Tennessee residents who are accused of DUI-related crimes could potentially have their charges fall under two categories. Some DUI charges will be categorized as misdemeanors, which are slightly more forgiving. Others, however, will be categorized as felonies.
As FindLaw shows, felony DUIs can be the result of a number of different actions. They can be broken down into the following categories:
- Child endangerment
- Past convictions
- Elevated BAC levels
- Bodily harm
- Driving on a suspended or revoked license
Past convictions or driving on a suspended or revoked license both revolve around your past history as a driver. If you have been convicted of DUI-related charges before or have had your license revoked or suspended for other reasons, then the courts will likely not settle for a misdemeanor charge this time around.
Elevated blood alcohol content (BAC) levels involve and BAC level that is over .16 percent or higher, on average. This differs from state to state. In states that implement an elevated DUI charge, harsher punishments are handed down to those convicted.
Child endangerment includes any act of DUI with a child of 15 or under present in the vehicle. The age can sometimes differ. You don't need to be involved in any crash or law-breaking in order for this to apply.
Bodily harm involves any incident in which another driver is injured because of the actions of someone driving under the influence. Exceptions apply if the DUI-related driver was hit rather than hitting someone else, though they will still face a misdemeanor charge for DUI.
If you're facing a felony DUI charge, you may want to contact an attorney for more information or assistance. Having legal aid in this area can make a difference when it comes to tackling your case in court.
