A drunk driving arrest is often a person’s first and only encounter with the criminal justice system — and the consequences can be staggering. In Massachusetts, what most states call “DUI” is technically known as Operating Under the Influence (OUI), and a conviction triggers automatic license consequences, mandatory fees, ignition interlock requirements, and a criminal record that follows you indefinitely. At Lynn MA Law Firm, our OUI defense attorneys represent drivers throughout Lynn, Essex County, and the North Shore in cases at the Lynn District Court, the Essex County Superior Court, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
OUI Cases We Handle in Lynn
Our defense practice covers every type of impaired-driving allegation, including:
- First-offense OUI under Chapter 90, Section 24
- Second, third, fourth, and fifth-offense OUI charges
- OUI with a child passenger (Melanie’s Law enhancements)
- OUI causing serious bodily injury or death
- OUI involving drugs, including marijuana and prescription medications
- Underage OUI and zero-tolerance violations
- Refusal to submit to a breathalyzer or field sobriety tests
- License suspension hearings and hardship license applications at the RMV
- Out-of-state drivers facing Massachusetts OUI charges
- Boating Under the Influence (BUI) cases on the North Shore
Each case turns on the specific facts of the stop, the officer’s observations, and how the evidence was gathered. There is no such thing as a “routine” OUI defense.
Challenging the Evidence Against You
OUI cases hinge on three categories of evidence: the officer’s observations, the field sobriety tests, and the breath or blood test results. Each one is open to challenge. We routinely litigate the legality of the initial traffic stop, attack improperly administered field sobriety tests, scrutinize breathalyzer calibration and maintenance records (Massachusetts has a long history of breath-test reliability litigation), question blood draw procedures, and surface medical conditions, fatigue, or footwear that can mimic signs of impairment. In appropriate cases, we retain toxicologists and accident reconstruction experts to push back against the Commonwealth’s narrative.
The RMV Side of an OUI Case
A Massachusetts OUI carries two parallel tracks: the criminal case and the administrative license action at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Refusing a breath test triggers an automatic suspension that is separate from any conviction-related suspension, and reinstating your license often requires a hardship hearing, ignition interlock installation, and proof of treatment. Our attorneys handle both tracks in coordination, because winning one and losing the other isn’t really winning.
Contact Us Today
If you have been arrested for OUI in Lynn or anywhere on the North Shore, contact Lynn MA Law Firm right away. The 15-day window to request an RMV hearing on certain license issues moves quickly, and early action gives us the most room to protect your driving privileges and your record.