Getting a DUI in Media, PA is an intimidating and frightening experience. If this happens to you, you need to contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. You can be charged with DUI for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or for being suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Either way, you may face severe penalties and even jail time.
Driving under the influence is considered a severe offense in Media, PA, but sometimes people make mistakes. Our DUI lawyers are not here to judge you but to help you minimize the impact of your DUI charge while doing everything in their power to win the case. We will go to criminal court if needed to help you maintain your innocence and reduce the penalties. When you retain Giribaldi PC, you can be sure that you’ve chosen the best legal representation you can obtain in Media, PA.
Serving clients in Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County, and throughout Greater Philadelphia, a PA DUI lawyer at Giribaldi, P.C. is ready to take care of your criminal charges. Contact us for free legal case evaluations today!
What Should You Know About a DUI Case in Media, PA?
There are serious consequences for a DUI conviction, including hefty fines, driver’s license suspension, and even jail time. When it comes to Delaware and Chester County, PA, the higher your BAC level, the greater the penalties you will face. It would be in your best interest to seek help from a criminal defense attorney to help you with your criminal conviction.
The police may ask you to undergo a blood-alcohol test to determine whether you have taken any controlled substances before operating your motor vehicle. This may come in the form of a breath test or blood test. It’s common for police to ask for a blood test if the results of the breath test are negative or below what’s expected. This is to determine whether or not there are drugs in your system. Even legally prescribed drugs can lead to a DUI if they impair your ability to drive.
Types of DUI in Media, PA & Penalties
DUI penalties increase with each subsequent conviction. You can also be charged with higher levels of the offense if you’re found to have a higher BAC level.
General Impairment (.08% to .099% BAC)
A first DUI is an ungraded misdemeanor. Thus, you may face a $300 fine, a mandatory minimum of six months probation, mandatory alcohol highway safety school, and alcohol treatment possibly required.
A second DUI is an ungraded misdemeanor. You may face fines ranging from $300 to $2,500, up to six months of jail time, one-year license suspension, attendance in an alcohol treatment program, mandatory alcohol highway safety school, and installation of an ignition interlock device for one year.
A third DUI is a second-degree misdemeanor, and a fourth or subsequent DUI is a third-degree felony. If charged with a third DUI, you could face fines from $500 to $5,000, up to two years in jail, a one-year license suspension, an ignition interlock device for a year, and potentially alcohol treatment.
High Impairment (.10% to .159% BAC)
If your BAC level is .10 to 0.159%, for a first DUI, you may face fines from $500 to $5,000, a one-year license suspension, up to six months in jail, and a mandatory alcohol highway safety school. Separately, for a second DUI, you may need to pay fines from $750 to $5,000, face jail time from 30 days to six months, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device for a year, and mandatory alcohol highway safety school.
Respectively, a third DUI is considered a first-degree misdemeanor, and a fourth or subsequent DUI is a third-degree felony. For a third DUI, you may face an 18-month license suspension, 90 days to five years in prison, fines ranging from $1,500 to $10,000, and an ignition interlock device for one year. Alcohol treatment may also be required.
Highest Impairment (.16% BAC and higher)
If you have been caught driving or being in control of a motor vehicle with a BAC level of .16% or above or a controlled substance, you may face severe penalties. For a first DUI, you will face fines from $1,000 to $5,000, jail time from three days to six months, mandatory alcohol highway safety school, and license suspension for a year.
A second DUI is a first-degree misdemeanor, and if convicted, you may need to spend 90 days to five years in jail, pay fines from $1,500 to $10,000, and have an ignition interlock device installed for a year. Moreover, your driver’s license will be suspended for 18 months, and you will undergo mandatory alcohol highway safety school.
Finally, a third DUI is a third-degree felony and comes with an 18-month license suspension, fines ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, jail time between one and seven years, an ignition interlock device for one year, and an alcohol treatment course possibly required. A fourth or subsequent DUI at this level is a second-degree felony, with up to ten years in prison.
How Does Giribaldi Law Build a DUI Defense?
If you have encountered a DUI arrest, it is vital to seek legal help from a PA DUI attorney. Our legal team can handle any criminal case, ensuring to minimize your penalties or dismiss your case entirely. We will build a solid DUI defense by challenging and reviewing some evidence against you.
Some common defenses strategies that our attorneys use include:
- Probable cause for the stop is lacking
- BAC testing was performed improperly
- The BAC operator was not properly certified
- The BAC equipment was faulty or improperly maintained
- The police made a procedural error, like failing to inform you of the implied consent law after arrest or told you that you are required to perform roadside exercises.
If you are currently facing criminal charges or think you might be the subject of an investigation, contact a criminal defense attorney immediately. Regardless of your legal needs, we are here for you! Contact Giribaldi today for a free consultation!
Questions Clients Ask About DUI
After an Arrest: Steps, Courts and Deadlines
- The arrest is only the start; here is what happens after a DUI arrest in Delaware County, step by step.
- The first days matter most; use our first-week checklist after a DUI arrest in Delaware County.
- Your first hearing is at a local district court; find out which Delaware County district court will hear your preliminary hearing.
- DUI-ARD in Delaware County starts with a choice about whether to waive your preliminary hearing.
- After that hearing the case moves to Media; here is what to expect at the Delaware County Courthouse.
- Charged across the county line? Read what to expect at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.
ARD and Diversion
- Before planning around ARD, check whether you are eligible for ARD after a DUI in Delaware County.
- ARD rules are set by state law but run by each DA, so compare DUI ARD in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties.
- ARD trades a trial for a dismissal; weigh whether to accept ARD or fight your DUI.
Tests, Evidence and Crashes
- Test timing matters for every BAC tier; see the two-hour rule for DUI tests.
- A refusal brings its own suspension and higher penalties; see what happens if you refused a breath or blood test.
- A crash raises the minimums and can add felony charges; read what happens when a DUI involves a crash with injuries.
Your Driver's License
- Letters from PennDOT can arrive months apart; here is when PennDOT suspends your license after a DUI.
- The interlock license is changing under Act 36 of 2026; read whether you can drive during a DUI suspension.
- Commercial drivers face a separate disqualification; see what a DUI means for a commercial driver's license.
Penalties, Costs and Repeat Offenses
- Fines are only one line on the bill; here is what a DUI costs in Delaware County beyond the fine.
- For repeat cases, learn whether treatment or house arrest can replace jail for a second DUI.
- Repeat offenses are graded by tier; find out whether a third DUI is a felony in Pennsylvania.
Records and Out-of-State Drivers
- Records can sometimes be cleared; learn whether a DUI can be expunged or sealed.
- Drivers from Delaware and New Jersey should read what happens when an out-of-state driver gets a Pennsylvania DUI.
Serving Delaware and Montgomery Counties
Every DUI case is local in the details: the district court, the DA's ARD rules and where the safe driving classes meet. Our page on criminal, DUI and family cases in Delaware County covers the county around our Media office. For drivers charged to the north, see criminal and DUI cases in Montgomery County.
How Do You Reach a DUI Lawyer in Media, PA?
The Giribaldi, P.C. team aims to make you feel comfortable and safe while building a solid criminal defense case for you. In Pennsylvania, the legal limit for impairment for most adult drivers is a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08. That means that if you have a BAC level of 0.08 or above, you are considered impaired and subject to being arrested for driving under the influence.
You don’t have to fight by yourself, regardless of how minor your criminal charges may be. Visit us at one of our law offices to discuss your DUI case, or call us at (610) 891-8303 for a free initial consultation.