Rhode Island Personal Injury Attorney / Blog / General / Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test – RI DUI & Refusal Lawyers

Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test – RI DUI & Refusal Lawyers

If you’ve been charged with Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test in Rhode Island, you need an experienced, aggressive, and successful attorney on your side. The attorneys at Robert E. Craven & Associates successfully handle DUI and Refusal cases on a daily basis throughout the state.

Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test

When you refuse a chemical test you are committing a civil offense in Rhode Island. Our state is known as an “implied consent state” meaning if you operate a motor vehicle within Rhode Island, the law deems you to have given consent to a chemical test of your breath, blood, and/or urine for determining the presence of alcohol or drugs. A police officer may request that you submit to a chemical test based solely on a “reasonable suspicion” that you are under the influence of liquor or a controlled substance.

If you refuse to submit to a chemical test in RI, a judge may order your license immediately suspended and impose various penalties.

Penalties for Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test

Rhode Island law provides various penalties for a First Refusal, including:

Fine: $200 – $500
Community Service: 10 – 60 hours
License Suspension 6 – 12 months
DUI School or Substance Abuse Counseling
Installation of an Ignition Interlock System

For a Second Refusal in Rhode Island, the penalties can include:

Jail: Up to 6 months
Fine: $600 – $1,000
Community Service: 60 – 100 hours
License Suspension 12 – 24 months
DUI School or Substance Abuse Counseling
Installation of an Ignition Interlock System

Don’t let these penalties become a reality. Our attorneys eliminate and lessen these penalties for clients on a regular basis.

Why you need a DUI/Refusal Lawyer

Our attorneys handle DUI and Refusal cases daily in all Rhode Island courts. We know all the defenses associated with RI DUI and Refusal law and are ready to advocate on your behalf. Some attorneys may not know that there are alternatives to licenses suspensions that allow you to drive despite a DUI or Refusal. Let our experience create results for you.