When it comes to DUI's, laws can vary quite a bit from state to state. The penalties in some states are much more severe than the penalties in others, which means that it is very important to understand exactly how your state treats DUI's, To help you out with that, here are some of the crucial rules to be aware of when it comes to DUI's in Oregon: 

Jail Time

First of all, you should be aware that you can spend time in jail if convicted of a DUI. If it's your first offense, then the punishment will likely be fairly short, since the required sentence is anywhere from 48 hours to a year. Of course, the amount of jail time does go up substantially if it's your second or third offense, in which case the maximum penalty goes up to 1 and 5 years respectively. 

You might notice that the maximum sentence for first and second offenses is identical, which is mainly because the court has a large amount of discretion in determining the exact length of your sentence. If you can convince the court that your offense was a simple mistake and that it won't happen again in the future, then you might not even spend a week in jail. However, if you acted with gross negligence, then you might spend closer to a year in jail.

The sharp increase in maximum sentence between the second and third offense can play a pretty big role in your fate as well. Even if you court wants to give you a very harsh punishment for a second offense, they generally cannot force you to go to prison for more than a year. On the other hand, a third offense charge where the court is not particularly sympathetic can send you to prison for half a decade, which can be catastrophic for your career. 

Monetary Penalties

On top of jail time, you will also receive a fine. For first offences, that fine is anywhere from $1000-2000. For second and third offenses, the range becomes $2000-10000.

Again, you will notice that there are some identical values, but this time between the second and third offenses. However, the range is remarkably large, which means that a second offense could be closer to $2000, while a third offense might be closer to $10000.

This also changes the relationship between financial penalties and imprisonment quite a bit when it comes to second offenses. If a court really wants to give you a harsh punishment on your second DUI, then they can't send you to jail for very long. However, they can impose a financial punishment that is much greater than the court was allowed to give for your first offense. Ultimately, a second DUI conviction in an unsympathetic court will not send you to jail for terribly long, but it can cost you a large amount of money.

License Suspension

If convicted of a DUI, you will also lose your license. For a first and second offenses, your license will be suspended for 1 and 3 years respectively. After your third offense, your license will be suspended permanently.

This also explains why there are no penalties for any DUI's after the third. It is illegal to drive without a license and your license will be permanently suspended upon being convicted of your third DUI. This effectively means that a third DUI will prevent you from ever driving in the state of Oregon again.

For further information, contact a local lawyer, such as Kayle Jackson.