In November 2018, the first pot shops opened up in Massachusetts. While recreational marijuana is legal in the Commonwealth, “baked driving,” or driving under the influence of marijuana, is not. In fact, this is charged as a DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) and carries very harsh penalties.
THC can stay in a person’s system for weeks after ingesting marijuana. This means that a smoker can get arrested for an OUI when they least expect it- even if they are not under the influence at that time. We have noticed an uptick in these types of cases and expect that police will be targeting marijuana users as a source for easy arrests.
If you have been arrested for a DUI stemming out of use of marijuana, please know that this is a serious charge and, if not handled properly, you can be wrongfully convicted. A conviction will result in a license suspension and possibly jail time, depending on your prior driving and/or criminal history. You may also see an increase in insurance premiums and you will have a DUI on your permanent criminal history.
Fortunately, there is hope. Attorney Michael Bowser has never lost a DUI Marijuana case. Ever. He has exclusive scientific training in how to challenge marijuana cases and uses that knowledge to fight for his clients. Not every attorney knows how to handle these cases correctly because of the complex scientific and legal issues involved.
Attorney Bowser was recently interviewed on WCAP’s Expert Network program about driving after using marijuana and the legal ramifications, as well as about his stellar courtroom record. Please take a listen:
If you have a DUI marijuana case, Mike Bowser would like to speak to you. Please give him a call at 888-526-9737 for a free, detailed case consultation.
The penalties for an OUI in MA are very severe. On top of that, there are many other consequences you will face if you are convicted of an OUI. One of the most costly is the increase in your car insurance premiums.
An OUI is one of the worst driving offenses you can commit and your insurance company will use your mistake to increase your insurance rates. Even if you had many years of trouble free driving, an OUI gets you classified as a risky driver. Many Massachusetts drivers have seen their car insurance rates go up drastically. Unfortunately, once these insurance rates increase, they stay much higher for many years to come. When added up, just the increase in your insurance rates can cost you over $10,000 within a few years.
The only way to avoid this, is to be found “not guilty”, and that can only happen if you fight these charges. To fight these charges, you need an experienced trial lawyer who knows how to protect your rights. If you want to fight, call us now: (888) 526-9737.
People who can’t afford an OUI conviction, hire Mike Bowser.
Operating under the Influence (OUI) carries some severe penalties under Massachusetts law. Many drivers underestimate how much trouble they are in because maybe they “have never been in trouble before”. Therefore, they make the mistake of not hiring an attorney or hiring a cheap, inexperienced lawyer. Before they realize it, they are facing some harsh consequences. OUI penalties are nothing to take lightly.
Here is a summary of the OUI penalties in Massachusetts
First OUI Offense
- License Suspension:
- Up to 1 Year
- Fines:
- $500-$5,000
- Jail:
- Up to 2.5 years
Second OUI Offense
- License Suspension:
- 2 Years
- Fines:
- $600-$10,000
- Jail:
- 30 days to 2.5 years
Third OUI Offense
- License Suspension:
- 8 Years
- Fines:
- $1,000-$15,000
- Jail:
- 150 days to 5 years
Fourth OUI Offense
- License Suspension:
- 10 Years Minimum
- Fines:
- $1,500-$25,000
- Jail:
- 1 to 5 years
Fifth OUI Offense
- License Suspension:
- Permanent
- Fines:
- $2,000-$50,000
- Jail:
- 2-5 Years
Call now for your free case consultation. If you are an out of state resident, we can make sure that you don’t have to show up for every court date and miss time from work. Call now: (888) 526-9737
*The one year license suspension option is rarely implemented for a first offense. Typically, the license suspension is 45-60 days or 90 days.
As you can see. you could face jail time and a lengthy license suspension even if it is your first offense. Losing your license will severely change your quality of life and make it both expensive and time consuming for you to get to work and other places you need to go.
The best thing you can do for yourself is get the right legal help from an experienced trial lawyer. If you want to fight, call us now: (888) 526-9737.
