On behalf of Pearson & Paris, P.C. posted in Felony DUI on Tuesday, March 8, 2016.
What is the most logical and effective stance for state authorities to take against behind-the-wheel inebriation?
That has long been a central and oft-revisited discussion focus in every state of the country, including Colorado, with opinions on the matter spanning an entire spectrum of possibilities.
Some of those opinions are extreme. Were it possible, for example, there are some people who would clamor to get in line to slam the jail door on even drivers who inadvertently strayed by the slightest of margins beyond the blood alcohol content threshold of 0.08 that signifies drunk driving in every American state. Many motorists who find themselves in that unfortunate position in Colorado are often first-time offenders who have never been in trouble with the law before.
Where to draw the proverbial line for punishment and criminal sentencing in a Colorado drunk driving case will likely always be a hot-button debate item.
One thing seems fairly evident, though, regarding DUI/DWI, and that is this: Many people in the state want increasingly stringent penalties attached to it.
That view is buttressed by comments in a Denver media source stressing last year that, “For a long time, there have been complaints that Colorado was going too easy on drunk drivers.”
As noted in that report, such comments led to the recent passage of a felony DUI law in Colorado that can be applied by judges in certain instances and that provides for the levying of escalated penalties and punishment for select offenders.
A fundamental focus of the law is on a driver’s fourth DUI conviction, which stands as a key barometer signaling the potential for heightened penal exactions.
Those are discretionary with a judge in a given case, and underscore the important role that a proven DUI/DWI defense attorney can play in identifying and presenting mitigating factors to the court that might lessen the harshness of an outcome for a defendant.
An experienced Denver-area criminal defense attorney can answer questions and provide diligent legal representation to any individual facing a drunk driving-related charge in Colorado.
