Former University of Kentucky basketball coach, Billy Gillispie was charged with DUI this week. Gillispie was charged in Kentucky and has twice been arrested for DUI once in Oklahoma and once in Texas according to news reports. In the Oklahoma case, Gillispie avoid a DUI conviction by accepting a plea to a lesser charge.
In Massachusetts, the importance of avoiding DUI convictions is extremely important as Massachusetts has a lifetime look back for all prior DUI offenses that include convictions in other states. Accordingly, any time a motorist is arrest for DUI in Massachusetts the offense level is based on all prior DUI convictions regardless of whether or not they occur in Massachusetts. Sometimes the district attorney's office is not aware of an out of state conviction or cannot prove an out of state conviction at trial, but even if the charge is treated as a lesser DUI offense in the court, the Registry of Motor Vehicles will go by its own records of prior DUI convictions.
Generally, the only way to avoid a DUI conviction in Massachusetts is to proceed to trial as it is rare for a district attorney to agree to dismiss or reduce an OUI charge to a lesser offense of negligent operation. Even if a breathalyzer is below the legal limit of .08, most Massachusetts OUI defends will be forced to proceed to trial in order to obtain an acquittal on the charge as district attorneys generally have a policy against reducing or dismissing an OUI charge.
Attorney DelSignore is a Quincy, Massachusetts DUI lawyer that represents clients throughout Massachusetts and will fight vigorously to help you avoid a DUI conviction. Attorney DelSignore is available to discuss your case at a free consultation and can be contacted immediately at 508-455-4755 or 781-686-5924 or by email.
