A Fall River DUI lawyer defends OUI charges filed in Fall River District Court at the Fall River Justice Center, 186 South Main Street, which hears cases from Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, and nearby towns. Rory Munns of Mass DUI Guy keeps his office at 161 South Main Street, directly across from the courthouse, and is licensed in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Every Massachusetts OUI is a criminal case plus a separate RMV license case, and the first two weeks decide a lot. Call 401-573-2265 for a free consultation.
Quick answer: An OUI arrest in Fall River, Somerset, or Swansea is arraigned at Fall River District Court, 186 South Main Street. Under M.G.L. c. 90, § 24, a first offense carries a $500 to $5,000 fine, up to 2.5 years in jail, and up to one year of license loss, though most first offenders qualify for a 24D disposition with 45 to 90 days off the road. A breath result of 0.08 or higher brings an immediate 30-day RMV suspension, and a refusal brings at least 180 days, with a 15-day deadline to request a hearing. Felony OUI cases go to Bristol County Superior Court.
Arrested for OUI in Fall River? Rory Munns is across the street from the courthouse and answers the phone day and night. Call 401-573-2265 for a free consultation.
Fall River DUI Lawyer
Fall River sits where Interstate 195 and Route 24 meet, with Route 79 and Route 138 running through the city and the Braga Bridge carrying traffic across the Taunton River toward Somerset. Fall River Police, the State Police, and the departments in Somerset and Swansea all make OUI arrests on those roads, and nearly all of them end up at the Fall River Justice Center on South Main Street. Rory Munns has built his practice around that courthouse. His office at 161 South Main Street is a short walk from the courtroom door.
What a Fall River DUI lawyer does for you
An OUI arrest starts two cases at once. The criminal case runs through Fall River District Court. The license case runs through the Registry of Motor Vehicles, beginning at the station when you take or refuse the breath test. Rory handles both. He requests the police report, booking video, and breath test records, meets the 15-day deadline for an RMV refusal hearing when it applies, argues release conditions at arraignment, and reviews every step of the stop and arrest for problems that can get evidence excluded. He will tell you honestly whether the case should be fought or resolved.
Fall River District Court
Fall River District Court is located in the Fall River Justice Center at 186 South Main Street and hears criminal cases from Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, and parts of the surrounding area. The same building houses sessions of Bristol County Superior Court, which hears felony OUI cases such as third offenses and OUIs causing serious injury. The District Court also runs an adult drug court, a treatment-based session for some defendants whose charges are tied to substance use.
OUI Penalties in Fall River
- First offense: $500 to $5,000 fine, up to 2.5 years in the house of correction, and up to one year of license loss. Most first offenders are offered 24D: probation, an alcohol education program, and 45 to 90 days of license loss, with the case continued without a finding.
- Second offense: $600 to $10,000 fine, mandatory jail time, a two-year license suspension, and an ignition interlock requirement.
- Third offense: a felony with a mandatory minimum term, up to five years in state prison, and an eight-year license suspension.
- Refusal: 180 days for a first refusal by a driver 21 or older, three years for a driver under 21 or with one prior, five years with two priors, and life with three or more.
Massachusetts counts prior offenses for life, and a prior 24D counts. See our Massachusetts DUI penalties page for the full breakdown.
Hardship Licenses After a Fall River OUI
Many people arrested in Fall River need to keep driving to work. A hardship license, often called a Cinderella license, allows driving during a set 12-hour window each day for work, school, medical care, or treatment. It is granted by the RMV after a hearing, not by the court. Eligibility depends on your offense level, prior record, whether you refused the breath test, and whether you have enrolled in the required alcohol program. Second and later offenses require an ignition interlock device. See our Massachusetts DUI laws page for more on license rules.
7 Things to Know About a Fall River OUI
- Your case is on South Main Street. Fall River, Somerset, and Swansea OUI arrests are arraigned at the Fall River Justice Center.
- Priors count for life. There is no lookback window, and a 24D counts as a prior.
- The RMV acts first. Breath test failures and refusals trigger suspensions at the station.
- Refusal hearings have a 15-day deadline. Miss it and the suspension generally runs its full length.
- Roadside tests are voluntary. You are not required to perform field sobriety tests.
- Rhode Island drivers face two sets of consequences. Fall River is minutes from the state line, and Rory is licensed in both states.
- Drug court is an option for some. When substance use is behind the arrest, a treatment-based track may be available.
How a Fall River OUI Case Moves Through Court
- Arrest and breath test. The stop, any roadside tests, and the breath test offer at the station.
- Arraignment at Fall River District Court. The complaint is read, you plead not guilty, and release conditions are set.
- Discovery. Your lawyer obtains the report, booking and cruiser video, and breath test certification and maintenance records.
- Pretrial conference and motions. Motions to suppress an unlawful stop, arrest, or breath test are filed and argued.
- Resolution. Dismissal, a 24D disposition, a plea to a reduced charge, or a jury or bench trial.
- License reinstatement. Program completion and RMV reinstatement, with an interlock device when required.
Defending a Fall River OUI
No OUI case can be judged by the arrest report alone. The Commonwealth must prove operation on a public way while impaired, or with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher. A stop without reasonable suspicion can lead to suppression of everything that followed. Field sobriety tests given on a sloped Fall River street, in the cold, or to someone with an injury may be unreliable. Breath test devices must be certified and maintained, and the operator must follow a strict observation period. When key evidence is excluded, the case often cannot go forward. Our Massachusetts DUI dismissal page covers the common grounds.
Why Hire Rory Munns in Fall River
Rory Munns is in the Fall River courthouse regularly, and his office is across the street. He knows the courtrooms, the calendars, and how cases move there. He is licensed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, answers the phone day and night, and handles both the court case and the RMV side of your license. Clients have left hundreds of reviews about their experience. For other charges, see our Fall River criminal defense page.
Related Reading
- Fall River Criminal Defense Attorney
- Bristol County DUI Lawyer
- DUI First Offense in Massachusetts
- Mass Breathalyzer Refusal Attorney
- Fall River Drug Possession Lawyer
Charged with OUI in Fall River, Somerset, or Swansea? Rory Munns offers a free consultation from his office across from the courthouse. Call 401-573-2265, day or night.
Fall River, MA 02721
Phone: 401-573-2265