Hire the right attorney for your DUI Colorado first offense case
When charged with a DUI Colorado first offense, you may immediately start envisioning the worst-case scenarios: Will I go to jail? Will my license be taken away? How will this affect my life? The expert DUI attorney from Thiessen Law Firm is here to put your mind at ease.
Meet Mark Thiessen, the founding DUI attorney in Aspen, who is here to help you fight your DUI Colorado first offense charge. Mark is an accomplished and aggressive defense attorney who will stop at nothing to protect your rights and your driver’s license. How? Mark is Board Certified in both DUI Defense by the National College for DUI Defense (as approved through the American Bar Association) and DUI Law by the DUI Defense Lawyers Association. This means that he has the experience, knowledge, and specialized expertise to successfully handle DUI cases like yours.
If this is your first time being charged with a DUI in Colorado, remember this: you only have seven days to save your driver’s license and driving privileges. For peace of mind, hire a Board Certified DUI expert: Mark Thiessen.
What happens when you get a DUI for the first time in Colorado?
If your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08% or higher, you will be charged with a DUI. You can be charged with a DUI in Colorado if you were driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both. The penalties for a DUI Colorado first offense are similar to a first-time marijuana DUI in Colorado, which are both classified as misdemeanors.
If you’re facing a first-time DUI conviction, you’re facing potential fees, jail time, reputational consequences, and losing your license.
You must file for a DMV hearing within seven days of your DUI charge to save your driver’s license. Otherwise, the Colorado DMV will suspend your license automatically. The right DUI attorney or DWAI lawyer will help you file for that hearing on time and defend you against the potential license suspension.
What is the penalty for a DUI in Colorado?
The penalties for a DUI are based on how high the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was at the time they were pulled over and if the driver has any prior DUI convictions –– whether in or outside of the state of Colorado.
If this is your first DUI Colorado first offense, your penalties will include:
| PENALTY | MINIMUM | MAXIMUM |
| Jail* | 5 days jail | 1 year jail |
| Fine | $600 | $1,000 |
| Community Service | 48 hours | 96 hours |
| Probation | 0 years | 2 years |
*With a first-time offense, jail time is often waived as part of a suspended sentence. However, you will face a mandatory minimum jail sentence of at least ten days if you were charged with DUI and the result of a breath test or blood test shows that you had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.20 or greater.
In addition to the penalties above, your driver’s license will be revoked for up to nine months. You may also be required to take a minimum 12-hour alcohol education course.
How to get your license reinstated
If you are eligible to have your license reinstated early, you must complete a one-month suspension with an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed in every vehicle you own for four months. After the four months, your driving privileges will be completely restored if you meet the following requirements:
- You drive with an IID installed in your vehicle
- Your alcohol level was below 0.15%
- Your BAC level was never at 0.25% or above
If you think that any of these penalties seem “not too bad,” think again. Even a DUI Colorado first offense puts your driving privileges and reputation at risk. If convicted, these consequences won’t simply go away, and the punishments only get worse. If you are charged with a 2nd DUI in Colorado, or worse, a Felony DUI in Colorado, the penalties will be MUCH harsher. That’s why it’s important to hire an expert DUI attorney like Mark Thiessen to help you fight against a first offense charge and avoid these penalties.
How Mark Thiessen Can Save Your Driver’s License
DEFENSES FOR A DUI COLORADO FIRST OFFENSE
If you were arrested on suspicion that you were driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both, contact a DUI defense attorney immediately. Your attorney will help you file for your DMV hearing within the next seven days to ensure your license is not suspended automatically. Then, your attorney will begin working on building your case.
Here is what Mark Thiessen can do to save your driving privileges and reputation:
- Gathering evidence
- Eyewitness testimonies
- Traffic stop camera footage
- Defense strategies – Depending on the circumstances of your case
- Police lacked probable cause when pulling you over
- The field sobriety test was not administered properly
- Equipment used for sobriety test was faulty or outdated
- Evidence was mishandled or incorrect
- “Rising BAC” – Your BAC may still have been rising as you were pulled over
- Negotiations
- Help you to avoid possible jail time
- Reduce your charges
- Can help you avoid trial
- Trial-tested defense
Mark Thiessen is not afraid of trial. He will not allow you to take a settlement you’re not comfortable with accepting. If the prosecution will not give you a favorable deal, Mark will put his aggressive, trial-tested DUI defense skills into motion in the courtroom. Together, he will fight harder than any attorney to win a “Not Guilty” verdict for your DUI Colorado first offense charge.
Thiessen Law Firm cares about your future. With us, you’re not treated like just another case number. If you’re facing a first-time DUI charge, call Mark Thiessen at 970-233-9000 or contact us online today for a FREE case evaluation.
