Get a DUI Attorney Near Me
DUI is a serious charge in La Puente. Sentences include fines reaching thousands of dollars, driver’s license suspension, mandatory DUI school, and jail time—even for a first offense. If you’re facing a DUI charge, you need to protect yourself.
The best defense is hiring a lawyer. A La Puente DUI lawyer can assist you in navigating the complicated legal system, and may even help you win your case without the need for a trial. In many cases they can keep you out of jail and save you a significant amount of money.
Costs of a DUI in La Puente
DUI carries severe penalties in California. Fines are rising statewide, and they are seen as a source of income by the City of La Puente. Sheriff’s deputies in La Puente have held a series of controversial DUI checkpoints, catching as many drivers as possible. The total cost to a single one of these drivers can be up to $15,649.
Having a clean criminal record doesn’t necessarily help. Under California State Law, penalties may be stringent even for first-time offenders. They include:
- Jail. All DUI’s carry the possibility of jail time. You may anywhere from two days to six months. The judge has a wide discretion in choosing a jail sentence and many show little mercy to DUI offenders.
- Driver’s License Suspension. Your license will be suspended for any DUI charge. The period of suspension ranges from several months to one year.
- DUI Classes. If convicted, you must attend DUI school—which you must pay for. Costs start at $500, and even the basic course lasts at least three months.
- Fines and fees. The minimum fine for a DUI is $390, but a variety of administrative fees are added on top. The lowest you pay will be roughly $1800. It can be far higher.
Those with prior DUI’s in the last 10 years incur more severe consequences. Jail sentences can range of up to a year, or be converted to up to 16 months in state prison. Fines also increase, rising easily into the tens of thousands of dollars, and license suspension drags on for years. In some cases your DUI could even be charged as a felony.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in La Puente
Most La Puente DUI arrests are conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff out of the nearby Industry Station, but you may also have been arrested by the California Highway Patrol out of Baldwin Park. No matter who arrested you, you face a fast-moving legal process with a series of urgent deadlines. Each of these deadlines affects your future, and you have to be ready for all of them. They include:
- The DMV Hearing. After your arrest, your license will be automatically suspended by the DMV (this is called “administrative suspension”). This happens before you’ve even had a trial. The only way to avoid this is to request a hearing within 10 days of arrest. A DUI lawyer can help you file this request, and can represent you at the hearing. Your lawyer knows what evidence the DMV needs to let you keep your license until trial.
- The Arraignment. The first court date is the arraignment. This is not a trial, just a brief hearing before a judge. This hearing is where you plead either Guilty or Not Guilty. It’s also your first opportunity to confront the prosecution in court. They have a busy schedule and they’re looking to see whether you’ll be easy to convict. If you have a lawyer with a reputation for DUI defense, they may not want to fight out a long legal battle. At this point they’re much more likely to offer you a good deal—usually far better than what they offered when you were first arrested.
- Trial. Your trial will be held at the West Covina Courthouse. The trial is typically just 30-45 days after your arrest. However, if you have a good DUI lawyer you may never need to go to trial. Your lawyer will use the time before trial to research your case, fight the evidence against you and drive the prosecutor to offer you a way out. The sooner you speak to a lawyer, the more they can do for you.
How a La Puente DUI Lawyer Improves Your Odds
Speaking to a dedicated DUI lawyer may be the single best thing you do for your case. The ideal lawyer devotes their entire practice to drunk driving cases. They should be able to tell you about other cases similar to yours and how they were able to win those cases for their clients.
A DUI lawyer uses a variety of tactics to get you a favorable outcome:
- Questioning the Validity of a Chemical Test. Most DUI cases involve a breath test, blood test or urine test. None of these are as scientific as they seem. Your lawyer will review the data and testing procedures and see if there are grounds to object to the test as skewed.
- Challenging Arrest Procedures. Police may make mistakes, hold biases, or make unwarranted assumptions in deciding who to pull over and arrest. If your arrest was illegal, it could mean getting the case dismissed and walking away free of all charges.
- Protecting Your Rights. Police must read you your rights and follow protocol during questioning. They also need a valid reason to search your vehicle before arresting you. If your rights were violated, your lawyer may get key evidence suppressed.
- Negotiating. Sometimes the best way to win a DUI case is old fashioned bargaining. Your lawyer will work to whittle away the evidence against you and then bring the prosecutor to the negotiation table. They will push for the charges to be reduced or dropped entirely.
Talk to a La Puente DUI Lawyer for Free
We want you to have the best defense possible in your DUI case. We can match you with a top La Puente area DUI lawyer. We work only with the most experienced and reputable DUI lawyers in the area. Your lawyer will offer you a FREE consultation and discuss their recommendations for your case.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Fill out the form to the right or call (310) 896-2724 and get your FREE consultation today.
