OVI / DUI Lawyer For Lancaster, Ohio

DUI / OVI In Lancaster, Ohio
The Dominy Law Firm represents clients for OVI / DUI in Fairfield County, Ohio. If you were charged with OVI / DUI in the Lancaster, Ohio area, this web page was designed for you. The courts in Lancaster see a fairly high number of DUI/OVI cases, as there are three law enforcement agencies in the area: the Lancaster Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office. Most DUI/OVI cases from this area are filed in the Fairfield County Municipal Court.

Being charged with DUI/OVI in Lancaster, Ohio raises many questions. What evidence is the prosecutor going to use against me? What is the possible sentence if I’m found guilty? What is the procedure in court? What are the next steps I should take? This website will help answer those questions. There are several pages of information, including the general DUI/OVI page and several individual pages on specific topics relevant to Lancaster DUI/OVI cases.

Evidence The Prosecution Will Use
The prosecution is going to use three categories of evidence: witness testimony, recordings, and chemical tests. The witness testimony will come from the police officers who investigated the OVI, as well as any civilian witnesses. Police officers go through training for DUI/OVI detection, so they are taught to look for certain signs of intoxication when you are driving and when they make contact with you. If they see signs you are under the influence, officers perform field sobriety tests. If they conclude they have probable cause to believe you are under the influence, officers place you under arrest and ask you to take a chemical test. The chemical test is a test of your breath, blood or urine to determine the amount of alcohol or drugs in your system.

In Fairfield County, some law enforcement agencies are using the Intoxilyzer 8000 for chemical breath tests, even though the reliability of that machine is questionable. The Dominy Law Firm has dealt with the Intoxilyzer 8000. Shawn Dominy was defense counsel in the case which resulted in the judge concluding the Intoxilyzer 8000 is too unreliable to be used as evidence in court. Both Shawn Dominy and Bryan Hawkins are currently involved in new litigation involving this breath-testing machine.

Sentencing For DUI/OVI In Lancaster, Ohio
The Lancaster Municipal Court is known for imposing tough sentences. For DUI/OVI offenses, Ohio has minimum sentences and maximum sentences. A first offense is punishable by a jail sentence of three days to 180 days, a license suspension of one year to three years, and a fine of $375 to $1,075. In addition, the court can order probation, an ignition interlock system, and yellow license plates. Additional DUI/OVI convictions within ten years (and 20 years) carry increased penalties. The possible sentences are summarized in a table on this website’s ‘DUI/OVI Penalties’ page. The sentences imposed in Fairfield County often exceed the minimum mandatory penalties.

The Next Steps In Your DUI/OVI Case
If you are a Lancaster resident, or if you have a DUI/OVI case in Lancaster, you’re likely interested in the next steps you should take. First, you should learn more about DUI/OVI. This website is a good way to do that. Another good way to learn about DUI/OVI is to read the book ‘Ohio DUI / OVI Guide’. You can buy that book from online bookstores, and you can download the free e-book from this website. After learning more about DUI/OVI, the next steps are to determine whether you will contest the DUI/OVI, decide whether you will hire a lawyer, and choose an attorney to hire.

Lawyers For Lancaster, Ohio DUI/OVI Cases
If you choose to contest the DUI/OVI and retain an attorney, our firm can help. The attorneys at the Dominy Law Firm have experience representing clients in Lancaster, as well as expertise in DUI/OVI defense. If you would like to learn more about the firm, you can review the About Us page. You may also want to check out the Dominy Law Firm’s case results and client reviews. If you conclude your research and would like to speak with us about your Lancaster DUI/OVI case, please complete a CONTACT FORM or call 614-717-1177.