Undoubtedly, the State of Arizona imposes some of the harshest penalties in the nation upon people who have been charged or convicted of DUI, Extreme DUI or Super Extreme DUI.  For instance, an Extreme DUI conviction, involving an alcohol concentration above .15 carries a mandatory sentence of thirty days jail for a first offense in addition to required alcohol classes, fines and fees and an ignition interlock device.  A Super Extreme DUI conviction in Arizona, where a person's alcohol concentration is above .20, will result in forty-five days jail.  These are extremely serious consequences for a person facing their first DUI charge. Obviously, anyone facing a DUI charge is well advised to contact an experienced DUI defense attorney.

Fortunately, the Arizona legislature has permitted people facing long jail terms for DUI charges to serve a portion of their sentence in a home detention  program. Home detention requires people to remain in their residences during certain hours while allowing them time away from home to work.  People participating in a home detention program must have a monitoring device attached to their home telephone and wear an ankle bracelet.  They are also required to regularly submit to random alcohol tests.  Individuals who have previously been convicted of a violent crime are usually not permitted to participate in home detention and are required to serve their full sentence at the county jail. 

The number of days someone may spend in jail followed by home detention somewhat varies according to the city court in which they appear for their Arizona DUI charge.  Initially, the law requires that everyone serve at least twenty percent of their total sentence in jail before becoming eligible for home detention.  For example, a person serving 30 days jail following conviction for a first offense Extreme DUI must serve six days of actual county jail time followed by twenty-four days home detention.  

Fortunately, jail time can be further reduced following an Extreme or Super Extreme DUI conviction if an individual installs a certified ignition interlock device in their car for one year.  In cases of Extreme DUI, the law permits 21 days of confinement to be suspended, thereby reducing actual incarceration to nine days.  For Super Extreme DUI, 31 days of confinement can be suspended, leading to incarceration of 14 days.  Again, eighty percent of this confinement can be served in home detention following a stay at the county jail.  Consequently, actual jail time for Extreme DUI can be reduced to two days and for Super Extreme DUI, three days.  However, you should be aware that certain city courts do not authorize this reduction in exchange for installation of an interlock device.  Included among those is the City of Mesa.

Undoubtedly, the laws surrounding DUI in Arizona as well as sentencing scenarios are becoming more and more complex.  Only a qualified DUI lawyer can adequately guide you through the process, safeguard your rights and ensure you receive the most favorable result possible.  If you find yourself charged with DUI in the greater Phoenix area, contact Attorney Raymond A. Kimble.  Mr. Kimble has been defending people charged with DUI throughout the State of Arizona for the past twenty years and consistently obtains tremendous results for his clients.  Mr. Kimble can be reached directly for free consultation at (480) 833-8613.