Committing a DUI in the state of California can entail a lot of legal consequences. For the record, a DUI offense is one of the more serious situations to be caught in. The penalties include fines, jail terms, and of course, suspension or even the revocation of your driving license. This is not including other accessory penalties such as possible forfeiture of vehicles and other forms of pecuniary liabilities. That being said, it’s very important to be forewarned and forearmed. Gaining sufficient knowledge on these penalties will enable the offender to see where he stands and whether or not he has chances for reduced penalties through plea-bargaining.
Naturally, it’s vital that you should seek immediate legal assistance the moment you are charged with a DUI offense in the state. Your DUI defense attorney will also take into consideration the penalties attached to the violation in order to negotiate for the most minimal sentence to be imposed on you. So here’s a quick view on the standard penalties for first-time DUI offenders. Note that each county also has a variable set of penalties depending on the nature of the DUI offense committed. In other words, some counties may impose harsher penalties than others.
For first-time offenders, the usual penalties include a 3 to 5-year court probation, fines, and a mandatory jail time of 48 hours. However, it is also possible to have the jail time converted to work service instead. This would depend on the plea-bargaining powers of your defense attorney which is why you should hire a really competent and experienced one. As far as the fines are concerned, the range is usually from $1400 to $1800 although in case of DUI hit-and-run where there is property damage, the offender may be made to pay more. Your driver’s license will be suspended for 6 months and depending on your BAC or blood alcohol content during the requisite breath tests, you may be made to attend DUI school for a maximum of 12 hours.
In other counties, even first-time offenders are made to install ignition interlock devices on their vehicles for a specific period of time. So if you have been charged with a DUI violation, do not waste precious time in saving your license and availing of all the possible legal remedies by contacting a DUI defense attorney in the state ASAP. The prompt and proper action of your defense attorney will mean all the difference between shouldering the minimal penalties or becoming saddled with harsher ones. Talk to our experienced DUI defense attorney today and learn more about the intricacies of these DUI charges and corresponding penalties.
