DUI Defense Attorneys In Dunedin, FL
Hire an Experienced DUI Defense Attorney
Don Hendry & Kris Parker have a wealth of DUI experience. Kris Parker has tried nearly 30 DUI jury trials, handled hundreds of hearings, and hundreds of DUI cases both as a (former) prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Collectively, Hendry & Parker have nearly three decades of criminal defense law trial experience. You will also be kept in the loop at every stage of the process by your attorney. Don & Kris personally guarantee to answer or return all calls within 24 hours of when you call us. We give every client the attention they deserve, and you will never be ignored. Call now.
Our DUI attorneys serve clients in Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, Trinity, Pinellas Park, and the Beaches.
We have nearly 100 jury trials!
Let us help you! Call Today: 727-205-5555
or email us at info@hendryparker.com
You Have Questions; We Have Answers.
Possibly. If this is your first DUI, it is not likely that you’ll get jail unless there are aggravating elements involved. This could include a very high blood alcohol level, driving impaired with a child in the car, or potentially an accident. A first time DUI with a blood alcohol level of below a .15 can carry a maximum jail sentence of six months. If your level was properly measured above a .15, the maximum sentence goes up to nine months.
If you have had a DUI conviction within five years from the time you were arrested for the new DUI, there is a mandatory jail sentence of at least 10 days. If your new DUI is outside of five years of your first one, there is no mandatory jail sentence, but it could carry up to a 9-month sentence.
A third DUI within three years can be charged as a felony. This does not mean that all three DUI’s were within a ten-year time frame. It is only required that this is the third DUI and only the last two were within the 10-year time frame. This would be a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in state prison. If this is your third DUI but two were not inside the last 10 years, the charge would be a misdemeanor punishable with a maximum jail sentence of 12 months.
If the police took your Driver’s License, it means one of three things: 1) You refused the breath test, 2) You took the breath test and it was a .08 or higher, or 3) The police made a mistake.
The short answer is no, not for getting charged. You have no obligation to tell your insurance company that you were charged with DUI. If, however, you plead or are found guilty of DUI, you’ll be required to carry an additional type of insurance (SR22), so your rates will likely increase if you are convicted.
If you hire a private attorney, your attorney can waive your appearances to court and appear on your behalf. This means that you do not have to take time from work, school, or family to sit in court waiting for your name to be called. The only time you are required to appear in court is 1) If you are pleading to any criminal charge, 2) The judge expressly orders that you appear at an upcoming hearing or 3). There is jury trial scheduled for your case. If you are NOT represented by a private lawyer, it is likely that you will have to appear in court multiple times.
While trial is always a possibility, it only happens in a small percentage of cases. If the State Attorney (charging party) thinks it can prove its case of DUI beyond any and all reasonable doubt AND you and your attorneys feel that the State’s evidence cannot overcome that high burden; there is a possibility that a trial may be your best option. These trials will almost always be jury trials, and six jurors would decide your case. Trials, however, are risky and time consuming. When you go to trial, you leave your future up to six strangers to decide. While Don Hendry and Kris Parker are gifted trial attorneys with loads of experience with positive outcomes in jury trials, it is always preferred to get good results by reaching an agreed upon settlement with the State. This saves you time, money, and probably a few years of your life from stress!
Keep in mind that Hendry & Parker will fight! Trial is always an option on the table, and the prosecution know that Hendry & Parker are battled-tested DUI trial attorneys who do not mind mixing it up with the prosecution. This willingness to fight gives H&P leverage in negotiating with the State.
You can avoid these problems by working with attorneys at Hendry & Parker to ensure that you know exactly what tasks need to be completed, when they need to be completed, who to call to get them completed, and how much each tasks costs you. It is even possible to get many of these tasks completed before your plea so that you can be terminated from probation early. This takes careful planning and coordination with your DUI attorney, which you will get from H&P.
| Offense Number | Amount of fines & costs |
|---|---|
| 1st below a .15 | Fines: $500-$1,000 Court Costs: $968 |
| 1st above a .15 or a minor was in the car | Fines: $1,000-$2,000 Court Costs: $1,493 |
| 2nd within 5 years but below .15 | Fines: $1,000-$2,000 Court Costs: $1,493 |
| 2nd within 5 years above .15 | Fines: $2,000-$4,000 Court Costs: $2,543 |
| 2nd outside 5 years below a .15 | Fines: $1,000-$2000 Court Costs: $1,493 |
| 2nd outside 5 years above .15 or minor in the car | Fines: $2,000-$4,000 Court Costs: $2,543 |
| *Felony – 3rd within 10 years below .15 | Fines: $2,000-$5,000 Court Costs: $2,543 |
| *Felony – 3rd within 10 years above .15 | Fines: $4,000-$5,000 Court Costs: $4,543 |
| 3rd Outside 10 years below .15 | Fines: $2,000-$5,000 Court Costs: $2,543 |
| 3rd Outside 10 years above .15 | Fines: Not less than $4,000 Court Costs: $4,543 |
| *Felony Fourth DUI Level 6 felony | Fines: $2,000-$5,000 Court Costs: $4,000 |
For general information, email Info@HendryParker.com. You can also message us on our Facebook page which is accessed by clicking the Facebook logo on the top and bottom of this page.
Hendry & Parker will stay within this range for your DUI, unless it contains aggravating elements such as it being charged as a felony due to multiple past convictions or serious bodily injury. Even then, we will work with you on the fee and often times, even allow a monthly payment plan so that you can pay as you go. We aim to be the best DUI attorneys and always keep our caseload at a reasonable level so that we can give you and your case the attention it deserves.
Even in cases where an attorney is unable to craft an effective defense, having an experienced DUI attorney to walk you through the process is valuable. The requirements needed to be completed can be complex to navigate. Tasks such as obtaining a Hardship Driver’s License, enrolling in DUI class, getting a substance abuse/alcohol evaluation, completing acceptable community service hours, and immobilizing your vehicle can be difficult to manage. Attorneys at Hendry & Parker will guide you through the multitude of requirements so that you can avoid a probation violation, which would result in a new criminal charge. And in many cases, we can get your probation terminated automatically when you get these tasks completed. It is possible that to get most of these requirements completed before taking a plea, so that your probation period is short and painless.