This weekend, former Florida Gator and now Georgia Bulldog, Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of NFL superstar Travis Etienne, was arrested for DUI. Like the rest of us, Trevor is facing consequences outside of the legal arena for his actions. Multiple reports have surfaced that Etienne is facing a minimum of at least a 1 game suspension and might lose his job as the starting running back for the Bulldogs. Further, this arrest will definitely affect his draft status/position come time for the NFL draft.
So what happens to those of us who are not college football stars when arrested for DUI. We are all familiar with the penalties imposed by the courts, but many are not familiar with the social, financial, and professional consequences a DUI arrest or conviction may have. Although requirements vary by state, some states require doctors, nurses, lawyers, and teachers to name just a few, to report an arrest for DUI. These professionals face license suspensions, review boards, and suspensions or dismissals from their jobs prior to being convicted of any crime.
Further, many people are unaware that beside the penalties a court pronounces upon conviction or plea, there are often other consequences that they are not told about. For instance, in Florida, if you are offered a reduced charge to resolve your case as a reckless driving, the court will not order you to take the basic driver improvement class, however, the FLHSMV (DMV) will send you letter telling you that because you have not taken the BDI class, your license is being suspended. Additionally, although it is not a court imposed penal anyone convicted of DUI in Florida is required to get additional insurance for 3 years after their conviction. Neither the court, nor most lawyers will mention this to the client as it is not a court ordered penalty nor is it listed as one of the mandatory penalties for DUI in our Statute, however, in order to drive again after a DUI conviction a motorist will need to get an FR-44 insurance rider.
Florida law states: “Financial responsibility for bodily injury or death.—In addition to any other financial responsibility required by law, every owner or operator of a motor vehicle that is required to be registered in this state, or that is located within this state, and who, regardless of adjudication of guilt, has been found guilty of or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a charge of driving under the influence under s. 316.193 after October 1, 2007, shall, by one of the methods established in s. 324.031(1) or (2), establish and maintain the ability to respond in damages for liability on account of accidents arising out of the use of a motor vehicle in the amount of $100,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, one person in any one crash and, subject to such limits for one person, in the amount of $300,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, two or more persons in any one crash and in the amount of $50,000 because of property damage in any one crash”
The additional insurance required can cost up to $15,000 for the 3 years immediately following conviction and most people are never informed about this. These additional “hidden” costs make finding the best DUI attorney in your area a bargain. Just in additional insurance premiums, the cost of the attorney you hire may be saved in many cases. If you are arrested for DUI, make sure you speak with an attorney who focuses his or her practice on fighting DUIs and ensure that you are comfortable that the person you hire will fight for you, not just take your money and stand by while you enter a plea of guilty.
David Katz is a Board Certified Senior DUI Specialist who has been practicing DUI Defense since 2007. He has helped thousands of clients arrested for DUI. David also teaches other lawyers how to defend their clients at Continuing Legal Education seminars throughout the country. To learn more about David Katz, visit Katz & Phillips, P.A.‘s website.
