DUI Attorney: DUI & Drunk Driving Defense in Butler County

Drunk driving is a serious offense that can lead to severe consequences, including motor vehicle crashes and even fatalities. If you find yourself facing a DUI charge, understanding the legal process and seeking the help of an experienced DUI lawyer is crucial. A good DUI lawyer can provide the necessary legal representation to navigate the complex criminal justice system and explore all available legal options. Whether it's your first offense or a subsequent one, having a knowledgeable attorney by your side can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.

Zunder and Associates are Butler County's Aggressive DUI Attorneys

Every DUI you receive compounds until you've lost everything, including your freedom. You need an experienced drunk driving attorney every time you are charged with a DUI that will challenge the reason for the initial stop, your blood or breath test results, and fight for the reduction or total elimination of the charges.

Administrative hearings are crucial in DUI cases, as they provide an opportunity to challenge license suspensions. A DUI lawyer can represent you during these hearings to protect your driving privileges and seek a favorable outcome.

As Pennsylvania's recognized drunk driving attorneys, we help minors and adults with driver's license restoration, DUI expungements, and fighting DUI charges in and around Butler County.

Meet Our Attorneys

Understanding DUI Laws

DUI laws are designed to prevent impaired driving and ensure road safety. While the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is typically 0.08%, some states enforce stricter regulations. Understanding these laws is essential for anyone charged with a DUI, as the consequences can be severe, including license suspension, jail time, and the installation of ignition interlock devices. An experienced DUI lawyer can help you comprehend the specific DUI laws in your state and develop a defense strategy to minimize the impact of a DUI conviction on your life.

Blood Alcohol and Driving Ability

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream, and as BAC levels rise, your driving ability diminishes. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair critical driving skills such as reaction time, judgment, and coordination. This impairment can lead to dangerous situations, including motor vehicle crashes and drunk driving deaths. To avoid impaired driving, it's essential to understand how alcohol affects your body and to make responsible choices, such as using a designated driver or abstaining from alcohol if you plan to drive.

Don't Let Your Drunk Driving Charge Go Unchallenged

Common DUI charges we help you with in Butler, PA:

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or Subsequent DUI

The State of Pennsylvania takes drunk driving, impaired driving, or driving under the influence of any controlled substance very seriously and has established harsh laws to punish even first-time offenders. Drug use and alcohol use lead to impaired judgment, impaired perception, reduced response time, and poor coordination, which can often lead to fatal crashes.

Some first-time DUI cases could qualify for a program commonly referred to as ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Deposition). Successful completion of the Program will lead to the charges being withdrawn and the Clerk of Courts Office expunging/clearing your record. However, penalties and expenses for each DUI builds on the prior convictions, creating a history of DUI offenses, jail time, loss of your driving privileges, and your freedom. You need an experienced drunk driving attorney every time you are charged with DUI, or DWI to challenge your blood and breath tests and fight for the reduction or elimination of charges.

DUI Accident

If you were involved in an auto accident while under the influence, even if it was not your fault, you will be charged with a DUI. Alcohol-related crashes come with stiffer penalties and enhanced sentencing. Drunk drivers are a serious concern, contributing significantly to traffic fatalities and posing dangers to innocent passengers, particularly children. It is crucial to choose a DUI attorney experienced in protecting your rights to represent you at your first hearing. This is where the charges against you are announced and your bail is set. At this Hearing, we will, in almost all cases, get your bail lowered if necessary and some of your charges reduced or removed altogether.

Your future depends on choosing an attorney like the ones at Zunder and Associates, who will fight for your rights and vigorously defend your case.

Underage DUI

Pennsylvania has close to a zero tolerance for underage drinking/consumption, so an underage DUI is a severe offense in the Commonwealth. If found guilty of underage DUI, your minor child faces stiff penalties that could include jail time. Alarming statistics show that a significant portion of young drivers aged 15 to 20 who are killed in crashes had elevated blood alcohol content (BAC) levels, underscoring the risks associated with underage drinking and driving.

Hiring an effective lawyer from Zunder and Associates is imperative to helping your child reduce or eliminate drunk driving charges that could affect their ability to drive, get a job, get into college, or worse.

Boating DUI

Boating under the influence (BUI) comes with similar stiff penalties as those handed out for drunk driving. You could lose your boating privileges, get jail time, and face high fines. You will be required to perform a breath or blood test. If you refuse, it will result in the loss of boating privileges for 1 year and could be used against you in court. Refusing a breathalyzer test under Noah's Law can lead to increased penalties, including license suspension and the installation of an ignition interlock device.

You need to call us right away to ensure your rights are protected.

Extreme DUI

As your BAC (blood alcohol content) increases, so does the severity of your penalties. In Pennsylvania, BAC levels exceeding 0.10% are considered extreme DUI. The legal blood alcohol level limit is 0.08%. Exceeding this BAC limit can lead to severe legal consequences, including fines, license suspension, and even imprisonment. Extreme DUI cases need an aggressive DUI attorney like the ones at Zunder and Associates, who understand the nuances of drunk driving laws, can take immediate action to review breath and blood tests for accuracy and challenge the results, and can effectively fight to reduce or eliminate your charges.

DUI Expungement/Limited Access

Mistakes happen. While the drunk driving laws were put in place to protect victims of drunk driving, sometimes one bad decision can lead to a lifetime of problems. In the event your DUI was not resolved with ARD, a DUI conviction can be cleared via the Limited Access Statute ten ( 10 ) years from the conclusion of your last sentence if you meet certain criteria. Your record can be cleared of a first-time DUI conviction after 10 years without a second offense, if you meet certain criteria. Contact Zunder and Associates in year nine to ensure you have something to celebrate safely.

When should I hire a Professional DUI Attorney?

4 steps to know when you should hire a DUI attorney

You've been arrested for DUI.

Getting an attorney on your side as fast as possible to challenge breath and blood tests are a crucial first step to getting your charges reduced or eliminated. DUI charges include driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both.)

You've been in a drunk driving accident with a motor vehicle.

Whether it's your first offense or "not your fault," you need an attorney to review the drunk driving crash and your blood and breath tests and be there for your first court appearance.

It's been 10 years since your last DUI.

If you completed the ARD program and kept your record clean for 10 years after your DUI, you could automatically qualify to have your DUI expunged. If you have not completed the ARD program or need help sooner than 10 years, call us. Expungement is more difficult but not impossible.

Your minor child was arrested for DUI.

Pennsylvania laws are very strict when it comes to underage drinking, minors in possession, and especially drunk driving. You need an attorney who will fight for your son or daughter and help you keep this lapse in judgment from affecting your child's future.

If you've been charged with DUI,
the answer is NOW.