Types and Amounts of DUI Fines

If you are caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and convicted, you can face a lot of penalties, such as community service, rehabilitation programs, mandatory jail time, loss of driving privileges, probation, as well as payment of DUI fines. DUI fines are charged to punish the convicted individual for his/her offense and to stop the person from repeating the act in future.
 

Fine Amount

There are many factors which are considered to determine the amount to be paid as fine. Depending on the DUI case, different states have different guidelines. The amount of the fine is also decided upon by the judge who is presiding over the DUI case.
If you are a defendant, you can expect to shell out a fine for the DUI charge that amounts to a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Remember, the impact of the financial burden travels outside the courtroom; this may cost you your job, the loss of your family or child custody, or you may end up paying higher insurance premiums. 
 

Types of DUI Fines

The state laws, as well as the judge who presides over the DUI case, determine the criminal or punitive DUI fines. The fines start rising with multiple DUI convictions; generally, for a first-time DUI offense, the fine charged is in the range of $500 to $1,000.
Apart from the DUI fines that the court has ordered, the defendant also needs to pay the costs involved in the other criminal penalties. An individual is required to pay for his/her alcohol and mandatory drug treatment programs as well as education classes. The costs of the programs and classes are in addition to the fines that the defendant has to pay already.

Fines can also be imposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. In some cases, the department has the right to suspend or cancel the driver’s license of the offender. In case the offender needs an administrative hearing for the prevention of his/her license’s suspension, he/she will have to bear all the costs that are associated with the hearing of the case. 
If there has been an injury to a person or some property damage as a result of the offender’s rash driving, the defendant will also be asked to pay the restitution in a civil case. Restitution is for compensating the victim of an accident. The compensation could provide coverage of the medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering as well as property damage.
 

What If You Cannot Pay The Fine?

Fines are constitutionally prohibited in cases where a defendant does not have the resources to pay a hefty fine. Sentences of imprisonment as well as fines are subject to constitutional limitations as well as challengeable on the grounds of discretion and abuse. It has been ruled by the Supreme Court that a defendant made to face jail time, simply because he/she cannot afford to pay the fine, violates equal protection in cases where the offense would otherwise not be punishable by incarceration.

Usually, when an individual fails to make the payment of the DUI fines, a warrant is issued for the arrest of the individual. In such a scenario, the license of the defendant is also suspended automatically.

Specific DUI Fine Information:

California DUI Fines