, you will be charged with DUI.

Conviction of DUI brings a number of serious consequences that will affect your pocketbook, reputation, and potentially your ability to get to and from your workplace. First, there is the minimum 45-day suspension of your driver’s license. Second, there is the expense and inconvenience of the installation of an Interlock Ignition Device (IID) in your vehicle if your BAC test result was .08 or higher.

If the DUI conviction is not your first, or if you are charged with a subsequent DUI while driving with a suspended license, penalties grow exponentially. For example, if you are convicted for DUI for the third time in the state of Connecticut, your license will be permanently revoked.

Defending Against DUI Charges Following Office Party Celebrating

Because of the penalties, cost, reputational damage, and commuting complexities following a DUI conviction in Connecticut, it is imperative that you assert your legal rights to the maximum extent possible. In the assertion of your legal rights, rely on an experienced Stamford DUI defense attorney.

Sources:

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/rpt/2012-R-0279.htm

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=813&q=249562