If you are driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, you are not only putting your life at risk, you are putting innocent people in jeopardy as well. In Nebraska, you can be arrested and convicted for DUI in one of two ways. Your conviction can either be due to your failure of the field sobriety test, or having a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher. If your manner of driving appears to be impaired, the police officer can arrest you for a DUI regardless of your BAC. Likewise, you can also be guilty of DUI if your BAC is beyond the legal limit, even if your manner of driving appears not to be impaired.
DUI Arrests in Nebraska
If a police officer pulls you over while you are intoxicated, you could face serious legal trouble. A DUI arrest in Nebraska triggers two separate cases: a criminal court case and an administrative hearing. You and your prosecutor will argue your innocence or guilt in a 6-person jury. Because this is a legal proceeding, a DUI lawyer can well-represent you in court to put doubt in the juror’s minds. The result of this case will determine whether or not you will be convicted of DUI. Moreover, if you are found guilty of drunk driving, the criminal courts will decide on the severity of your penalties and punishments as a result of your unlawful action. Aside from the criminal courts, you will also have to face an Administrative License Revocation Hearing to argue your right to drive. You must immediately request this hearing within 10 days of your arrest otherwise your license will automatically be confiscated.
Basic Consequences for First Time Offenders
The penalties for drunk driving can vary from state to state. On a first DUI conviction in Nebraska, you can expect to face the following charges:
Like all other states, habitual DUI offenders in Nebraska will face heavier penalties and punishments.
License Suspensions for Nebraska DUI
As mentioned earlier, your Nebraska DUI conviction will also affect your ability to drive having your license confiscated. The duration of your license suspension is determined at your Administrative License Revocation Hearing where typical lengths are as follows:
If this is your first DUI offense, you can apply for a work permit after serving the first 30 days of your suspension. This temporary license will enable you to drive to and from work. This license, however, is not available for repeat offenders. In addition to the outlined suspension times, the length of your license suspension will also depend on the penalties imposed on you by the criminal courts wherein typical suspension times are as follows:
Nevertheless, the courts may waive this additional suspension time if you install an ignition interlock device on your car.
Insurance Consequences
A conviction of DUI in Nebraska can wreak havoc not only on your personal life, but also on your financial livelihood. Having a DUI on your driving record can put you on a high risk category, hence affecting your car insurance. At such, your insurance provider may either cancel your policy or may have to drastically increase your rates. Even if you’d prefer shifting from one company to another, looking for a new provider can definitely be a challenge this time around.