Serving Aurora, Denver Metro & Colorado | 15+ Years of DUI Defense
Clients will often focus on the direct punishment of driving under the influence. This can include jail time, fines, and probation. The length of each will be dependent on whether the defendant has priors and the facts of the case.
First-time offenders usually don’t go to jail, unless their blood alcohol level is higher than 0.20. Second and third offenses come with mandatory jail time.
DUI lawyers are also concerned with secondary impacts of a DUI conviction. People commonly refer to these as collateral consequences. These consequences may be more sever or costly than the punishment for a DUI conviction.
A DUI defense attorney will be able to advise on possible collateral consequences as part of their defense strategies. Always be honest with your lawyer so they know how a criminal conviction might affect your life. This DUI article aims to outline some of the common collateral consequences that people see in Colorado.
A DUI Could Have Immigration Consequences
A police officer can charge anyone with driving under the influence. Unfortunately, this includes individuals who may have immigration concerns. This can involve people who have lawful status in the United States as well as individuals without legal status.
Speaking with an immigration attorney is always important to understand the specific impact of a DUI on your immigration situation. In most cases, a first-time DUI offense will not automatically result in deportation. However, a conviction may still impact immigration matters such as naturalization applications or visa renewals.
Immigration issues become more serious when a person faces multiple DUI convictions. In some circumstances, repeated offenses may be viewed as evidence of substance abuse or other conduct that affects immigration eligibility.
Because of these risks, it is important to consult with an experienced Colorado DUI defense attorney or driving while ability is impaired case.
A DUI Can Impact a Professional License
Employment is extremely important. If a person cannot work, they cannot support themselves or their family. Understanding how a DUI conviction may impact employment is an important part of any DUI defense strategy.
Many professions require professional licenses that impose reporting obligations when a person is charged with or convicted of certain criminal offenses. These licensing requirements vary depending on the profession and the governing regulatory board.
For example, nurses are regulated under the Colorado Nurse Practice Act. While a DUI conviction may not automatically result in mandatory discipline, the conviction may still trigger an investigation by the licensing board or disciplinary action from an employer.
Certain professionals must also maintain additional credentials, such as DEA registrations for physicians or security clearances for government contractors. A DUI conviction could potentially affect these credentials and threaten a person’s ability to continue working.
During a DUI consultation, a defense attorney may ask detailed questions about employment and licensing requirements. The goal is to understand how a conviction may impact a client’s livelihood and to develop a defense strategy that minimizes those risks.
A DUI Can Impact a Parenting Plan
Family law issues can also be affected by a DUI charge. In some situations, a DUI arrest may become an issue in a divorce or child custody dispute.
If a child is present in the vehicle at the time of the DUI arrest, the situation can result in additional criminal charges such as child abuse. Even when a child is not present, the DUI may still be raised by the other parent during custody proceedings.
In contested parenting cases, the opposing parent may argue that the DUI demonstrates a substance abuse problem or poor judgment. These allegations may be used to request restrictions on parenting time.
Additionally, a DUI often results in a temporary loss of driving privileges. Losing the ability to drive can make it more difficult for a parent to transport children to school, activities, and medical appointments. These issues can sometimes influence parenting decisions made by the court.
A DUI Conviction Can Result in Loss of Driving Privileges
One of the most immediate collateral consequences of a DUI arrest is the potential loss of driving privileges.
Colorado law allows the Department of Revenue to revoke a driver’s license based on the results of chemical testing. If a driver’s blood alcohol content is 0.08 or higher, the Department of Motor Vehicles may revoke the driver’s license through an administrative process separate from the criminal case.
Drivers have the right to challenge the revocation through a DMV hearing. Even if a driver successfully challenges the administrative revocation, they may still face license consequences if they are later convicted of DUI in court.
You can learn more about the administrative license process in our guide to DMV hearings after a DUI arrest.
Drivers may also face license revocation for refusing chemical testing or for convictions involving driving under the influence of drugs.
For individuals whose employment requires a valid driver’s license, these consequences can be especially serious. Many employers rely on commercial insurance policies that may refuse coverage for drivers with DUI convictions.
DUI Defense Across the Denver Metro Area
The consequences of a DUI conviction can vary depending on where your case is handled.
Courts throughout the Denver metro area — including Aurora, Arapahoe County, Adams County,
Douglas County, and Denver — may have different procedures, judges, and approaches to sentencing.
Our firm regularly represents clients facing DUI charges across multiple jurisdictions.
If you are dealing with a DUI case, it is important to work with a defense attorney who
understands how local courts handle these cases and how to navigate both the criminal
and administrative processes.
- Aurora DUI Lawyer
- Arapahoe DUI Defense
- Adams DUI Attorney
- Denver DUI Defense
- Douglas DUI Attorney
- Jefferson DUI Defense
A DUI Can Impact Other Criminal Cases
A DUI arrest can also have serious consequences for individuals who have other criminal cases pending.
Many defendants in Colorado are serving probation when they are arrested for a new offense. One of the standard conditions of probation is that the defendant must obey all laws and avoid committing new criminal offenses.
If a person on probation is arrested for DUI, the court may initiate a probation revocation proceeding. This creates a second legal case separate from the DUI charge.
During a probation revocation hearing, the court will determine whether the defendant violated the conditions of probation. If the court finds a violation occurred, additional penalties — including jail — may be imposed.
Because of these risks, defendants facing both a DUI charge and a potential probation violation should consult with a Colorado DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible.
