The cost of hiring a lawyer is often far less than the expense of a DUI conviction
If you have been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs in California, you may be tempted to represent yourself. In most cases, DUIs are misdemeanor offenses, and while jail time is a possibility, the prospect of being sent to jail may seem remote. It may seem like a good idea to forego a lawyer, and just try to negotiate a plea deal on your own.
According to a DUI defense lawyer in San Bernardino, CA, prosecutors often offer plea deals in misdemeanor DUI cases. Most of the time, however, these plea deals aren’t actually favorable. The agreement may simply require you to plead guilty in exchange for receiving the same sentence that you would have if you had gone to court. But if you aren’t familiar with typical sentences for DUI cases like yours, you may not realize that you aren’t getting a deal at all — just the standard sentence for this type of DUI.
Perhaps more importantly, when you go it alone, you may miss important facts or aspects of the law that a DUI defense lawyer in San Bernardino, CA could use to have the charges reduced — or even dismissed. For example, the police are required to follow very specific procedures, set out in California regulations, before taking a post-arrest chemical blood or breath test. If they fail to do so, then your lawyer could challenge the admissibility of the test — and the prosecution’s case against you would fall apart. The average person isn’t aware of the rules and regulations surrounding DUIs, and doesn’t understand the science behind DUI breath and blood tests. When you represent yourself, you take the chance that you will plead guilty to an offense that could have been dismissed.
Hiring a DUI defense lawyer in San Bernardino, CA may seem like a major expense. However, the cost of an attorney must be weighed against the potential consequences of a DUI conviction. A first-time misdemeanor DUI conviction can cost you well over $10,000 between court penalties, booking and fingerprinting fees, vehicle towing and impound fee, victim restitution fund costs, tuition for DUI school, a driver’s license fee, and the increase in your car insurance premium. In addition, if you have to post bond to be released, that could cost you additional money.
While paying attorney’s fees may seem out of reach, a DUI conviction will cost you far more in the long run. A DUI defense lawyer in San Bernardino, CA can use their knowledge of the law and experience with DUI cases to help you achieve the best possible outcome, which may even include being allowed to enter into a diversion program and having the charge dismissed, under a new California law.
If you have been charged with a DUI, the Chambers Law Firm is here for you. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.
