If you’ve been convicted of a DUI in California, even if it’s the first time this has happened, you’ll be required to attend DUI school as part of your sentence. The other parts of your sentence will probably be having to pay some fines, be on probation, plus your license will be suspended for at least four months, and you may have other penalties if certain aggravating factors are present (such as an extremely high blood alcohol level, or causing an accident that injures someone or damages property).
Common DUI school questions
You may be wondering about what DUI school is like. Will it really help with alcohol or drug abuse issues? What happens if I don’t go to the required DUI school classes?
DUI Class Basics
No matter which DUI class is part of your sentence, you’ll have to attend class once a week. When you are convicted and sentenced, the court will give you a list of places where you can go to sign up for your DUI class.
Every time you go to class, you’ll have to pay a certain fee. Programs are run in Los Angeles County and many other parts of Southern California. If you don’t properly attend a DUI class and pay the necessary fee, you could be found to be in violation of probation, in which case your driver’s license won’t be reinstated by the DMV.
DUI classes are designed to educate people about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. The goals are to lessen or eliminate alcohol and drug use, and prevent DUI conviction from being issued again in the future through education, counseling, and support.
Wet reckless charge
If you were charged with a “wet reckless” offense with a measurable amount of alcohol in your blood, you’ll have the shortest possible required experience at DUI school. Complete the 12-hour alcohol and drug education program and you’ll be on your way.
1st DUI charge
If this is your first DUI charge, your DUI class experience will still be relatively short. Depending on your blood alcohol levels at the time of your arrest, you’ll have to complete either a 3-month (30 hour), 6 month (44 hour), or 9 month (60 hour) program. The alcohol and drug education segment will last for 12 hours, and then you’ll have to attend 10-44 hours of group counseling, and individual counseling interviews as well. The judge may require you to submit to more DUI classes depending on the circumstances of your case.
2nd and subsequent DUI charges
If you are convicted of a 2nd, 3rd, or other DUI charge within 10 years, you’ll have to attend an 18-month DUI program that includes 12 hours of alcohol and drug education, 52 hours of group counseling, biweekly individual interviews, and 6 hours of community reentry monitoring. The judge who determines your case may require you to attend more DUI school hours.
3rd and subsequent offenses
Anyone who is convicted of a 3rd or subsequent DUI charge within 10 years will have to attend 12 hours of alcohol and drug education classes, 78 hours of group counseling, individual interviews, and up to 300 hours of community service. Additional class attendance or services may be required by the judge in your case.
What if I can’t attend?
If your work schedule conflicts with your DUI school attendance commitments, or a family emergency arises, or if you have to leave the country, make sure you don’t just skip your DUI class. You need to officially request a leave of absence from the court, which will allow you to miss DUI school without violating the terms of your probation. If you fail to request this, you could be charged with failure to appear, and warrant will be issued for your arrest. Your attorney can help you request this leave of absence.
Recent DUI arrestees
If you’ve recently been arrested for a DUI in Southern California, you definitely want to avoid the hassle of having to attend DUI classes. The best way to prevent a conviction from being issued in your DUI case is by hiring Southern California’s best DUI defense attorney, Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm, to represent you. All prospective clients may schedule a free case evaluation with Attorney Chambers now by:
Calling 714-760-4088
Emailing dchambers@clfca.com
Or by using the chat box below.
