New Hampshire DUI Lawyer – Call For Free Consultation

If you have been arrested for and charged with DUI in New Hampshire, it is imperative that you contact a reputable, experienced, successful DUI lawyer to handle your case.

officer pulling over car dui

Attorney Teale has had significant success in obtaining favorable outcomes for his clients faced with New Hampshire DUI charges and DWI related offenses. His intricate knowledge of the law, and his passionate yet rationale approach to defending his clients have earned him an exemplary reputation within New Hampshire’s legal community. Attorney Teale is well respected by prosecutors, administrative agencies, and state and local law enforcement. His reputation and experience allows him to negotiate very favorable resolutions for his clients, or to obtain excellent trial results in your case.

At Teale Law, we are committed and dedicated to fiercely defending the legal rights of our clients. Contact our legal team today directly at 603-935-7425 for a Free DUI Consultation.

A single mistake does not have to ruin your life.

It is indisputable that one should not operate a vehicle while impaired. Just one lapse in judgment can lead to catastrophic results.  A mistake resulting in a DUI arrest could be one of the biggest mistakes you ever make in your life. If not properly handled, this mistake can lead to life-changing consequences for you and your family, now and in the future.  New Hampshire law sets certain timelines for DUI matters that must be adhered to, otherwise you may suffer further loss of license.  Get the representation you need ASAP.  Call Teale Law now!  603-935-7425

First Steps: Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Because you have so much riding on the outcome of your New Hampshire DWI case, it is critical that you take the matter seriously and act with a sense of urgency. This is not the time to bury your head in the sand and go into denial. Rather, you should be proactive and do what it takes to best protect the interests of you, your family, your license, and potentially your freedom. A first step in this process is to seek the most effective legal counsel as possible.

With respect to effective criminal defense attorneys, particularly those who handle DUI cases, experience matters. Attorney Teale  has several years of experience in the practice of law and has represented hundreds of clients in various DUI matters.

DUI Related Offenses We Handle

Attorney Teale fully recognizes that every case is unique, and because of his significant experience he understands  that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a New Hampshire DUI defense.  Rather, each issue presented in a DUI-related matter requires individualized treatment.

Attorney Teale represents clients facing the following charges:

  • Misdemeanor DUI
  • DUI with a child passenger under the age of 16 (aggravated misdemeanor)
  • DUI with a suspended license
  • Felony DUI
  • DUI by a minor
  • DUI by a repeat offender
  • And more

 

cop pulled over driver

DUI Defined

In the state of New Hampshire, DUI laws have evolved to encompass more than just drunk driving with alcohol involved. As the number of substance-impaired driving incidents increased, the state revised its DUI laws to “include impairment as a result of alcohol or any drug that has the ability to impair brain functioning, regardless of whether the drug is over-the-counter, legally prescribed, taken as directed, or illicit.”

As a result, pursuant to NH RSA 265-A:2, a driver can be guilty of DUI in New Hampshire in the following instances:

 

First, if the driver is operating a motor vehicle on a public way while under the influence (defined as “impaired to any degree”) of any drug or alcohol;

Second, if the driver’s blood alcohol content is .08 or greater (.02 or greater if the driver is under the age of 21).

The DUI arrest & the aftermath

New Hampshire State Troopers and police officers are well versed in recognizing suspicious driving patterns, and they are highly trained in identifying signs of impaired drivers. When a member of law enforcement has reasonable grounds to believe that an individual is operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or both, the officer has the right to request that the driver submit to field sobriety tests, as well as certain chemical tests. Depending on the test results, an arrest may be made. An automatic license suspension may also be applied if an individual refuses to submit to such a test (pursuant to New Hampshire’s Implied Consent Law).  Anyone who has their license suspended as a result of New Hampshire’s Implied Consent Law has only thirty (30) days to request a hearing on the matter.  If you do not request a hearing within thirty (30) days your license will be suspended between six (6) months and two (2) years, depending on whether it is your first offense.

One Incident: Two Cases

A New Hampshire DUI case is made up of a criminal law component as well as an administrative law component. If you have been charged with DUI, you must deal with both aspects before your case is fully resolved.

Criminal Case

 If you are arrested in New Hampshire for DUI, it is likely that you will be charged (or have already been charged) with one or two separate criminal offenses:

  1. Driving while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both;
  2. The “per se” offense of driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher (or 0.02% if under 21).

One example of the criminal penalties that can result from a DUI conviction is as follows:

1st-offense DUI conviction (21+): Class B Misdemeanor: Results in a license suspension of no less than 9 months (typically reducible by motion to the court to 90 days if all sentence requirements are adhered to) but not more than two years; a fine of up to $1,200 (plus a 24 % penalty assessment); required participation in an impaired driver care management program; a 3-year requirement for an SR-22 insurance certificate (as proof of liability insurance); the installation of an ignition interlock device if ordered by the court or DMV; and any additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling programs as ordered by the court; probationary license period.  (6 points on license)

Convictions for aggravated DUI and repeat offenses result in harsher criminal penalties.

Administrative Case (overseen by the New Hampshire Department of Safety)

Upon arrest, there are three specific instances that will result in an automatic license suspension (known as an Administrative License Suspension or ALS) that goes into effect after 30 days:

  1. You agreed to a chemical-sobriety test, the results of which demonstrated a BAC of .09 or greater;
  2. You agreed to a blood test that was taken for analysis at a later time and eventually returned at a BAC of .09 or greater ; or
  3. You refused to submit to chemical testing.

In these instances, the police will confiscate your license upon arrest. An officer will give you a pink form that serves as both a notice of suspension and a statement of temporary driving privileges for 30 days.

In this 30-day period before the ALS takes effect you have the right to request a hearing before the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to determine if the license suspension is warranted. Failure to request an ALS hearing will result in an automatic driver license suspension – of at least six months and up to 2 years depending on your record – that takes effect on the 30th day after the date of arrest or results of the blood test.  Teale Law requests ALS Hearings in all DUI matters.

These suspensions may be successfully contested by an experienced New Hampshire DUI attorney, but only if you contact the DMV within thirty (30) days to request a hearing. In other words, if you have any chance at fighting the possible suspension of your driver’s license, you must request a hearing during this time period.

Attorney Teale handles many ALS hearings and has successfully contested many suspensions on behalf of his clients.

An arrest for a NH DWI, let alone a conviction, can lead to far-reaching consequences that go beyond legal, administrative, and financial penalties:

  • Imposition of a criminal record
  • Job and career loss
  • Preclusion from future employment and volunteer opportunities
  • Prevention from obtaining (or loss of current) professional licenses
  • Revocation of security clearances
  • Strained or destroyed relationships with family, friends, and colleagues
  • And more

 

The Granite State: You can’t beat living in or visiting NH

 New Hampshire is a great place to live and visit for a number of reasons, many of which involve the natural beauty found within its borders as well as its close proximity to Boston. The proud residents of the Granite State will often tell those not lucky enough to live here that, “You can’t beat living in NH. Our mountains and the ocean are within a short drive from each other; we’re only ‘an hour’ from Boston; and we can get anywhere in the world by heading to our very own Manchester International Airport.”

In other words, one of the greatest attributes New Hampshire has to offer its residents and visitors alike is access. The state’s countless highways, turnpikes, city streets, and back roads make up a network that connects drivers to anywhere and everywhere. This access is highly beneficial to motorists in a state with both varying distances between downtowns and residential areas; suburban and rural areas; and long stretches of state and interstate highways.

Unfortunately, this ease of access does not come without a downside. In fact, the prevalence of DUI arrests and DUI-related deaths in New Hampshire is a deadly-serious problem. Despite the far-reaching and well-known risks and dangers associated with driving under the influence (commonly referred to as “DUI” or “DWI”), far too many DUI arrests occur in the Granite State every year.

Experience. Integrity. Results.

If you have been arrested for and charged with DUI in New Hampshire, you owe it to yourself and your family to contact a reputable and successful DWI attorney to handle your case.

At Teale Law, we work hard for our clients. With so much on the line, you need a legal team committed and dedicated to fiercely defending your legal rights. Call Teale Law today at 603-935-7425 to schedule your free dui consultation.

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