If you've been arrested for a Los Angeles DUI on federally owned land, your case will be prosecuted in federal court. Federal DUI prosecutions are very similar to those in state superior courts, but the location of your arrest will determine which laws will be applied in your case. An experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney will help you to understand the differences between federal and state drunk driving prosecutions and develop a proven strategy to fight your case.

If your federal Los Angeles DUI arrest occurred in a national park, you'll face a Class B misdemeanor under the Code of Federal Regulation. If your drunk driving arrest occurred on any other federally owned land, you'll be prosecuted under the laws of the state where the arrest occurred, under the authority of the Assimilative Crimes Act.

Your first court appearance in your federal DUI case will be your arraignment. You'll be advised of the charges against you and be asked to enter a plea guilty, not guilty, or no contest. If you enter a plea of not guilty, the court will schedule a pretrial conference.

Your defense lawyer may negotiate a plea bargain at your request that allows you to plead guilty to a reduced charge or sentence in exchange for resolving your case without a trial. If you reach a plea agreement before your pretrial conference occurs, you'll likely plead guilty or no contest at the hearing. If no plea agreement has been reached, your defense lawyer will likely introduce several pretrial motions. Typical pretrial trial motions in a federal DUI case include evidence suppression, discovery, and motions to dismiss.

If you're facing a federal DUI charge, you have the right to a jury trial only if your potential punishment exceeds six months in prison. If not, your case will be decided by a federal magistrate who will find you guilty or not guilty.

Federal DUI charges carry extremely harsh repercussions, so it's critical to have an expert defense lawyer fighting for your rights. If you've been arrested for drunk driving on federal land, please contact a skilled Los Angeles DUI attorney from Lieber, Williams & Labin today for a free consultation.