HIDDEN COSTS OF DUI CONVICTIONS

If you think it is cheaper to just plead "guilty" to your Massachusetts OUI charge, you should reconsider that decision.  The cost for a driving under the influence conviction (DUI) is mind-boggling - upwards of $10,000 - and when you add-in all of the hidden costs, it turns out that a conviction can have a much greater effect on your life than you might realize.

Once you consider the countless hours of your time spent at the RMV, in criminal court, Alcohol Education Classes, having your Ignition Interlock Device checked each month, and other DUI-related issues such as how a conviction can effect your employability and your entrance into Canada, pleading guilty - just to get the matter "over with" becomes far less attractive.

Most important, once you are convicted of an OUI/DUI in Massachusetts, the stigma stays on both your criminal and Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) records for the remainder of your life.  Remember, Massachusetts has a lifetime look back for all prior OUI convictions - whether it's within or outside of Massachusetts.

You Only Get One Opportunity to Beat a DUI Charge,
So You Need an Aggressive and Experienced DUI Lawyer
Who Will Fight For Your Rights and Freedom

• Insurance Premiums:  The increase in insurance premiums is generally one of the most costly aspects of a Massachusetts OUI conviction.  Plead guilty, and you can expect your insurance to triple - at a minimum.
  
  
• Towing:  You will have your car towed.  We've heard nightmares about clients in Boston or on the Cape who have waited for days trying to get their cars back - not to mention the hassle, lost time, and potential scratches to your car.
  
  
• Alcohol Education Programs:  As a condition of your plea bargain, you may be forced to undergo an alcohol treatment program.  These treatment programs can vary greatly in the cost and length of time of the treatment. 
  
  
• Employability:  As a result of your license suspension, you may lose any job requiring that you drive.  Additionally, finding a new job may become a real challenge once you have to disclose your conviction, if asked, on a job application or during the interview process.
  
  
• Entry into Canada:  In Canada, an OUI/DUI (or "like crime") is considered a felony and therefore an excludable offense under the Immigration Act.  Accordingly, anyone with a conviction in the United States that is treated as a felony in Canada is excludable from Canada and Customs and Immigration Officers have ultimate authority to permit or deny entry to Canada.  For this reason, it is not recommended that persons with past OUI/DUI convictions attempt to enter Canada without first obtaining necessary documents.  It is always the final decision of officers at ports of entry to decide whether a person should be allowed into Canada.

  Free Case Evaluation

  
  If you have additional questions or would like to discuss your case, we invite you to call (888) 693-8434 and schedule a FREE Case Evaluation.  We are conveniently located in Norwood, Plymouth, Woburn, Springfield and Worcester and our DUI Defense Attorneys will meet you 7 days a week - we even meet clients on Sundays!