Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals
A Cincinnati attorney with Joslyn Law Firm understands the potential effects of driving under the influence (DUI) on professionals. Our criminal defense lawyers may be able to help you stay out of jail, clear your name, and keep your job.
We have successfully handled 20,000 cases for clients from all walks of life, including teachers, truck drivers, athletes, nurses, doctors, and even other lawyers. Our DUI defense lawyers can fight for you to retain your driving privileges, freedom, and professional licenses or career. Here are just a few of our DUI legal victories:
- Charges: OVI (Operating a Vehicle While Impaired) and Failure to Control
- Client: 23-year-old nurse from Morrow County
- We reached a plea bargain for a three-day DIP program, no probation, and a one-year driver’s license suspension
- The client retained his nursing career
- Charges: OVI and Hit & Skip
- Client: Nationwide logistics specialist from Fairfield County with previous OVI
- We negotiated to a misdemeanor traffic citation (Failure to Control), $25 fine, and no jail time
- The client kept his job
- Charges: OVI, Vehicular Homicide, and Vehicular Manslaughter
- Client: 30-year-old construction worker from Muskingum County
- Three-day jury trial
- Not Guilty on all charges
We cannot guarantee the outcome of your case—what we can promise is that our legal team will do everything possible to secure your freedom, clear your name, and protect your professional reputation.
Get Help from Our Award-Winning Law Firm
A DUI conviction has far-reaching consequences. In addition to driver’s license suspension, potential incarceration, and fines, a DUI conviction may be grounds for dismissal in certain professions. As a result, you could lose a career that you have invested many years of education and experience in building.
You want the best possible outcome for your case. If we cannot get the prosecution to reduce or drop the charges, we take your case to court. The team at Joslyn Law Firm leaves no stone unturned in our pursuit of your acquittal. You have every resource of our award-winning law firm to assist you.
Our firm’s founder, Attorney Brian Joslyn, is one of Ohio’s most decorated trial lawyers, with commendations including:
- Named Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbard
- Named Top Ten Law Firm by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
- Named Top Ten Law Firm by the American Jurist Institute
- Designated “Top Lawyer” by Columbus CEO Magazine
- Nominated for Ten Best Criminal Defense Firms in Ohio by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys
- Named Best Lawyer by BirdEye
When your life, liberty, and career are hanging in the balance, turn to the law firm that focuses on DUI and OVI defense. Contact Joslyn Law Firm for a free, no-risk case evaluation. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help with your case. Call us at (513) 399-6289 today.
Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals in Cincinnati Information Center
- DUI and OVI Charges Overview
- Penalties for DUI Convictions in Ohio
- Impact of DUI Conviction on Medical Professionals in Cincinnati
- Effect of DUI Conviction on Nurses in Ohio
- Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio Pharmacists
- Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio Educators
- Effect of DUI Conviction for Lawyers Practicing in Ohio
- Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio’s First Responders and Public Safety Workers
- Effects of DUI Conviction on Financial Service Professionals
- Resources for Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals
- DUI News Stories in Ohio
- FAQs Potential Effects of DUI on Ohio Professionals
- Attorney for Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals in Cincinnati
DUI and OVI Charges Overview
Ohio has different acronyms for having physical control of a motorized vehicle after consuming alcohol or another drug. These acronyms include:
- DUI: Driving Under the Influence
- OVI: Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence
- DWI: Driving While Intoxicated
There are minor differences in the specific statutes but driving or operating a vehicle while intoxicated or high is against the law. The law also does not specify that you must be driving a car or truck. You can be arrested for a DUI while operating a bicycle, horse-drawn carriage, or different types of “vehicle.”
Ohio’s legal threshold for intoxication is a BAC of .08 percent or urine alcohol content of .11 percent, according to Ohio Revised Code Section 5119.90. There are different requirements for a minor arrested on OVI charges. You should also know that you can be charged with a DUI or OVI regardless of your BAC limits—whether you are legally drunk or not.
Do You Have to Take a Chemical Test for DUI or OVI Charges?
Ohio has an “implied consent” law about chemical tests for DUI or OVI charges, according to Ohio Revised Code Section 4511.191. As part of your driver’s license privileges, the state presumes that you agree to a blood, urine, or breath test if an officer has probable cause for intoxication.
You may refuse a chemical test, but this triggers an automatic one-year suspension of your driver’s license if this is your first drunk driving offense. The suspension may be longer if you have prior DUI or OVI convictions.
Penalties for DUI Convictions in Ohio
There are two types of penalties for a DUI charge:
- Automatic suspension of your driver’s license
- Possible jail or prison terms, fines, and the risk of dismissal for certain professions
Administrative License Suspension After a DUI
Penalties for a DUI begin at arrest when the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) automatically suspends your license. A person with a license suspended from failing or refusing a chemical test may file a petition within 30 days to request limited driving privileges.
A DUI defense lawyer from our team can represent you when you appeal for a return of your driving privileges. The court may allow you a restricted license for driving back and forth from work to home.
You can potentially avoid a suspended license or restricted license if you are a first-time offender.
“Annie’s Law” Allows Some DUI Offenders to Retain Their Driving Privileges
“Annie’s Law,” or HB 388, gives first-time DUI offenders who failed a chemical test the option of retaining their license if they agree to particular conditions:
- Installing an ignition lock connected to a breath test on your vehicle, which prevents the engine from starting if your breath alcohol levels meet or exceed legal limits
- Purchasing a special license plate that identifies you to law enforcement as an offender
Under Ohio law, penalties for license suspensions become more restrictive with repeated DUI violations.
Criminal Penalties for DUI
There are mandatory minimums for DUI convictions. You should also know that the higher your BAC level, the harsher your penalty. These are known as “low tier” and “high tier.” Similarly, your sentence may be stiffer if you refuse to take a chemical test.
For the first, second and third DUI convictions, you will face:
- Up to five years imprisonment
- Mandatory license suspension
- License reinstatement fees
- Fines up to $2,750
- Special license plates that publicly identify you as a drunk driver
- Installation of an interlock ignition device at your expense
- A mandatory alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet
- Mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment
- Up to five years of probation
A fourth DUI conviction and beyond is a felony. Felony sentences carry longer prison terms, steeper fines, and extended license suspensions.
Impact of DUI Conviction on Medical Professionals in Cincinnati
In addition to criminal penalties, there are potentially severe effects of a DUI for medical professionals. The State Medical Board of Ohio is the regulatory agency that oversees medical licenses for:
- Doctor of Medicine (MD or OD)
- Physician Assistants (PA)
- Radiology Assistants
- Anesthesiologist Assistants
- Acupuncturist
- Dietetics
This board could suspend your medical license for a minimum of 30 days for any felony conviction, guilty plea, or a sentencing alternative program.
Adjudicating a DUI Before the State Medical Board Disciplinary Committee
Ohio requires that a doctor or other healthcare professional report a DUI within 48 hours. Doctors must also report any colleague arrested for drunk driving. The State Medical Board of Ohio has the authority to issue sanctions that could result in a temporary or permanent loss of medical privileges statewide.
A DUI conviction might indicate a dependency on drugs or alcohol. As a result, the medical board could suspend or revoke your license based on suspicion of substance abuse or addiction.
A defense lawyer with Joslyn Law Firm could help mitigate the professional penalties in several scenarios by:
- Providing representation at hearings and investigations
- Responding to record requests and allegations
- Presenting evidence, arguments, and testimony
Effect of DUI Conviction on Nurses in Ohio
A DUI in Cincinnati has the potential to end your nursing career. Ohio Revised Code Section 4723.28 gives the Ohio Board of Nursing licensing and disciplinary authority for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
A DUI alone may not automatically bar you from nursing. However, the board may deny you a nursing license or place restrictions on your current license if you pleaded guilty to or were convicted of:
- Any felony
- A crime involving gross immorality or moral turpitude
- A misdemeanor drug violation
- A misdemeanor committed while acting as a professional nurse
Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio Pharmacists
Pharmacists work with prescription medication, which includes drugs with an increased risk of addiction. If you are a pharmacist, intern, technician, or associate in pharmacology, the last thing you need is a DUI conviction.
Ohio Administrative Code Rule 4729-6-02 gives the State Board of Pharmacy the authority to issue disciplinary actions, including suspension, depending on any prior history of:
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- DUI arrest (even without a conviction)
- Previous DUI convictions
Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio Educators
The Ohio State Board of Educators may refuse to grant or revoke a license from an educator with a criminal record. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3319.31, a teacher who pleads guilty to or is convicted of a felony offense is subject to disciplinary action. Even a misdemeanor DUI could cost you a teaching license if you plead guilty or are convicted of any crime considered immoral or unworthy of the teaching profession.
Effect of DUI Conviction for Lawyers Practicing in Ohio
Attorneys are expected to conduct themselves to the highest legal and professional standards under rules established by the Ohio Supreme Court.
While the professional rules of conduct do not explicitly mention DUIs, any conduct that “adversely reflects on the lawyer’s fitness to practice law” may be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including disbarment.
Impact of DUI Conviction on Ohio’s First Responders and Public Safety Workers
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), police officers, firefighters, and other public safety workers could be immediately suspended or even terminated for intoxication in the line of duty. A DUI with a mandatory license suspension may also impact first responders since they often need a valid driver’s license to operate work vehicles.
Impact of DUI Conviction on Financial Service Professionals
Professionals in the financial service industry, including mortgage brokers, bankers, and investment advisors, are regulated by the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. You must pass a criminal background check before securing or renewing your financial service license or certification. A DUI conviction may give the state reason to think that you are unfit to serve consumers and institutions.
Resources for Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals
Driver Intervention Program | Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
The MHA’s Driver Intervention Program (DIP) is an alternative to the compulsory three-day jail term for first-time convicted DUI offenders. The court may elect to send an individual to this two- or three-day educational and screening program on traffic safety education, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and addiction.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Founded in 1980, MADD is committed to educating drivers about the risk of getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs. They are a powerful lobbying group focused on stricter drunk driving laws and rigorous enforcement of current statutes.
EMS & Fire Disciplinary Actions | Ohio Emergency Medical Services
The Ohio Revised Code Section 4765.30 requires that any emergency medical technician or firefighter must be certified by the state. These individuals must also take continuing education courses to retain and renew their certificates. Emergency medical technicians and firefighters are also subject to a criminal background check.
On this page, you can see the steps for reporting a criminal conviction or information for those EMS or fire certificate applicants who have a criminal record. Anyone holding one of these licenses must notify the division of the final sentencing with 14 days.
A list of rules that regulate investigations and compliance of division laws are also available on this page.
Complaints & Discipline Records | Ohio Board of Nursing
The Ohio Board of Nursing oversees the professional licenses and certificates for 300,000 healthcare professionals. These include registered nurses (RNs), registered nurses (APRNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), community health workers (CHWs), advanced practice dialysis technicians (DTs), and medication aides (MA-Cs).
This page provides links to public records requests, a page for filing complaints, information about actions the Board of Nursing has taken, and a request form for records of discipline.
You can also find a Guide to the Ohio Board of Nursing’s Complaint and Investigation Process here.
Find Treatment | Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
In addition to professional fallout, the mental and physical toll of substance abuse will impact every aspect of your life. The Find Treatment tool from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration allows you to look for treatment facilities in your area, possible avenues of treatment, and other resources for seeking help.
Take Charge Ohio
Take Charge Ohio aims to help those dealing with addiction to opioids and other prescription medication use. If your DUI charge stems from your prescription medication abuse, you can review the resources that help you seek treatment.
DUI News Stories in Ohio
June 24, 2021
“Ohio Court Upholds Drunk Driving Arrest Based on Citizen Tip”
The Ohio Supreme Court upheld a 2017 drunk driving arrest that began as an accusation by an anonymous tipster. An unidentified man pointed out a woman driver to a police officer, saying, “That lady is drunk!”
The defendant, Sherry Tidwell of Hamilton County, was pulled over and subsequently arrested for a DUI. Her attorneys argued that the traffic stop and arrest were unconstitutional based on illegal search and seizure. However, Ohio’s highest court upheld the arrest.
February 25, 2021
“Ohio Sees Spike in Drunk Driving Fatalities”
Although the COVID-19 pandemic kept Ohio drivers off roadways in 2020, there were more drunk driving deaths than the previous year. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 586 fatal crashes involving drugs or alcohol in 2020. There were 529 deadly accidents in 2019.
April 19, 2021
“Simulated OVI Crash Training in Ashland Broken Up by Real OVI”
A real-life drunk driver interrupted a mock OVI crash training presentation. Law enforcement officers conducted demonstrations for students at the West Holmes Career Center when a driver sped into the parking lot.
It was unclear at first if the man was part of the make-believe OVI course. Still, officers quickly realized that he was impaired. The driver failed the sobriety test and was arrested.
FAQs Potential Effects of DUI on Ohio Professionals
- Could I lose my medical license for a first-time DUI?
- As a first-time offender, you might not face any disciplinary action, or you could lose your license for a short time. An attorney from our team could argue your appeal or present your case to a state medical board hearing.
- Are there any alternatives to the automatic license suspension?
- The court may sentence you to a Driver Intervention Program (DIP) instead of suspending your license, especially if this is your first drunk driving offense. You could also ask the court to allow you limited driving privileges that involve driving to work or driving for work.
- Am I required to report my DUI to the Board of Education?
- We strongly encourage you to volunteer this information as a gesture of repentance and good faith. An attorney from our team can help you defend yourself and remain a teacher.
- Can you be charged with a DUI while riding a bicycle?
- Under Ohio law, you can be charged with a DUI when driving or operating a car, truck, bicycle, and several other vehicles.
Attorney for Potential Effects of DUI on Professionals in Cincinnati
There are many potential effects of a DUI on professionals in Cincinnati. An attorney with Joslyn Law Firm can fight to keep you out of jail and in your chosen profession. Call our award-winning criminal defense firm today for a free consultation: (513) 399-6289.
