Have you recently been arrested for DUI? You’re not alone. This is a relatively common charge in Southern California and throughout the US. If this is your first time getting arrested, you may feel rather lost. Here’s what you need to know about getting arrested for DUI in California.
First step: arraignment
After you’re arrested for a DUI, the first step in the criminal court process is your arraignment. When you’re arrested, the date, time, and location of your arraignment will be indicated on your ticket.
At your arraignment, you’ll find out exactly which criminal charge has been filed against you, your rights according to the Constitution of the United States, and your bail status. Your bail status includes whether you’re eligible to be bailed out, how much will have to be paid, etc.
Every single DUI case begins with an arraignment. In most instances, if you hire an attorney and authorize that attorney to appear for you, you do not need to appear at the arraignment. If you must appear at your arraignment and fail to do so, a warrant will be issued for your arrest immediately.
Entering a plea
The other purpose of an arraignment is that it’s your first opportunity to enter a plea. In the majority of cases, the wisest plea to enter is “not guilty.” Even if you think you were guilty of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you should probably enter a “not guilty” plea because this gives you the opportunity to work with a defense attorney and hopefully secure a more favorable outcome in your case.
If you do enter a plea of “guilty” at your arraignment, the judge will probably sentence you immediately, and you may even receive the harshest penalties allowed by law without the opportunity to present your side of the situation.
Should I get an attorney before or after my arraignment?
Ideally, you should enlist the services of a lawyer before your arraignment. It’s a good idea to always have an attorney to represent you throughout every part of your DUI case, including your arraignment.
From the moment you are arrested, your primary focus should be on contacting a lawyer who specializes in DUI defense ASAP.
If you’re arrested anywhere in Southern California, the ideal choice is Attorney Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm. He has 7 offices in Southern California – in Beverly Hills, Irvine, Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga, San Diego, Santa Ana, and Temecula. Feel free to schedule a free initial consultation with Attorney Chambers at any of these 7 locations now by calling 714-760-4088, emailing dchambers@clfca.com, or using the chat box below.
