DUI Lawyer in Boston, MA

Getting pulled over in Boston is stressful enough on its own. When an officer suspects impairment and the stop escalates into an OUI investigation, what you do in those next few minutes can shape the entire case. Massachusetts law is specific, the license consequences are immediate, and the decisions you face before you even reach a courthouse matter. Reaching out to a DUI lawyer in Boston, MA, right away gives you the clearest picture of where you stand.

What Happens at the Breath Test Changes Everything

Massachusetts is an implied consent state, which means that by driving on a public way, you have already legally agreed to submit to a chemical test if lawfully arrested for OUI. Refusing the breath test and taking it carries very different risks, and neither path is automatically safer.

If you take the test and blow at or above .08, the prosecution has a per se BAC result to work with. But breath test results are not bulletproof. Equipment calibration, testing protocol, and how the officer administered the test can all be scrutinized. A DUI lawyer in Boston, MA, will pull the records on the device used and review every step of how that test was conducted.

Refusal triggers an automatic administrative license suspension through the RMV, 180 days for a first-time adult refusal under M.G.L. c. 90, § 24. That suspension happens independently of your criminal case and kicks in fast. The number climbs sharply with prior OUI history; three or more qualifying priors can result in a lifetime suspension for refusing. The refusal itself cannot be used as evidence of guilt in court, but the license hit is real and immediate.

Building a Defense That Fits Your Actual Case

No two OUI arrests follow the same path, and that is where defense strategy begins. We look at why the officer initiated the stop. An unlawful stop can undermine everything that follows. From there, we examine the field sobriety tests: Were they administered correctly, on appropriate terrain, under fair conditions? We also review the police report against any available video. Officers’ written accounts and dashcam footage do not always match, and when they do not, that gap matters.

For cases where the 24D program may apply, a first-offender disposition option under Massachusetts law that can result in probation and a shorter license suspension, we evaluate eligibility early. It is not available in every situation, but for qualifying clients, it can meaningfully change the outcome.

A charge under M.G.L. c. 90, § 24 carries up to 2.5 years and fines up to $5,000 on a first offense, with substantially higher exposure for repeat charges or aggravating factors. The earlier a DUI lawyer in Boston, MA, gets involved, the more options remain on the table.

The earlier you have a DUI lawyer in Hingham, MA, reviewing your case, the more options typically remain open. Call Riccio Law at (617) 404-8878 or reach us through our contact form. The sooner you have a DUI lawyer in Boston, MA, reviewing your case, the better positioned you are to respond.