Get a DUI Attorney Near Me
If you’ve been arrested for DUI in Baldwin Park you need to defend yourself. Drunk driving is no longer a mere ticket—and Baldwin Park prosecutes it heavily. Penalties for DUI include jail time, driver’s license suspension, mandatory alcohol education, and thousands of dollars in fines.
The best way to defend yourself is to get the counsel of an experienced, dedicated Baldwin Park DUI lawyer. A DUI lawyer can help you resolve your case quickly and to your advantage. In many cases, you will never even have to set foot in a courtroom. They may even be able to get your case dismissed altogether.
How Bad Is a DUI in Baldwin Park?
Recent years have seen a major crackdown on DUI. The City of Baldwin Park views DUI’s as a source of revenue, collecting fines and fees from every conviction. In fact, the cost of a single first time DUI can be as high as $15,649. That’s money in the city’s coffers. Accordingly, Baldwin Park police treat DUI checkpoints as a priority and have impounded up to 61 vehicles at a single checkpoint.
Once you’re arrested, you face a complicated list of penalties determined by the California Vehicle Code. The penalties and fines differ depending on whether it’s your first DUI, or whether you have one or more previous DUI charges in the last 10 years. Your sentence can also get tougher if you caused an accident, refused a blood or breath test, or had minors in the car with you. But no matter what, none of these sentences are light.
The penalties for a first DUI offense include:
- Massive fines. The absolute minimum you’ll have to pay the court is $1,800. Costs only go up from there.
- Jail time. You may spend only two days in the local jail, or up to six months.
- Losing your license. Your license will be suspended meaning you cannot legally drive. The rules for this are complex, but it will be at least four months before you get it back—often longer.
- DUI Traffic School. You will be ordered into a special course for DUI convicts. This lasts at least three months and costs $500 on its own.
- Probation. You will remain on probation after your sentence is over.
These are the penalties for a simple first time DUI. Sentences for repeat violations can include up to a year in jail, prison time, years with no driver’s license, 30 months of DUI treatment, and tens of thousands of dollars in costs. You may also have to install an interlock device in your car. To avoid the worst of these penalties, you have to understand your case and be ready to meet it head on.
How Does a DUI Case Work in Baldwin Park?
Your case may start differently depending on who arrested you. Baldwin Park has its own police force but is also patrolled by the County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol (Southern Division). But in most cases you will be processed at the Baldwin Park Jail and may have to pay bail to be released. From there on, all DUI cases have a very similar process—and the more you understand this process, the better prepared you will be.
The legal process ahead of you is defined by several important deadlines. You need to take action before each one of these deadlines, and handle it the correct way. If you don’t, the consequences could stay with you for years.
Let’s take a look at each deadline in detail.
- The DMV Hearing. Immediately upon being arrested, you have only ten days to fight for your driver’s license. Ten days is how long you have to request a hearing with the California DMV. If you don’t file the request in time, they will automatically suspend your driver’s license. If you miss this deadline there is nothing you can do to fight it. A DUI lawyer can help you handle the hearing and represent you when the time comes.
- Your Arraignment. Your arraignment is your first appearance in court. It happens within two weeks or so of your arrest. This is not a trial—it is merely a hearing where you enter your plea. But it’s a very important moment. This is when the prosecutor makes formal contact with you for the first time. They will size you up to see if you are an easy target. It’s imperative that you get a reputable DUI lawyer before the arraignment. In some cases, their presence is all it takes to get the prosecutor to offer a deal.
- Your Criminal Trial. If you go to trial it will normally be held at the West Covina Courthouse. But you may never have to go this far. Your lawyer’s goal is to help you win your case without going to court. They will work to get the prosecutor to drop the case, reduce the charge, or offer terms that are acceptable to you. This is a form of negotiation that is almost impossible without a good lawyer at your side.
How Does a DUI Lawyer Help You?
Lawyers are more than just knowledgeable about the law. They are also experienced warriors. They know how to fight—and win—in extremely difficult legal terrain. A good DUI lawyer has seen literally hundreds of drunk driving cases unfold, and knows which strategies will backfire and which ones are likely to work. This is why they make such a big difference in your case.
Benefits of having a DUI lawyer include:
- You can challenge the blood alcohol test. Breath tests and blood tests can be wrong. If there is anything unusual about how the test was done, your lawyer will object.
- You can challenge the arrest itself. If procedures weren’t followed during your arrest, key evidence against you might be thrown out.
- You can dispute the officer’s story. Police officers sometimes fudge details or misremember things. A DUI lawyer will look for the holes in their report.
- You can bargain for a better deal. Your lawyer will do toe to toe with the prosecutor and drive the hardest bargain possible.
In theory you can do all of these things on your own, but without a legal background they are extremely difficult—and you only get one shot. Talking to a lawyer is the smart way to approach your case.
Talk to a Baldwin Park DUI Lawyer for Free
You deserve a good defense. We want to help you get it. We can match you with a qualified Baldwin Park DUI lawyer—who will give you a 100% FREE case consultation. This consultation will help you determine your chances and decide whether hiring a lawyer is worth it.
Don’t go into court blind. Make an informed decision. Fill out the form to the right or call (310) 862-0199 and get your FREE case consultation today.
