DUI Defense in the Tri-Cities

A DUI charge in Tennessee carries mandatory penalties, even for a first offense. Under Tennessee law, DUI penalties can include jail time, fines, loss of driving privileges, ignition interlock requirements, alcohol and drug assessments, court costs, probation, and a permanent criminal conviction.

For a first-offense DUI, Tennessee law requires at least forty-eight (48) consecutive hours in jail and allows a sentence of up to eleven (11) months and twenty-nine (29) days. If the person's blood alcohol concentration is .15 or higher, the minimum jail sentence increases to seven (7) consecutive days. A first offense also carries a fine of $350 to $1,500 and a one-year loss of driving privileges. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-402, 55-10-403, 55-10-404.

For a second-offense DUI, Tennessee law requires at least forty-five (45) consecutive days in jail, with a maximum sentence of eleven (11) months and twenty-nine (29) days. A second offense carries a fine of $600 to $3,500 and a two-year loss of driving privileges. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-402, 55-10-403, 55-10-404.

For a third-offense DUI, Tennessee law requires at least one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days in jail, with a maximum sentence of eleven (11) months and twenty-nine (29) days. A third offense carries a fine of $1,100 to $10,000 and a six-year loss of driving privileges. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-402, 55-10-403, 55-10-404.

A fourth-offense DUI is a felony in Tennessee. A person convicted of a fourth offense must serve at least one hundred fifty (150) consecutive days and may face the punishment authorized for a Class E felony. A fourth or subsequent DUI carries a fine of $3,000 to $15,000 and an eight-year loss of driving privileges. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-402, 55-10-403, 55-10-404.

At Spurrell, Studer & Matney Law Group, we handle DUI cases throughout the Tri-Cities, including Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, and the surrounding counties. Attorney Matthew Matney’s experience as a former Tennessee prosecutor gives our firm valuable insight into how DUI cases are investigated, charged, negotiated, and tried. Combined with the extensive courtroom and trial experience of Grace Studer and Donald Spurrell, our firm is prepared to examine every part of the State’s case—from the traffic stop and field sobriety tests to breath or blood testing, constitutional issues, and trial strategy.

A DUI arrest does not automatically mean a DUI conviction. The State must prove its case, and every case deserves careful review.