OUI laws in Bangor, Maine are severe, and you can expect no help from law enforcement if you are stopped on suspicion of drunk or impaired driving.
Call 207-571-8146 or contact us online to schedule a consult with one of our highly skilled OUI & criminal defense attorneys today.
Under Maine OUI laws, you are not allowed to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicant. Most drivers know this and many also understand that the legal limit is .08 percent Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
In Maine, you can be arrested and charged with an OUI even if you are within the legal limit. If a law enforcement officer suspects you of operating a vehicle in an impaired way, you will be arrested and asked to submit to certain tests.
Review the potential penalties for operating under the influence charges in Maine.
| No. of Offense (Last 10 Years) | License Suspension | Jail Time | Minimum Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Offense | 150 Days | 0 – 96 Hours | $500 |
| 2nd Offense | 3 Years | 7 Days | $700 |
| 3rd Offense | 6 Years | 30 Days | $1,100 |
| 4th Offense | 8 Years | 6 Months | $2,100 |
A “first offense” means that you do not have any prior OUI convictions in any state within the preceding 10 years.
Maine imposes the following set of mandatory minimum criminal penalties for a first offense OUI conviction:
Bangor judges frequently exceed these minimum penalties and hand down harsher punishments. It’s important to bear in mind that even for a first conviction, Maine OUI laws allow for a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail.
Penalties for second and subsequent OUI offenses carry harsher minimum and maximum penalties.
The BMV in Bangor doesn’t wait for a conviction before suspending your driver’s license.
If you fail a breathalyzer test with a BAC of .08 percent or higher, the BMV will suspend your driver’s license. This is an automatic suspension unless you contest it by requesting an administrative hearing (in writing) within 10 days of the notice of suspension date.
An OUI lawyer from The Maine Criminal Defense Group can file for and represent you at the hearing, which can be especially beneficial if you live out of state or are busy working.
If you are unsuccessful at your BMV hearing and are later convicted in court, any criminal driving suspension runs concurrently with the BMV one. You serve the suspension only once.
Read More → Refusing a Breathalyzer or Chemical Test when Pulled Over for an OUI in Maine
For a second OUI offense in Maine, it’s considered a Class D crime with potential penalties. The maximum jail term is 364 days, and fines can reach up to $2,000. Mandatory minimum penalties include:
If you refused a chemical test, the penalties become more severe:
To learn more about the penalties for subsequent OUI charges in Maine, please review our comprehensive guide or contact us directly.
For drivers under the age of 21 (the legal drinking limit in Maine), Zero Tolerance laws apply for OUI.
Your license will be suspended by the BMV for any amount of alcohol and, for a first-time OUI, you will face the following criminal penalties:
Read More → Underage OUI Charges in Maine
You are breaking the law if you refuse a breath, blood or urine test if you are suspected of OUI in Bangor and requested to submit a chemical sample.
This is known as the “implied consent” law, meaning that drivers in Maine must submit to a BAC test or breathalyzer when requested by a qualified law enforcement officer. Refusal will lead to an automatic suspension of your driving privileges for 275 days.
For drivers under the age of 21, a refusal means an automatic suspension of driving privileges for 18 months.
Call 207-571-8146 or contact us online to schedule a consult with one of our highly skilled OUI & criminal defense attorneys today.
Penobscot Judicial Center
78 Exchange Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207) 561-2300
Monday through Friday 8AM – 4PM
If you get charged with operating under the influence (OUI) in Penobscot County, your case will be handled in the Penobscot County Judicial Center, in downtown Bangor, Maine.
The courthouse is located at 78 Exchange Street, in a three story, red brick building. On the outside, the main entrance is shaped like a soda can, and has the words “Penobscot Judicial Center” around the top.
You can get driving directions using Google Maps, but they’re also available on the court’s website.
There are several options for parking at the Penobscot County Judicial Center. Most of the parking can be found on the street, but it’s limited to one hour, there. While parking is not strictly enforced on the streets – you’ll probably be able to escape a ticket if you’re not parking illegally on a regular basis – you may want to look into other options, if you don’t want to keep moving your car every 60 minutes.
If you’re looking for alternatives to street parking, there is a parking lot across the street. It’s an outdoor lot, but is incredibly cheap – only 50 cents per hour. However, it’s a small lot – only 18 spots – and can fill up quickly. If you want to claim one of those spots, you’ll have to get to the court early. If you’re unable to secure a spot on the street or this side lot, there are several parking garages in the area nearby.
There are four courtrooms on the second floor of the Penobscot County Judicial Center, and another one on the first floor. There’s also a court clerk’s office on each floor. Most of the trials take place in one of the courtrooms on the second floor.
The Judicial Center is a very modern courthouse. The courtrooms are extremely high-tech. Attorneys can hook up a Mac or Windows computer and do a presentation, show videos or photos, or run other programs on a large projector screen that drops down from the ceiling. In addition to the projection screen, there are also individual computer monitors in front of the presiding judge and each member of the jury. The additional technological capabilities of the Penobscot County Judicial Center allow attorneys to flex their muscles a bit more for their clients, and use the technology to deliver their arguments with much more emphasis.
Call 207-571-8146 or contact us online to schedule a consult with one of our highly skilled OUI & criminal defense attorneys today.
In Bangor, Maine, OUI is processed just like any other criminal case in Cumberland County — through the Unified Criminal Docket (UCD). This means that we will not need to transfer your case to the superior court for a jury on a misdemeanor OUI.
While this is generally good news for defendants, it does mean that the case may not be heard locally but at some distance from where the alleged offense occurred.
An OUI case will go through the following legal steps:
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If you are facing criminal charges in Maine, the attorneys at The Maine Criminal Defense Group are here to help. Call our office to speak with one of our team members, who will discuss your case with you and set up a consultation with one of our attorneys.
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