A wet reckless conviction can be a very beneficial plea bargain for anyone charged with a California DUI.
If you are charged with a DUI in the state of California, your DUI lawyer in Tustin, CA will likely attempt to engage in a series of negotiations with the prosecutor in an attempt to have the charges reduced or dismissed. Most criminal cases are resolved through deals rather than at trial; it generally makes more sense for both the prosecution and the defense to reach an agreement instead of going to trial, which can be a long, costly process with an uncertain outcome.
Of course, the ideal situation is that your charges will be dropped entirely. Perhaps your case involves false charges, or your DUI lawyer will be able to put together factual or legal defenses (such as an illegal stop) that will convince the prosecution that the best course of action is to simply dismiss the DUI charge. However, in most cases, an outright dismissal of the charges is unlikely. Instead, the prosecutor may be willing to talk about a reduction in the charge — if the facts of the case are favorable.
A reduced charge in a DUI case usually means a “wet reckless” charge. This means reckless driving where alcohol was involved (hence “wet”). Accepting a wet reckless deal does not necessarily mean that you were driving recklessly — other than the fact that they may have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But it is still often a far better idea to plead guilty to a wet reckless charge than to either plead guilty to a DUI charge or roll the dice at trial on a DUI charge.
A wet reckless conviction has far less serious consequences than a DUI conviction. For example, the court typically does not order a driver’s license suspension for a wet reckless (although the DMV may administratively suspend your license if you do not request a hearing and prevail at the hearing). DUI school is not a mandatory consequence of a wet reckless conviction; if DUI school is ordered, the length of attendance will typically be far shorter than for DUIs. In addition, the fines for a wet reckless conviction are lower and the probation period is shorter. Finally, when it comes to background checks and other issues for the future, having a conviction for reckless driving looks better on your record than a DUI does. Overall, a wet reckless conviction is far preferable to a DUI conviction, so if your DUI lawyer in Tustin, CA is able to negotiate a deal for a reduced charge of wet reckless, you should consider agreeing to the deal. Keep in mind, however, that this conviction will count as a prior offense if you are arrested for another DUI within the next 10 years.
So how do you get a reduction of a DUI charge to a wet reckless? This largely depends on the facts of your case and the skill of your DUI lawyer. In Tustin, CA, the Chambers Law Firm is skilled at negotiating favorable plea deals for their clients, including reductions from DUIs to wet reckless convictions when possible. If your case involves extreme facts, such as high rates of intoxication, speeding, bodily injury, a fatality, or other aggravating factors, it is highly unlikely that even the most skilled attorney will be able to negotiate a reduction of the charges. However, if your case involves a “standard” DUI, then you may be able to have the charge reduced to a wet reckless by hiring a top-notch DUI defense attorney.
Contact the Chambers Law Firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com. We will aggressively defend you against DUI charges and work to negotiate the best possible deal for your case. Initial consultations are always free!
