Facing a charge for driving under the influence (DUI) in Cerritos isn’t easy. Penalties for DUI include jail time, a suspended driver’s license, and thousands of dollars in costs. Even a first-time DUI can be enough to leave a mark on your life for years to come.
Fortunately, you can get professional help today from a Cerritos DUI lawyer. A criminal defense lawyer can help you handle the legal system and fight for a better outcome. Your law firm may take steps to get your charges reduced or dismissed.
You can also rely on your attorney to aggressively represent you in court and throughout the legal process when you face criminal charges for a DUI.
Do You Need a DUI Lawyer in Cerritos?
You may want to hire a criminal defense attorney to get personalized legal advice and help protecting your future after an arrest. DUI lawyers devote their entire practice to understanding DUI law and the defenses that work best.
Lawyers are your biggest ally in fighting for your future if you face charges like:
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
- Underage DUI with a BAC of 0.05 or Higher
- Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs Causing Injury
- Drinking in a Vehicle
DUI lawyers handle criminal offense charges in several ways. A criminal defense law firm may:
Challenge Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Test Results
Most DUI cases depend on a breath test or blood test. The court sees these tests as scientific. But the truth is, they’re often wrong. DUI lawyers know how to challenge the validity of the test and can often get the results thrown out by the judge.
Question Officer Testimony
Police officers aren’t always right. Many DUI cases feature sworn statements by officers that contain outright inaccuracies. Your lawyer will carefully research everything an officer says leading up to the trial and work to disprove it in court.
Get Your Charges Reduced
Prosecutors don’t want to go all the way to the courtroom in most DUI cases. If your lawyer puts enough pressure on them, they may offer to reduce the charges against you through a plea bargain.
Get Your Charges Dismissed
Sometimes, a criminal defense law firm can get drunk driving charges dismissed by showing that the prosecution has insufficient evidence to show fault. The court may also dismiss your charges if your lawyer shows the police violated your rights.
Represent You in Court
A Cerritos DUI lawyer may help you avoid time in jail, fines, and other legal penalties by aggressively representing you in the court system. Your lawyer can build a personalized defense strategy designed to meet your specific needs.
Getting a DUI lawyer may be the best thing you can do for your case. You can also rely on an attorney for help if you face other charges, including those for reckless driving.
Are DUI Convictions Expensive?
DUI’s have become one of the most expensive misdemeanors in California. A single first-time DUI can now cost you over $15,000. Fines are a source of income for the City of Cerritos—much of that money goes directly to the local government.
Unsurprisingly, the courts show little mercy, and law enforcement holds large-scale DUI crackdowns in the area.
The state of California uses other penalties to penalize drivers accused of a DUI. They feature separate sentences for first-time, second-time, and third-time (or more) DUI offenders. Penalties can include:
Jail Time
All DUI sentences can now include incarceration. A first-time sentence can be as short as two days. However, some people face six months in county jail. Jail time can and often does interfere with a DUI offender’s career.
License Suspension
If the court convicts you of a DUI in California, you can face the suspension of your license. The suspension will last at least several months for a first-time DUI. It can last much longer.
Traffic School
Recently, California has turned to various expensive education programs to deter DUI. One program required in all cases is known as DUI traffic school. Traffic school lasts at least three months and costs $500 or more. If you’re convicted, it’s mandatory.
Fines and Fees
A first-time DUI conviction carries a minimum fine of $390. However, the court can add various fees to this, bringing it to around $1,800. This amount is the minimum fee—it can be much more.
Repeat offenders face much harsher sentences. Jail can last up to a year, license suspension can last for three years or more, and fines can rise over $10,000 quickly. In some cases, you can face state prison, a mandatory interlock device on your car, or addiction treatment.
What to Expect After a Cerritos DUI Arrest
Cerritos is policed primarily by the LA County Sheriff, but many DUIs also involve the Highway Patrol out of Santa Fe Springs. The arrest is only the start of your case, however. You will most likely spend the night in jail at the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station.
As soon as the police complete their paperwork, the legal machine begins, and you face a variety of fast-approaching deadlines.
The major deadlines in a DUI case involve your:
DMV Hearing
From the moment of your arrest, you have only 10 days to request a hearing from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This administrative hearing is your only chance to keep your driver’s license until trial.
If you don’t request the hearing, the DMV automatically suspends your license through an “administrative suspension.”
The best way to approach the hearing is to talk to a DUI lawyer quickly after your arrest. You can ask for their help. They will make sure it’s in on time, and they can represent you at the DMV hearing itself.
Arraignment
Your arraignment is a short hearing that happens long before the trial. At your arraignment, the judge will ask you to enter a plea. The prosecution attends this hearing and can assess you. They want to know if you’re going to be easy to convict or not.
Trial
Most Cerritos DUI cases are held at theBellflower Courthouse. You may have as little as 30 days before your trial. But you may not have to go to trial at all. Your DUI lawyer’s goal is to end your case in your favor before the court date ever happens.
Speak to a DUI Lawyer for Free
We believe you should have the best defense possible. We can connect you with a Cerritos DUI lawyer who has the right experience for your case. Your lawyer will give you a FREE consultation to discuss your case and show you the best strategy going forward.
Don’t face the jury alone. You can call or complete our online contact form to learn more about your legal options.
