Driving under the influence or DUI is a major offense in many states. Well, you should know that you should not drink over the allowed level if you are to drive home. But there still are too many insistent violators of this law - such that per statistics, DUI cases are on the rise.

It is just a wonder why many people are still committing the offense when they know the severity of the penalty, repercussions and punishments. Are drivers just law offenders? Or - they are venturing that they can go free and uncaught. Habitual violators who had been apprehended for DUI had to suffer the consequences of their actions.

What could be the penalties? This will depend if your violation is first offense, second or third. This case of DUI is normally a misdemeanor case but recurrences can make the offense a kind of felony charge. For misdemeanor, the penalties can be in the payment of fines, imprisonment, suspension of driving license and probation. Well, if the misdemeanor penalties are already severe, then you can expect that the penalties will be more once the misdemeanor is elevated to a felony.

If you are accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, you should think of how you are going to court. Since this is a serious charge - in any state for that matter, you should consider hiring a lawyer who has great experiences in the defense of DUI violators. If you believe you can go to court without the attorney, you have to think twice about the decision and the possible consequences of losing.

The fines can be hefty - from several hundreds to a few thousand dollars. But with a good lawyer, this can be reduced, depending on the state where the DUI was committed and also if this is a first offense. Sometimes, instead of fines the good lawyer can convert your penalty in exchange for community service. Would this not be worth the attorney's fees? The outcome of the verdict will depend on your records, the know-how of your lawyer and the judge.

In majority of cases, suspension of license is imposed on the offender. With a DUI lawyer, you might be able to get it back. If you file for appeal within the prescribed period, you can get an appeal to your case. You can get a hearing and with your proficient legal counsel, you may win. Many are not aware of this, but this is a big possibility if your lawyer is good enough in the defense.

It really pays to have a lawyer at your defense whenever you are arrested for the violation of the driving under the influence. With a good counsel you can bring the severe penalties down.