Fort Pierce DUI Lawyer Serving St. Lucie County

After a DUI arrest in Fort Pierce or elsewhere in St. Lucie County, the arrested person may be transported to a county detention facility for booking and processing. This can include fingerprinting, photographs, medical screening and review of release or bond eligibility.

The arrest may also begin two separate proceedings. One is a criminal case in St. Lucie County court. The other is an administrative proceeding involving the person’s Florida driving privileges. These proceedings have different deadlines and can produce different outcomes.

Most misdemeanor DUI cases arising in Fort Pierce are handled through the County Criminal Division of Florida’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit. Felony DUI cases are generally handled by the Circuit Criminal Division.

Fort Pierce-area proceedings may take place at:

St. Lucie County Courthouse
218 S. Second Street
Fort Pierce, FL 34950

Some proceedings may be assigned to the St. Lucie County Courthouse Annex at 250 NW Country Club Drive in Port St. Lucie. The citation, release paperwork or court notice should identify the assigned courthouse, courtroom and court date.

Court locations can be confirmed through the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.

A person generally has only 10 days from the date the notice of suspension is issued to request formal or informal review of an administrative driver’s license suspension. Depending on eligibility, another option involving restricted driving privileges may also be available.

The administrative license proceeding is separate from the criminal DUI case. Waiting for the first St. Lucie County court date could cause you to miss the license deadline.

Review the notice of suspension and temporary driving permit carefully. Do not drive unless you are certain that your license or temporary permit remains valid.

Under current Florida law, refusing a lawful breath or urine test can result in administrative and criminal consequences.

A first refusal generally results in a one-year driver’s license suspension and may be prosecuted as a second-degree misdemeanor. If the person has a qualifying prior refusal, the suspension may last 18 months and the refusal may be prosecuted as a first-degree misdemeanor.

Evidence of the refusal may also be introduced in the criminal case. An attorney can examine whether the requested test was lawful, whether the required warning was given and whether the alleged refusal was clear and legally valid.

The current requirements are addressed in Florida Statute §316.1932.

Yes. A reported breath-alcohol result of .08 or higher does not prevent the case from being challenged.

An attorney may investigate:

• Whether the traffic stop was lawful
• Whether sufficient probable cause existed for the arrest
• Whether the required observation period was completed
• Whether the breath-test operator was properly qualified
• Whether the instrument was inspected and maintained
• Whether the test was administered correctly
• Whether a medical or environmental condition affected the result
• Whether the result is consistent with the officer’s observations and video evidence

The significance of any issue depends on the evidence and circumstances of the individual case.

Depending on the facts and evidence, a DUI charge may be challenged, reduced or dismissed. An arrest does not establish guilt, and the prosecution must prove every required element of the charge.

Potential issues may involve an unlawful traffic stop, insufficient probable cause, improperly administered field sobriety exercises, unreliable chemical testing, missing video, medical conditions or conflicts between an officer’s report and the recorded evidence.

Available defenses and potential outcomes depend on the individual case. No attorney can guarantee that a DUI charge will be reduced or dismissed.

A first DUI conviction under Florida law can result in:

• A fine of $500 to $1,000
• Up to six months in jail
• Probation
• Driver’s license revocation
• DUI school and a substance-abuse evaluation
• Community service
• Vehicle impoundment or immobilization
• Court costs and other expenses

Enhanced penalties may apply when the alleged alcohol level was .15 or higher, a passenger under 18 was in the vehicle, the incident involved property damage or injury, or the driver has a previous DUI conviction.

Florida DUI offenses and penalties are addressed in Florida Statute §316.193.

Tourists, seasonal residents and out-of-state drivers arrested in Fort Pierce generally continue to face a criminal case in St. Lucie County after returning home. The arrest may also affect driving privileges in the person’s home state.

A Fort Pierce DUI lawyer can explain which court appearances may be required, whether certain preliminary matters can be handled without the defendant appearing and how the Florida case may affect an out-of-state license.

Leaving Florida does not make the criminal charge or administrative license proceeding disappear.

DUI investigations in Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County may be conducted by:

• Fort Pierce Police Department
• Port St. Lucie Police Department
• St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
• Florida Highway Patrol
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Each agency may use different procedures, equipment and evidence-collection practices. The arrest report should be compared with available body-camera footage, dashboard-camera video, testing records, dispatch records and other evidence.

A crash investigation can result in additional evidence and, in some cases, additional charges. Officers may collect witness statements, vehicle data, photographs, surveillance footage, medical records and blood-test evidence.

DUI cases involving alleged property damage or injury can carry greater potential penalties than a standard first-offense DUI. An attorney may examine who was driving, whether statements are protected by Florida’s accident-report privilege, how chemical evidence was obtained and whether the prosecution can prove that impairment caused or contributed to the crash.

The cost depends on factors such as the complexity of the case, prior DUI history, number of charges, chemical-testing issues and whether the case involves an accident, injury or felony allegation.

The Ticket Clinic offers clear pricing and flexible payment options, including installment plans in many cases. Contact the Fort Pierce office for a quote based on the circumstances of the case.

After a DUI arrest:

• Keep every document provided by law enforcement, the jail and the court
• Note the arrest date and the 10-day license deadline
• Avoid discussing the case on social media
• Write down what happened while the details remain fresh
• Preserve receipts, photographs, messages and witness information
• Save ride-share, location and transaction records
• Avoid driving unless you are certain your license or permit is valid
• Speak with a Fort Pierce DUI attorney promptly

Early action may help preserve surveillance video, body-camera footage, testing records and other evidence that could become important to the defense.