Penalties to Expect When Facing a California DUI and How to Choose the Right DUI Attorney
Have you been arrested for a San Diego DUI? The state of California opens a long road of frustration, money loss, reputation loss and, in many cases, loss of employment. Moreover, it is crucial if you drink and drive, that you are swift to consult a San Diego DUI Attorney. It may surprise you that it only takes is a few beers, or a few drinks to put your BAC over the legal limit. If you are discovered to be driving over the legal limit, you will be immediately arrested and will need to search for a knowledgeable San Diego DUI attorney to rescue you from a conviction.
You don\’t have to be completely drunk to get arrested for a DUI. You don\’t even have to be swerving in between the lines. You could be pulled over for an expired inspection sticker, an outdated license plate, or even a broken taillight. If the officer thinks you\’ve been drinking, whether he smells alcohol on your breath, hears your slurred words, or sees that your eyes are red, he has probable cause enough to give you a field sobriety test.
When you\’re arrested, you will be read your rights. One of these rights is the right to remain silent. If you have your wits about you, use this right, and then use the next right that says you have the right to an attorney. Even if you don\’t know any attorneys, you will be given a chance to find one. Or, you can use your phone call to have your friends and/or family find the best DUI attorney possible.
Penalties
It is crucial you choose the best attorney, and not even consider representing yourself, as the penalties for a California DUI are both serious and expensive. They are designed this way on purpose. People driving under the influence are driving large weapons. Every year many people are killed by drunk drivers, so it makes sense that officers and California court systems are not friendly to drivers who choose to drink and drive.
When you are arrested, you will be charged with a DUI and will spend the night in the drunk tank. This is the holding cell where most intoxicated people are put in order to sober up before they see the judge in the morning. When you finally see the judge, you will be asked to plead guilty, not guilty or no contest. Most people think that because they had a beer or two, and were arrested for DUI, that they should immediately plead guilty. However, a good San Diego DUI attorney may be able to get you a lesser charge or he may even be able to get the court case thrown out completely.
You should be well aware if you plead guilty, or are convicted of a DUI, this will be counted as a felony on your legal record. Having a felony on your record prevents you from employment as well as being accepted at several apartment complexes. You should expect to pay several thousand dollars in fines, fees, and court costs. You will almost always be required to complete an alcohol education course, community service, or anything else the judge rules necessary for your particular case. It is highly possible that you may also face loss of work, or even loss of your job entirely. With all of these penalties against you, you should take this matter very seriously and consult the absolute best DUI attorney you can find.
How to Find the Best Attorney
There are an abundance of ways to start searching for the best DUI attorney in San Diego. Do not simply trust the ads you see on TV or the ones in the phone book. This is a common mistake as any attorney with some money can create an ad or a commercial and claim to be the best option. What you should be looking for is referrals.
Do you have any friends or family that have been previously arrested for drunk driving and received a decreased charge or was able to get their case thrown out of court entirely by a San Diego DUI attorney? That\’s the attorney you want to be calling. If you don\’t know anyone who is familiar with a good San Diego DUI attorney, you should hop on the internet and do a Google search. Usually, you can find testimonials of DUI attorneys in your local area. That is usually one of the best ways to discover a San Diego DUI attorney that can rescue you from the loss of time, money and your reputation that being convicted of a DUI will have on you.
Learn more about locating your San Diego DUI attorney. Stop by Ron Eddings\’s site where you can find out information about getting a San Diego DUI and how to solve it.
