Penalties for DWI Probation Violations

Lindsay Lohan's High-Profile Legal Troubles Highlight an Issue Often Ignored

Legal trouble does not generally go away on its own. Actress, fashionista and model Lindsay Lohan is learning that lesson the hard way. Her failure to follow the conditions of probation from two separate 2007 DUI convictions has resulted in a 90-day jail sentence and a rehab stint of the same length.

California Superior Court Judge Marsha Reve stated Lohan's non-compliance with instructions to attend alcohol education classes as the determining factor in deciding to incarcerate Lohan.

This case, the most recent in a long line of celebrity legal sagas involving drugs or alcohol, has brought the debate of DWI/DUI probation violation punishments back into the limelight. Obviously, Lohan's case is in the California court system, but parolees face similar consequences for violations across the country.

In New York, for example, there are a wide range of possible penalties for initial DUI charges when they result in probation (including wearing an alcohol-monitoring device like a SCRAM bracelet, random sobriety tests, alcohol evaluations and installation of an ignition interlock device). Some of those punishments could also be imposed for violations of probationary conditions, including:

• Incarceration for all or part of your remaining probationary period
• Additional probation time
• Loss of your driver's license
• Hefty fines
• Community service hours
• Alcohol education classes

Whether you are facing a DUI charge or allegedly violated the conditions of your probation, you should seek the counsel of an experienced drunk-driving defense attorney to protect your rights.