2015 Mississippi Code
Title 63 - MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
Chapter 11 - IMPLIED CONSENT LAW
§ 63-11-30 - Operation of vehicle while under influence of intoxicating liquor or other substances impairing ability to operate vehicle or with blood alcohol concentrations above specified levels; penalties; separate offense of endangering child by driving under influence; penalties; expunction; nonadjudication

(1) It is unlawful for a person to drive or otherwise operate a vehicle within this state if the person:

(a) Is under the influence of intoxicating liquor;

(b) Is under the influence of any other substance that has impaired the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle;

(c) Is under the influence of any drug or controlled substance, the possession of which is unlawful under the Mississippi Controlled Substances Law; or

(d) Has an alcohol concentration in the person's blood, based upon grams of alcohol per one hundred (100) milliliters of blood, or grams of alcohol per two hundred ten (210) liters of breath, as shown by a chemical analysis of the person's breath, blood or urine administered as authorized by this chapter, of:

(i) Eight one-hundredths percent (.08%) or more for a person who is above the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages under state law;

(ii) Two one-hundredths percent (.02%) or more for a person who is below the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages under state law; or

(iii) Four one-hundredths percent (.04%) or more for a person operating a commercial motor vehicle.

(2) (a) First offense DUI. (i) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this section, upon conviction of any person for the first offense of violating subsection (1) of this section where chemical tests provided for under Section 63-11-5 were given, or where chemical test results are not available, the person shall be fined not less than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($ 250.00) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00), or imprisoned for not more than forty-eight (48) hours in jail, or both; the court shall order the person to attend and complete an alcohol safety education program as provided in Section 63-11-32 within one (1) year. The court may substitute attendance at a victim impact panel instead of forty-eight (48) hours in jail. Thirty (30) days after receipt of the court abstract, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license and driving privileges of the person for ninety (90) days unless the person has surrendered his driver's license to be voided and obtained a new driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition-interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31; the person will not be eligible for an unrestricted license for ninety (90) days and until the person has attended and successfully completed an alcohol safety education program as provided in Section 63-11-32.

(ii) Commercial driving privileges shall be suspended as provided in Section 63-1-216 for a violation of subsection (1) of this section.

(iii) A qualifying first offense under subsection (1) of this section may be nonadjudicated by the court under subsection (14) of this section. The holder of a commercial driver's license or a commercial learning permit is ineligible for nonadjudication.

(b) Second offense DUI. (i) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), upon any second conviction of any person violating subsection (1) of this section, the offenses being committed within a period of five (5) years, the person shall be fined not less than Six Hundred Dollars ($ 600.00) nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($ 1,500.00), shall be imprisoned not less than five (5) days nor more than one (1) year and sentenced to community service work for not less than ten (10) days nor more than one (1) year. The minimum penalties shall not be suspended or reduced by the court and no prosecutor shall offer any suspension or sentence reduction as part of a plea bargain. Thirty (30) days after receipt of the court abstract, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license of the person for one (1) year unless the person has surrendered his driver's license to be voided and obtained a new driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition -- interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31; the person will not be eligible for an unrestricted license until the person has either been subject to a full one-year suspension of license or has exercised the driving privilege solely under an interlock-restricted driver's license for one (1) full year.

(ii) Suspension of commercial driving privileges shall be governed by Section 63-1-216.

(c) Third and subsequent offense DUI. (i) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), for any third conviction of any person violating subsection (1) of this section, the offenses being committed within a period of five (5) years, the person shall be guilty of a felony and fined not less than Two Thousand Dollars ($ 2,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($ 5,000.00), and shall serve not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years in the custody of the Department of Corrections. For any offense that does not result in serious injury or death to any person, the sentence of incarceration may be served in the county jail rather than in the State Penitentiary at the discretion of the circuit court judge. The minimum penalties shall not be suspended or reduced by the court and no prosecutor shall offer any suspension or sentence reduction as part of a plea bargain. The person may exercise the privilege to drive only under a driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition-interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31 for three (3) years following release from incarceration and will not be eligible for an unrestricted driver's license for three (3) years.

(ii) The suspension of commercial driving privileges shall be governed by Section 63-1-216.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subsection (1) of this section shall receive an in-depth diagnostic assessment, and if as a result of the assessment is determined to be in need of treatment for alcohol or drug abuse, the person shall successfully complete treatment at a program site certified by the Department of Mental Health. Each person who receives a diagnostic assessment shall pay a fee representing the cost of the assessment. Each person who participates in a treatment program shall pay a fee representing the cost of treatment.

(e) The use of ignition-interlock devices shall be as provided in Section 63-11-31.

(3) Zero Tolerance for Minors. (a) This subsection shall be known and may be cited as Zero Tolerance for Minors. The provisions of this subsection shall apply only when a person under the age of twenty-one (21) years has a blood alcohol concentration of two one-hundredths percent (.02%) or more, but lower than eight one-hundredths percent (.08%). If the person's blood alcohol concentration is eight one-hundredths percent (.08%) or more, the provisions of subsection (2) shall apply.

(b) (i) A person under the age of twenty-one (21) is eligible for nonadjudication of a qualifying first offense by the court pursuant to subsection (14) of this section.

(ii) Upon conviction of any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years for the first offense of violating subsection (1) of this section where chemical tests provided for under Section 63-11-5 were given, or where chemical test results are not available, the person shall be fined Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($ 250.00); the court shall order the person to attend and complete an alcohol safety education program as provided in Section 63-11-32 within one (1) year. Thirty (30) days after receipt of the court abstract, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license and driving privileges of the person for ninety (90) days unless the person has surrendered his driver's license to be voided and obtained a new driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition-interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31; the person will not be eligible for any other form of license for ninety (90) days. The court may also require attendance at a victim impact panel.

(c) A person under the age of twenty-one (21) years who is convicted of a second violation of subsection (1) of this section, the offenses being committed within a period of five (5) years, shall be fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($ 500.00). Thirty (30) days after receipt of the court abstract, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license of the person for one (1) year unless the person has surrendered his driver's license to be voided and obtained a new driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition-interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31; the person will not be eligible for an unrestricted license until the person has either been subject to a full one-year suspension or has exercised the driving privilege solely under an interlock-restricted license for one (1) full year.

(d) A person under the age of twenty-one (21) years who is convicted of a third or subsequent violation of subsection (1) of this section, the offenses being committed within a period of five (5) years, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00) and, upon receipt of the court abstract, the Department of Public Safety shall suspend the driver's license of the person until the person reaches the age of twenty-one (21) or for two (2) years, whichever is longer.

(e) Any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years convicted of a second violation of subsection (1) of this section, may have the period of driver's license suspension reduced to six (6) months if the person receives an in-depth diagnostic assessment, and as a result of the assessment is determined to be in need of treatment for alcohol or drug abuse and successfully completes treatment for alcohol or drug abuse at a program site certified by the Department of Mental Health. Each person who receives a diagnostic assessment shall pay a fee representing the cost of such assessment. Each person who participates in a treatment program shall pay a fee representing the cost of such treatment.

(f) Any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years convicted of a third or subsequent violation of subsection (1) of this section shall complete treatment of an alcohol or drug abuse program at a site certified by the Department of Mental Health.

(4) DUI test refusal. In addition to the other penalties provided in this section, every person refusing a law enforcement officer's request to submit to a chemical test of the person's breath as provided in this chapter, or who was unconscious at the time of a chemical test and refused to consent to the introduction of the results of the test in any prosecution, shall suffer an additional administrative suspension of driving privileges as set forth in Section 63-11-23 unless the person surrenders his driver's license to be voided and obtains a new driver's license that is restricted to operation of vehicles equipped with an ignition-interlock device that complies with Section 63-11-31; the person will be limited to exercise of the driving privilege only under an interlock-restricted driver's license for twice the period imposed for administrative driver's license suspension under Section 63-11-23. Any other license restriction or suspension imposed upon the person under this chapter will run consecutively and not concurrently with the administrative suspension for test refusal imposed under this section or Section 63-11-23.

(5) Aggravated DUI. (a) Every person who operates any motor vehicle in violation of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section and who in a negligent manner causes the death of another or mutilates, disfigures, permanently disables or destroys the tongue, eye, lip, nose or any other limb, organ or member of another shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a separate felony for each victim who suffers death, mutilation, disfigurement or other injury and shall be committed to the custody of the State Department of Corrections for a period of time of not less than five (5) years and not to exceed twenty-five (25) years for each death, mutilation, disfigurement or other injury, and the imprisonment for the second or each subsequent conviction, in the discretion of the court, shall commence either at the termination of the imprisonment for the preceding conviction or run concurrently with the preceding conviction. Any person charged with causing the death of another as described in this subsection shall be required to post bail before being released after arrest.

(b) The court may order an ignition-interlock restriction on the offender's privilege to drive as a condition of probation or post-release supervision not to exceed four (4) years.

(6) DUI citations. Upon conviction of any violation of subsection (1) of this section, the trial judge shall sign in the place provided on the traffic ticket, citation or affidavit stating that the person arrested either employed an attorney or waived his right to an attorney after having been properly advised. If the person arrested employed an attorney, the name, address and telephone number of the attorney shall be written on the ticket, citation or affidavit. The court clerk shall send a copy of the traffic ticket, citation or affidavit, and any other pertinent documents concerning the conviction or other order of the court, to the Department of Public Safety. A copy of the traffic ticket, citation or affidavit and any other pertinent documents, having been attested as true and correct by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or his designee, shall be sufficient proof of the conviction for purposes of determining the enhanced penalty for any subsequent convictions of violations of subsection (1) of this section.

(7) Out-of-state prior convictions. Convictions in another state, territory or possession of the United States, or under the law of a federally recognized Native American tribe, of violations for driving or operating a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or while under the influence of any other substance that has impaired the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle occurring within five (5) years before an offense shall be counted for the purposes of determining if a violation of subsection (1) of this section is a second, third or subsequent offense and the penalty that shall be imposed upon conviction for a violation of subsection (1) of this section.

(8) Charging of subsequent offenses. For the purposes of determining how to impose the sentence for a second, third or subsequent conviction under this section, the affidavit or indictment shall not be required to enumerate previous convictions. It shall only be necessary that the affidavit or indictment state the number of times that the defendant has been convicted and sentenced within the past five (5) years under this section to determine if an enhanced penalty shall be imposed. The amount of fine and imprisonment imposed in previous convictions shall not be considered in calculating offenses to determine a second, third or subsequent offense of this section.

(9) License eligibility for underage offenders. Any person under the legal age to obtain a license to operate a motor vehicle convicted under this section shall not be eligible to receive a driver's license until the person reaches the age of eighteen (18) years.

(10) License suspensions and restrictions to run consecutively. Suspension or restriction of driving privileges for any person convicted of or nonadjudicated for violations of subsection (1) of this section shall run consecutively and not concurrently.

(11) Ignition interlock. If the court orders installation and use of an ignition-interlock device as provided in Section 63-11-31 for every vehicle operated by a person convicted or nonadjudicated under this section, the device shall be installed as provided in Section 63-11-31.

(12) DUI child endangerment. A person over the age of twenty-one (21) who violates subsection (1) of this section while transporting in a motor vehicle a child under the age of sixteen (16) years is guilty of the separate offense of endangering a child by driving under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which has impaired the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle. The offense of endangering a child by driving under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which has impaired the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle shall not be merged with an offense of violating subsection (1) of this section for the purposes of prosecution and sentencing. An offender who is convicted of a violation of this subsection shall be punished as follows:

(a) A person who commits a violation of this subsection which does not result in the serious injury or death of a child and which is a first conviction shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00) or shall be imprisoned for not more than twelve (12) months, or both;

(b) A person who commits a violation of this subsection which does not result in the serious injury or death of a child and which is a second conviction shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($ 5,000.00) or shall be imprisoned for one (1) year, or both;

(c) A person who commits a violation of this subsection which does not result in the serious injury or death of a child and which is a third or subsequent conviction shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($ 10,000.00) or shall be imprisoned for not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years, or both; and

(d) A person who commits a violation of this subsection which results in the serious injury or death of a child, without regard to whether the offense was a first, second, third or subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($ 10,000.00) and shall be imprisoned for not less than five (5) years nor more than twenty-five (25) years.

(13) Expunction. (a) Any person convicted under subsection (2) or (3) of this section of a first offense of driving under the influence and who was not the holder of a commercial driver's license or a commercial learning permit may petition the circuit court of the county in which the conviction was had for an order to expunge the record of the conviction at least five (5) years after successful completion of all terms and conditions of the sentence imposed for the conviction. Expunction under this subsection will only be available to a person:

(i) Who has successfully completed all terms and conditions of the sentence imposed for the conviction;

(ii) Who did not refuse to submit to a test of his blood or breath;

(iii) Whose blood alcohol concentration tested below sixteen one-hundredths percent (.16%) if test results are available;

(iv) Who has not been convicted of and does not have pending any other offense of driving under the influence; and

(v) Who has provided the court with justification as to why the conviction should be expunged.

(b) A person is eligible for only one (1) expunction under this subsection, and the Department of Public Safety shall maintain a confidential registry of all cases of expunction under this subsection for the sole purpose of determining a person's eligibility as a first offender under this section.

(c) The court in its order of expunction shall state in writing the justification for which the expunction was granted and forward the order to the Department of Public Safety within five (5) days of the entry of the order.

(14) Nonadjudication. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, "nonadjudication" means that the court withholds adjudication of guilt, either at the conclusion of a trial on the merits, or upon the entry of a plea of guilt by a defendant. Nonadjudication must be conditioned upon the successful completion of any conditions imposed by the court under this subsection.

(b) The court may rule that a first offense under subsection (1) or (3) of this section be nonadjudicated. A person is eligible for nonadjudication only one (1) time under any provision of a law that authorizes nonadjudication.

(c) Nonadjudication may be initiated upon the filing of a petition for nonadjudication or at any stage of the proceedings before conviction in the discretion of the court; the court may withhold adjudication of guilt, defer sentencing, and enter an order imposing requirements on the offender.

(i) The court shall order the person to:

1. Pay the nonadjudication fee imposed under Section 63-11-31;

2. Pay all fines, penalties and assessments that would have been imposed for conviction;

3. Attend and complete an alcohol safety education program as provided in Section 63-11-32;

4. a. Install an ignition-interlock device on every motor vehicle driven by the person, obtain an interlock-restricted license, and maintain that license for one hundred twenty (120) days; or

b. Suffer a one-hundred-twenty-day suspension of the person's driver's license, whether the license is an in-state or out-of-state driver's license.

(ii) Other conditions to be imposed by the court may include, but are not limited to, alcohol or drug screening, or both, proof that the person has not committed any other traffic violations while under court supervision, proof of immobilization or impoundment of vehicles owned by the offender if required, and attendance at a victim-impact panel.

(d) The court may enter an order of nonadjudication only if the court finds, after a hearing, that the offender has successfully completed all conditions imposed by law and previous orders of the court. The court shall retain jurisdiction over cases involving nonadjudication for a period of not more than two (2) years.

(e) The clerk shall forward a record of every nonadjudicated case to the Department of Public Safety which shall maintain a confidential registry of all cases that are nonadjudicated as provided in this subsection (14). Judges, clerks and prosecutors involved in the trial of implied consent violations shall have access to the confidential registry for the purpose of determining whether a person has previously been the subject of a nonadjudicated case and is therefore ineligible for another nonadjudication. The Driver Services Bureau of the department shall have access to the confidential registry for the purpose of determining whether a person is eligible for a form of license not restricted to operating a vehicle equipped with an ignition-interlock device. The Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program shall have access to the confidential registry for research purposes only.