Getting convicted for a drunk driving offense in Iowa can lead to a lot of complications for a person. Losing your driver's license is more than a minor inconvenience for most Iowa residents. In addition, a conviction can lead to jail time and large fines. If you have been arrested on an OWI charge, an Iowa OWI defense attorney can help.
In Iowa your driver's license can be revoked for even a first offense, but you may be able to obtain a temporary restricted license which should allow you to drive for essential reasons, such as to and from work or school. However, depending on your blood alcohol level at the time of the arrest, you may not be eligible for a temporary license for a period of 30 days, or in more severe cases up to two years.
In addition, you may have to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle which will only allow the vehicle to start after you blow into the device and no alcohol is detected. You will also be required to pay for the upkeep and periodic calibration of the interlock device, which can be quite expensive.
The consequences of an OWI can be serious, but there is hope for anyone facing these charges. In many cases it is possible to challenge the blood alcohol testing, especially if the breathalyzer machine was not calibrated properly or the officer administering the test departed from the strict test protocol. Field sobriety tests such as the one-leg stand and the walk and turn are not always reliable indicators of intoxication, and an aggressive defense attorney can often discredit the results at trial.
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation, OWI Information, accessed Nov. 22, 2014