Anyone arrested for drunk driving may worry about the long-term implications of their situation. People often worry that they may need to serve a sentence in jail or prison. Incarceration can affect the stability of a family and potentially cost someone their job. Most defendants are eager to take whatever steps are necessary to avoid jail time when they face charges, including entering a guilty plea.
A judge can sentence a Pennsylvania defendant to a variety of consequences depending on the circumstances. Someone accused of a driving under the influence (DUI) offense might be subject to a driver’s license suspension, fines and probation. A judge could also theoretically incarcerate them.
People sometimes assume that they can avoid jail time by pleading guilty. Other times, people catastrophize their situation after an arrest and rush to the conclusion that jail time is inevitable. The truth lies between those two extremes. Is jail time a foregone conclusion if someone pleads guilty or gets convicted of a Pennsylvania DUI offense?
Jail time is sometimes mandatory
The circumstances leading to someone’s arrest influence the penalties that they face. Someone accused of causing a crash while under the influence typically faces more serious charges and worse penalties after a conviction, especially if people got hurt. Someone’s prior record also plays a role in the potential penalties the courts may impose.
Someone facing their first DUI charge can theoretically avoid jail time. The same is not true for those with prior offenses. Someone with one previous DUI conviction faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five days, although a judge could sentence them to up to six months in jail.
An individual facing their third DUI, meaning they have two prior offenses, is that risk of a 10-day minimum sentence in state facilities. The maximum sentence could be up to two years in state custody.
If someone enters a guilty plea, they place themselves at the mercy of the courts. The judge decides what sentence to hand down. They also put themselves at risk of worse penalties if they ever get arrested for a similar offense in the future. For many DUI defendants, assertively fighting back against DUI charges at trial is a much better solution than pleading guilty and hoping for lenience. Understanding the possible penalties can lead to a truly informed response when someone faces accusations of criminal conduct.
