Do I Need an Attorney for a First Offense DUI?

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Do I Need an Attorney for a First Offense DUI?

If you have been arrested for drunk driving, you may be wondering whether you need an attorney for a first offense DUI? The short answer is: yes, you should definitely hire a DUI attorney to defend you because if you’re not familiar with California DUI law, it will be difficult for you to properly defend yourself. The DUI Attorneys at The H Law Group have extensive experience defending those who have been charged with drunk driving. So, if you have been charged with a DUI, hire an experienced DUI attorney to defend you and achieve the best possible outcome for you. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at 1 (213) 370-0404.

Being charged with a DUI is a bad situation that many Americans find themselves in. The best thing you can do to defend yourself is to hire an experienced DUI Attorney to assist you with navigating the DUI process. A DUI is a serious offense, and a first time DUI is not an infraction as many believe. It is a misdemeanor crime that carries up to six months in county jail, payment of hefty court fees and fines, as well as the performance of community service.

So, the worst thing you can do is attempt to defend the case on your own without the assistance of an experienced DUI defense lawyer. If convicted the conviction will permanently remain on your record, viewable by your current or future employer. So, hire an attorney to defend you and mitigate the potential consequences that you face.

For example, although you may believe that the prosecution has an easy case to prove against you because you performed a breathalyzer where you blew a 0.08% or above, an experienced attorney can challenge the legality of the stop, as well as the accuracy of the breathalyzer test that was performed. If your attorney is successful, he may be able to get the breathalyzer test results thrown out and not used against you. So, if you have been charged with a DUI in Los Angeles or elsewhere in the State of California, you should immediately contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at The H Law Group to defend you and keep you from going to jail and losing your driver’s license.

EARLY DISMISSAL OF YOUR DUI CASE

If you have been charged with a DUI, hiring an experienced DUI attorney at the outset of your case is the best thing that you can do because your attorney can point out the potential weaknesses in the prosecution’s case in an attempt to have the charges against you dismissed before you even have to appear in court.

NEGOTIATING WITH THE PROSECUTION

Hiring an experienced attorney is a great choice because whether you’ve been charged with an alcohol DUI, marijuana DUI, or drug DUI, your attorney can negotiate with the prosecution to have the charges against you dropped or reduced into a lesser crime. For example, if the prosecution’s case against you is weak, your attorney may be able to have your DUI reduced into a reckless driving offense, which carries less severe penalties and does not look as bad as a DUI does on your record.

Also, having a dry reckless driving conviction on your record means that it’s not a priorable offense. This may matter to you in the future if you’re ever charged with a subsequent DUI. If you’re charged with a second DUI, it will be your first offense if you’re convicted of a dry reckless. Whereas, if you’re convicted of a wet reckless or a DUI, your second DUI offense would be a second time DUI, resulting in tougher penalties and a lengthier suspension of your driver’s license.

As such, if you have been charged with a DUI, you should immediately contact an experienced DUI lawyer to represent you and have the charges against you dismissed or reduced into a lesser offense.

PREVENTING YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE FROM BEING SUSPENDED

If you have been charged with a DUI in the State of California, the arresting police officer may have taken your driver’s license and issued you a temporary pink license that is good for thirty days from the date of your arrest.

After the 30-day period, your temporary license expires unless you schedule an administrative DMV hearing within 10 days of your arrest and you win at the hearing. If you either lose the hearing or you fail to schedule it within 10 days of your arrest, your driver’s license will be suspended pending the outcome in the criminal case against you.

However, if you schedule the DMV hearing and win the hearing, you may be able to continue driving to and from work and school pending the outcome of your case. If you win at court, your license will be reinstated. However, if you lose at court, your license will be suspended for the full six-month period.

So, if you have been charged with a DUI, you should hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to not only defend you throughout your criminal proceedings but also to defend you at the DMV hearing.

DO YOU NEED AN ATTORNEY TO PLEAD GUILTY TO A DUI?

If you decide to plead guilty to a DUI, you should hire a DUI attorney to explain the consequences that pleading guilty to a DUI comes with. This is especially important for a DUI because the consequences of pleading guilty can last for years to come.

Also, we have noticed that many individuals who plead guilty to DUIs do not take into account that they are pleading guilty to a criminal conviction that will be visible to your current and future employers for years to come.

Also, you will have to disclose the conviction if you’re asked to do so by employers, banks, or housing officials. So, if you’re thinking about pleading guilty to a DUI, you should at the least, consult with an experienced DUI attorney to inform you about the potential consequences that a guilty plea comes with.

Also, you should consult with an attorney because DUI attorneys have a number of defenses that they can use to defend you in court. Even if you want to plead guilty to a DUI, your attorney can negotiate the best possible plea deal for you.

WHAT CAN A DUI ATTORNEY AT THE H LAW GROUP DO FOR YOU?

A DUI Attorney at The H Law will first look over the facts of your case to determine whether a dismissal is possible. If the attorney believes that a dismissal is possible, he will communicate this to the prosecution. If the prosecution refuses to dismiss your case, our attorneys will do all that they can to negotiate the best possible plea deal for you.

Usually, for the prosecution to convict a person of driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and/or drugs, the prosecution will introduce the police officer’s observations of things, such as bloodshot eyes, slurred speed, swerving while driving, and the odor of alcohol or marijuana.

The attorneys at The H Law Group will try to explain these observations by introducing an innocent reason as to why you were experiencing such symptoms. For example, if the police officer reports that you had bloodshot eyes, an innocent explanation would be that you have allergies that caused them to look the way they did.

Also, if the police officer conducted a breathalyzer test, your attorney may be able to argue that the results shouldn’t be given any weight because the machine was not calibrated or the police officer did not perform the test correctly. There are a number of defenses that an experienced DUI Attorney at The H Law Group can make to defend you and keep you from going to jail.

The best way to find out which defenses work is to sit down with one of our attorneys and have them go over the facts of your case. After going through the facts, our attorneys can advise you as to the best course of action.

Many clients come to us believing that their fate is sealed and that they are 100% guilty of the crime. But, the truth of the matter is that there are many defenses that your attorney can make to defend you. Also, the prosecution bears the burden of proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. So, you’re innocent until the prosecution proves you guilty. Even if the prosecution can convict you of a DUI, your attorney can still poke holes in the prosecution’s case, which may make them more likely to offer a reasonable plea deal of a reduced crime. Ultimately, we will do all that we can to ensure that we provide you with the best possible defense. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at 1 (213) 370-0404.

CAN A FIRST TIME DUI BE DISMISSED?

A first time DUI can be dismissed in some cases, however, most of the time the prosecution has sufficient evidence to convict a person of a DUI. That said, even if you believe you’re guilty and the prosecution is likely to convict you, you should always bear in mind that they bear the burden of convicting you. That said, although your case may not be dismissed, hiring an experienced DUI attorney may be the best thing for you as he may be able to have the charges against you reduced into a lesser offense, such as a wet reckless or a dry reckless.

DO YOU NEED A LAWYER FOR A DUI?

You are not required to hire an attorney for a DUI. However, you should not rely on a public defender to defend you. Public defenders have a huge caseload, so they are unlikely going to be able to dedicate the amount of time that needs to be dedicated to your case.

HOW HARD IS IT TO GET A DUI DISMISSED?

It is not impossible to get a DUI dismissed. Whether you can get your DUI dismissed depends on the evidence that the prosecution has against you. For example, if you admitted that you were drinking and driving and the prosecution has blood test results that show you had a high BAC content, it’s difficult to have your case dismissed. However, if you did not make any incriminating statements and you barely blew a 0.08%, you have a better chance of having your DUI thrown out or reduced into a lesser charge, such as reckless driving. So, it really depends on the evidence the prosecutor has against you.

CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY

If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI, you should immediately contact an experienced DUI Attorney at The H Law Group to defend you and keep you from going to jail and losing your driver’s license for a long period of time. Our DUI Lawyers have handled thousands of DUI cases, so they have the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve the best possible results for you. Schedule your free consultation today by filling out the contact form below or by calling us at 1 (213) 370-0404.