Jail time on my first Bucks County DUI offense…really???

Most drivers are caught off guard with their first Pennsylvania DUI offense. This is simply because they have not had any experience with the criminal justice system.

The PA DUI penalties are split between three levels for a first offense DUI charge. If your blood alcohol level (B.A.C) is below at 0.099 there is no mandatory jail time for a first offense PA DUI charge. You can still receive jail time in this level if there are aggravating circumstances involved.

The next level of PA DUI penalties involves the B.A.C. level of 0.010 – 0.159. This is what we call the middle range. On a first offense DUI in this middle range, there is a mandatory minimum jail sentence in the Bucks County prison of 48 hours up to six months.

If your first offense PA DUI is in the highest level, B.A.C. 0.160+ there is a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 72 hours in the Bucks County prison up to six months.

If you qualify for the Bucks County A.R.D. (first offender's program) you will avoid jail time. House arrest is not usually given by Bucks County Common Pleas Court judges on a first offense DUI.

Although DUI is a dangerous crime in Pennsylvania, every citizen is presumed innocent under the law and has the right to challenge the evidence including police procedures.