Dealing with a DUI charge is more than just a hassle. You may have to put your whole life on hold while you face legal ramifications such as fines, a suspended driver’s license, and possibly even jail time. In many cases, a DUI can haunt you for years, which is why you deserve the strongest DUI defense possible.
The best way to do that is to have a West Covina DUI lawyer fighting on your behalf. Your Los Angeles DUI lawyer will know the intricacies of the legal system, and they will put this knowledge to use to fight for the best outcome for you.
They may be able to reduce or avoid fines, help you keep your license, and possibly even have your DUI charge dismissed.
What Can You Expect When You Get a DUI?
The penalties for DUIs are determined by California state law. The law assigns heavier penalties for each successive DUI so that a person with prior DUI convictions will receive a much stiffer punishment than a first-time offender. However, even the first-time penalties are not light. For example:
- Even for a first DUI, the minimum sentence is two days in jail. Repeat offenders could face months in jail or even state prison.
- You will be paying a fine of at least $390 as a minimum, and when combined with various other fees, your minimum bill will be more like $1,800. After several offenses, the fines can get into the range of tens of thousands of dollars.
- A DUI conviction carries with it a mandatory education class on the dangers of drinking and driving or a much more in-depth treatment program. Completing these programs can take between three months and almost three years and can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,800 in their own right.
No matter what punishment you get, your license will be suspended or otherwise restricted. To get help in reducing or dismissing these charges, talk to a West Covina DUI attorney today.
Anatomy of a DUI Case
Getting arrested for drunk driving will probably mean spending the night in the local jail, depending on whether the West Covina Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Sheriff’s Office of LA County, or another law enforcement agency arrests you.
You will be released after processing, but the bulk of a long legal procedure is still ahead. This is why it is so important to work with a criminal defense attorney who is experienced in DUI cases.
There are several phases to the DUI process:
- The DMV DUI Hearing: After you’re released, you will be issued a temporary license, which is valid for 30 days. Your actual license is suspended until after your trial. You can fight the suspension by requesting a hearing from the DMV within ten days of your arrest, which is why getting a DUI lawyer early in the case is so important. They may be able to help you keep your license until the trial.
- Arraignment: You will appear in court for your arraignment, during which you enter your plea and are given an official trial date.
- The Waiting Period: You might have to wait months between the arraignment and the actual trial. This can be a stressful time, but your lawyer can subpoena evidence, do research, find holes in the case against you, and work to get the charges against you dropped or reduced.
- The Trial: While many DUI cases are settled before they go to trial, if your case does make it this far, you will face a jury at the West Covina Courthouse.
A West Covina DUI lawyer with experience is more likely to advise you to plead not guilty and start pressuring the prosecution to give you a better deal.
How Does an Attorney Help in a DUI Case?
Facing criminal charges for driving under the influence of alcohol may seem cut and dried. You were either over the limit, or you were not. There is a lot that a West Covina DUI lawyercan do to affect the outcome of your case.
The law says you are not guilty unless proven guilty, and your lawyer can make it very hard for the prosecution to make a successful case against you. When you’re facing harsh consequences, it’s wise to seek an attorney for your legal defense. A good lawyer has several approaches available:
- Examine the arrest: If your legal rights were violated during the arrest procedure, the case may be thrown out at the beginning.
- Examine the evidence: Breath tests and blood tests are flawed and do not always establish your guilt. For example, the breath machine may not have been calibrated correctly, or the lab technicians may not have followed the correct procedures. Your blood alcohol content may be debatable. It is difficult to prove someone guilty without evidence.
- Perform detective work: Your arresting officer may misremember the details of your arrest or change their story over time. A lawyer will find these inconsistencies and use them to discredit their testimony.
- Negotiate on your behalf:The prosecution has many other pending cases and has to focus on the most important ones, so your odds of getting a favorable deal or having your case dismissed improve once the prosecution realizes you are serious enough to hire a West Covina criminal defense lawyer. By building up a strong case, your lawyer can bring them to the table and push them to offer you a bargain.
These tactics can mean you pay less money, face no jail time, or even win your case altogether.
What Could You Face with a Conviction?
- Jail time: In California, a first DUI carries the potential of up to 6 months in jail. If this is your second or third offense, that could become one year.
- License suspension: If this is your first DUI, you could lose your driving privileges for six months. For a second offense, that increases to two years, and for a third offense, three years.
- Fines: You could face fines from $390 to $1,000 in your case. If there is an injury involved in the DUI, such as you caused an accident, that could amount to up to a $5,000 fine.
These are the consequences of the law. However, you also must consider how this will impact you in the months and years to come. This is why it’s so important to seek legal representation from an attorney with experience in DUI cases.
How a DUI Conviction Impacts Your Life
Consider how a conviction could impact your future:
- Lost income: Do you use your car to drive to and from work? With a conviction and license suspension, you may have to find alternative methods to go to and from any destination.
- Ignition interlock requirement: You may be required to have an ignition interlock device installed on your car. That can be expensive, and it means that you will be limited in your ability to drive if the device detects any presence of alcohol.
- Increased premiums: Your auto insurance costs could rise. You may be required to obtain SR-22 requirements, which means you will likely pay much more for this type of liability protection; without it, you cannot drive legally in California.
- Career damage: If you have a job interview, you could be asked about any convictions you have had in the past. It is likely to show up on your background checks going forward as well.
Get in Touch With an Experienced West Covina DUI Law Firm
The clock starts ticking when the arresting officer puts you in handcuffs for drunk driving. You only have a small window during which you can make requests for a DMV hearing, gather evidence, and prepare yourself for court. The sooner you make the decision to seek legal advice and consult with an established DUI law office, the more they can do to help you.
Our mission is to put you in contact with a DUI attorney in West Covina who can handle your case. There’s no charge for this. If you provide us with some basic details, we will match you with an attorney from our network of experienced, pre-screened lawyers, and they will give you a free and thorough case evaluation.
Once you are in front of a jury, it is already too late. Do not risk your freedom and your future by waiting too long. Contact Los Angeles DUI Attorneys to get your free confidential consultation today.
