Tampa DUI Attorney – Hillsborough County, FL

Whittel & Melton
Tampa, Florida DUI Defense Trial Lawyers
Tampa DWI Attorney
FORMER STATE DUI PROSECUTORS
Board Certified, Florida Criminal Trial
813-221-3200

Your 24/7 Hillsborough County, Florida DUI and FL DWI Resource

The attorneys at the law office of Whittel & Melton understand the complexities of a Florida DUI charge. Our Tampa, Florida DUI Defense lawyers will challenge every aspect of your DUI to see that you get what you get the best possible result, despite the situation.

ATTENTION: You have 10 days to challenge your immediate DUI suspension. Call today 24/7 at 813-221-3200.

Our lawyers handle all DUI charges including:

• Tampa, FL Misdemeanor DUI
• Tampa, FL DUI with property damage
• Tampa, FL DUI with personal injury
• Tampa, FL Felony DUI
• Tampa, FL DUI with Serious Bodily Injury
• Tampa, FL DUI Manslaughter
• 2nd DUI within 5 years
• 3rd DUI within 10 years
• Tampa DUI with over .15 breath reading

Tampa DUI Defense, 813-221-3200 Call Now!
Statewide Toll-free DUI Lawyers, 813-221-3200

Our Tampa DUI lawyers will research all applicable laws and factual scenarios for your case. As an example the following issues will be immediately explored:

1. Was the DUI stop, or reason for Tampa Police, FHP or Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office/government encounter, legal? Was it a good stop?
2. Did the police have the right to search your vehicle or you personally during the Tampa DUI arrest?
3. Did the Tampa DUI officer or Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy inform you of your rights? If so, When did they do so?
4. Are there any civilian witnesses at the scene or shortly thereafter or before that can testify on your behalf?
5. Are there any potential expert witnesses that can testify on our behalf?
6. Is there a video, body cam or dash camera available to view in your case?
7. How did the DUI officer conduct the Field Sobriety Exercises?
8. How was the Breath Test Conducted?
9. How has the Breath Machine performed on recent inspections?
10. How has the Breath Machine been cleaned and maintained?
11. Are there any Speedy Trial implications?
12. Are there any Statute of Limitations issues?
13. Did the officers have jurisdiction to make an arrest? When did chase or encounter begin? Where was car when ultimately you made contact with law enforcement?
14. Where are your prior convictions? Can they even be used as an enhancement in a Tampa courtroom?

Whittel & Melton, LLC
Tampa, FL DUI Defense Lawyers
Tampa, Florida
813-221-3200
866-608-5529

You want the assurance of knowing that you are being kept informed of any new and breaking legal developments. Similarly, it’s important for our clients to stay informed about your charges in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida. Our experience has been the better informed our client is, the more prepared the client will be to discuss their case with our criminal attorneys, both, at our office, or in the courtroom.

The Below information is solely for informational purposes. Please be aware any and all statements made to law enforcement, state, university, city, county or otherwise can be used against you.

Tampa Police Department
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Hillsborough County Jail
Hillsborough County State Attorney
Hillsborough County Juvenile Justice
Hillsborough County Clerk of Court
City of Tampa
Hillsborough County Government

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Tampa DUI? Should I Fight My DUI by Myself?

There is no doubt it takes little to no effort to walk into a Tampa courtroom and tell a criminal judge you are guilty and you accept whatever punishment the court deems necessary. If you are reading this web page we know you are interested in the best possible outcome for your case. You have rights, and the criminal justice system in this country provides all those charged with crimes to test the worthiness of the evidence the Tampa Police Department or Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office intends to use against you and in doing so either be ready for a trial of your peers or negotiate a resolution with the State of Florida. YES you need a lawyer to do all of these things effectively. Technically, you can do anything in a court by yourself, but that is not recommended and seldom effective.

How Much Will a Tampa DUI Attorney Cost?

DUI Defense can range anywhere from $1,000 – $100,000 across the state, there are many factors that impact a fee. Just a few that could be important, any prior DUIs? Accident? Injuries? Death? Other Arrests from the incident? In Tampa the fees are no different. While it’s fundamentally true that you get what you pay for, paying more does not necessarily get you a better defense, but paying less generally always gets you less legal work towards your case. WHY? Because the lawyer who takes the low fee can’t devote the same amount of time as the lawyer who takes the higher fee, because there is simply only so many hours in a day. Lawyers who take aggressively low fees can also have high case loads and need more clients to make ends meet. Call us, lets talk about your budget and what we think makes sense. We will tell you if your budget meets our needs to mount a proper DUI defense.

If My Attorney Convinces Prosecutors or the Judge to Reduce the Tampa Dui Charge, What is the Best Deal?

Every case is different, but when negotiating sometimes attorneys discuss changing the charge(as the question presumes), but other times we are negotiating the sentence instead. For instance in one case, we may be discussing a plea from DUI down to Reckless Driving, however in another case we may be discussing eliminating jail time from the disposition and having all probation.

Can I Go to Jail in Tampa on My First DUI?

Certainly when arrested, most DUI arrests include a few hours in jail. Often times on a first DUI, with no prior offenses, that will be the only time a DUI defendant will see a jail. However, these 1st time DUI defendants, if convicted, need to take probation seriously as they will certainly find there way back to jail. Multiple DUIs, DUI Serious Bodily Injury, DUI Manslaughter and DUIs involving destruction of property, injury to others and certainly death all can involve jailtime in both county jail and state prison.

Will the Judge Take Away My Florida License for a Tampa DUI Conviction?

In some cases a defendant’s Florida driving privileges can be revoked or suspended for a lifetime. These types of suspensions are very rare, however, more common is a suspension according to the statutory regime in Florida.

How Many Years Until My Tampa DUI Will Fall Off My Record?

The simple answer is NEVER. The longer answer is some convictions can be revisited and perhaps changed by a court due to an individual’s circumstances. Ultimately, DUI convictions cannot “fall off” a record because the entire statutory construct of DUI penalties involve the numerosity and recency of the prior DUIs.

Can I Get Arrested for DUI in Tampa Just for Sleeping in My Car?

Unfortunately, despite doing what we want all drivers who have had too many, YES some of the more aggressive police departments in the state regularly arrest Tampa drivers for DUI despite merely sleeping their car. The allowance for this arrest falls within the legal doctrine of “actual physical control”. Courts have disagreed as to when this should be applied, and if you arrested for sleeping in a car, be sure your lawyers understands this legal issue and is ready to develop a trial strategy and/or consider filing motions as to this issue.

Can I Get a DUI in Tampa While Riding in a Golf Cart, Bicycle, Motorized Wheelchair?

Also unfortunately, motorized vehicles, while operating in the state of Florida have been known to be the vehicle of a DUI arrest. These vehicles are not all created the same and this issue should be well investigated by an experienced Tampa DUI lawyer.

Whittel & Melton, LLC
Tampa DUI Defense Lawyers
Felony – Misdemeanor – Juvenile – DUI – DUI Manslaughter
813-221-3200

The Hillsborough County, Florida DUI Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton, LLC proudly represent clients for any misdemeanor, felony, juvenile, violation of probation or sex offender registration case throughout Hillsborough County including Tampa, Plant City, South Tampa, Apollo Beach, Adams Ville, Bahia Beach, Balm, Bealsville, Bloomingdale, Boyette, Brandon, Citrus Park, Cosme, Dover, Drew Park, Gibsonton, Gulf City, Keystone, Keysville, Knights, Lake Fern, Limona, Lithia, Lutz, Mango, Mooring of Manatee, Orient Park, Palm River, Port Tampa, Port Tampa City, Produce, Providence, Rattlesnake, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Summerfield, Sun City, Sun City Center, Sydney, Temple