Will I Require a DUI Lawyer

If you ponder whether or not it is smart to work with a DUI lawyer, then your response is probably going to be "yes". Do you find yourself charged with driving while impaired of alcohol or drugs? If you have, then its an excellent idea for you to get in contact with a DUI lawyer that's familiar with handling DUI cases. In California, as in most states inside the U.S., the charge of DUI is very serious. If you're charged and convicted of DUI, you will be faced with some long-lasting repercussions. With the serious repercussions, it is extremely crucial that you fight the charge, even if technically guilty.

Pleading Guilty, Not Guilty, or No Contest

If you're booked with DUI, then you are going to be arraigned. You're going to have to make a plea to the charge while in the arraignment. What this means is professing innocence or guilt, or pleading no contest. When you plead "no contest", it means the fact that you are able to understand that there is enough evidence for your prosecutor to convict you, however you don't plead guilty. Once you have been arraigned, you will then be granted bail, at least in most instances. Your DUI lawyer can then work together with the courts to ready bail for you. If you aren't in a position to afford bail yourself, you may seek the help of a bail bondsman, who pays the bond in your case - however, you will have to pay a percentage to the bondsman. This is usually ten to twenty percent. Once you plead "not guilty", then you will be released from custody and be scheduled a court date when you will need to come back for a pre-trial hearing. When you plead "guilty" or "no contest", then you'll return at a later time for sentencing.

Penalties for DUI

There are a selection of different penalties that can be imposed upon your for committing the offense of DUI. For starters, your license will be revoked for a particular time period. You might be forced to serve a required jail sentence. Large fines are going to be imposed upon you. You might be required to attend drug or alcohol recovery classes. You might be required to have your motorized vehicle outfitted with a special device that will not turn your ignition on when your breath tests for alcohol. These are merely a few of the penalties that you may face. The circumstances surrounding your DUI charge will have a great deal to do with the stiffness of the penalties. Possibly the worst thing which will happen to you is going to be that you will end up with a criminal record which may stick with you for a number of years, that makes it tricky to rent a home, get a job, and much more.

If you are facing DUI charges, don't do it yourself. Talk to a DUI lawyer at the earliest opportunity to help you formulate your defense.

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