Arizona DUI Lawyers

Levels of DUI in Arizona

Arizona has four types of misdemeanor DUI charges:

• Impaired to the Slightest Degree: You can be charged if an officer believes you were even minimally impaired, regardless of your blood alcohol content (BAC).
• Legal Limit DUI: A BAC of 0.08 or higher allows the government to presume impairment.
• Extreme DUI: A BAC of 0.15 or above results in increased penalties.
• Super Extreme DUI: The most serious misdemeanor DUI, with a BAC of 0.20 or higher.

If charged with a Super Extreme DUI, expect lesser DUI charges to be included in the citation.

First-Time DUI Penalties

• Regular DUI (BAC 0.08 – 0.149): Fines around $1,600, up to 10 days in jail (9 can be suspended with a treatment program), probation up to 5 years, mandatory interlock device (6-12 months), and a 90-day to 1-year license suspension.
• Extreme DUI (BAC 0.15+): Fines around $2,800, 30-day jail sentence (21 days can be suspended with an interlock device), probation up to 5 years, and a 90-day to 1-year license suspension.
• Super Extreme DUI (BAC 0.20+): Fines around $3,300, 45-day jail sentence (31 can be suspended with an interlock device), probation up to 5 years, interlock for at least 18 months, and a 90-day to 1-year suspension.

Second-Time DUI Penalties

If a prior DUI occurred within 7 years:

• Regular DUI: Fines around $3,500, 90-day jail sentence (60 can be suspended with treatment), probation up to 5 years, 30 hours of community service, and a 1-year license revocation.
• Extreme DUI: Fines around $3,800, 120-day jail sentence (60 can be suspended with treatment), probation up to 5 years, and a 1-year license revocation.
• Super Extreme DUI: Fines around $4,300, 180-day jail sentence (90 can be suspended with treatment), probation up to 5 years, and a 1-year license revocation.

Challenging prior DUI convictions due to errors can significantly reduce penalties.

Arizona DUI Field Sobriety Tests

• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (Pen Test): Officers check for involuntary eye movement, but poor testing conditions often make results unreliable.
• Walk & Turn Test: A divided attention test that is difficult under normal circumstances, often worsened by uneven surfaces or physical conditions.
• One-Leg Stand Test: Requires standing on one foot while counting; anxiety, physical issues, or environmental factors make failure common.