All the Fees that Come with an Overnight DUI Stay in Jail
If you get pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, you know you’re in trouble. If you are convicted, you know you’re going to face repercussions like losing your license, paying huge fines, and serving community service, among others. You may even know that you could spend some time in jail.
What you may not realize is that you can also be charged for the cost of putting you in jail. That’s right: You may have to pay for your own punishment. It’s just one of the many reasons why you should hire one of the best DUI defense lawyers in Arizona you can afford if you’ve been charged with a DUI. With the right legal representation, you may be able to get a reduced sentence or even avoid conviction, saving you a lot of money and allowing you to move on after your mistake more quickly.
Arizona Statute
Whether or not you will have to pay for your incarceration won’t usually be a matter of debate. Arizona Revised Statute 13-804.01 stipulates that courts must order those convicted of a misdemeanor to pay back the cost of their night in jail.
The statute says that you have to pay the costs to the division that has jurisdiction over your stay. So you might end up paying the city authorities or county authorities, depending on where you were arrested.
The Cost of Incarceration
How much you will actually end up paying for your incarceration will depend on a number of factors. Since you have to pay the jurisdiction responsible for jailing you, the amount you pay will primarily depend on what the per diem cost of housing inmates is in that jurisdiction.
At a minimum, you can expect to pay a few hundred dollars for your stay. But you may end up paying much more. If the city or county has a contract with a private provider, you could end up paying much more. Your attorney can advise you on what to expect and on what your options are if you cannot (or don’t want to) pay.
Lowering the Cost
In some cases, the courts will lower the amount you are ordered to pay if you can show that you are not able to pay. But don’t expect the court to take your word for it! You will need to be prepared with documentation showing your income, your debts, your overall expenses, and information about any dependents you have.
Officials will analyze the information that you provide and determine whether you are able to pay the costs. The court may waive all of the fees or may simply reduce them. These fees will be in addition to fines you must pay, costs to install an ignition interlock device if ordered to have one, and so on.
Hiring a DUI Attorney
The best thing you can do if you are charged with driving under the influence is find the best DUI lawyer you can afford. A good DUI attorney in Arizona will fight to protect your rights and keep you from being convicted. But where that’s not possible, your attorney will fight to minimize your charges and your sentence.
Therefore, you may end up paying a little extra money to get a lawyer on your side, but you may end up paying much less in fines and other costs, including your jail stay and installing an ignition interlock device. If your attorney can keep a conviction off your record, you’ll also end up saving a lot of money over the long run since your insurance rates won’t go up.
My AZ Lawyers can help if you’ve been charged with DUI in Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, or the Phoenix area. Our DUI defense lawyers are committed to defending your rights and helping you to minimize penalties so that you can move on more quickly. Our DUI lawyers will help you understand your rights and your legal options to determine the best path forward after your arrest. Our DUI attorneys are some of the best in the area, and they have a reputation for getting results. Call us today to talk with one of our DUI defense lawyers about your options.
Mesa Location:
1731 West Baseline Rd., Suite #100
Mesa, AZ 85202
Office: (480) 448-9800
Glendale Location:
20325 N 51st Avenue Suite #134, Building 5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Office: (602) 509-0955
Tucson Location:
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Office: (520) 441-1450
Avondale Location:
12725 W. Indian School Rd., Ste E, #101
Avondale, AZ 85392
