What are the Penalties for a DUI Conviction in Mississippi?

For a first-offense DUI in Mississippi  with a regular driver’s license, there is a penalty of 48 hours in jail, a fine between $250 and $1,000, and a 120-day suspension of the driver’s license. The statutes pretty clearly disallow reductions of jail time, but at The Franks Law Firm, we do our best to minimize jail time or have it avoided altogether. A second-offense Mississippi DUI penalty is a fine of up to $1,500, a minimum of five days in jail, and a maximum of six months in jail. The license suspension will be for 1 year.
A third DUI carries with it a fine of anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000, a minimum of one year in jail, and a maximum of five years in jail. A third offense DUI will result in denial/suspension of one’s driving privileges for up to 2 years. A fourth or subsequent DUI carries with it higher fines and a two to a five-year jail sentence. Third-time DUIs (and subsequent DUIs) are felony charges that are accompanied by very severe consequences in Mississippi. Some of these include loss of gun rights, loss of voting rights & the ability to hold a professional license.

What Can I Expect To Happen In The First 24 Hours After I’ve Been Arrested And Charged With A DUI?
In the first 24 hours after being arrested for DUI, an individual will be taken to the local arresting agency and most likely booked. In some counties, an individual will be taken directly to a detention facility where they are booked and held. They will take pretty much everything the person has on them and quite often will issue standard jail clothes while they wait to get a bond.
On occasion, someone will be released on their own recognizance (ROR), but in most cases, a judge will set a bond. If a bond is set and cannot be covered by the individual or their family and friends, then the individual will have to contact a bondsman (or have someone he/she knows contact the bondsman for them) in order to post bond and be released from jail. Once released from jail, he/she will be given several pieces of paper, one of which will list the date of their initial court appearance. If someone is really unfortunate and arrested right before a holiday, then that person may spend a little bit more time waiting on the bond.

What Paperwork Do I Have When I Bond Out Of Jail In A DUI Case?
When someone bonds out of jail after receiving a DUI, they will likely leave with a couple of different pieces of paper. The first piece of paper will list the bondsman’s information, the bond amount, and the court date. An individual will also leave with a copy of their citation or ticket, which should list the date and location of the initial court date. In Mississippi, an individual may also receive a piece of paper that will serve as a 30-day temporary driver’s license and will list all of the details of the DUI stop, including the blood alcohol level and the arresting officer’s name and signature. The individual needs to keep this temporary license somewhere safe in their vehicle, such as the glove box.