Legal Consequences And Penalties For a Drunk Driving Offense In Sacramento
With the rise in DUI accidents, the law enforcement authorities tend to do their very best in order to apprehend and punish the drivers, who were driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances. The DUI offense, even if it is a misdemeanor, is not taking lightly these days.
If you were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances, you should prepare yourself for some severe legal consequences. First of all, right at the scene, your driver’s license will be taken from you by the arresting officer. However, he is going to provide you with a temporary license that will allow you to drive your car for 30 more days. After that, your license will be revoked or suspended. In case you wish to keep your license and are prepared to prove your point, do not hesitate to file an official request to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in order to initiate an administrative hearing.
Even if you will be able to retain your driving license, it does not necessarily mean that you will be able to get off that easy. You will probably be obliged to purchase a special SR22 type insurance. This insurance is specifically designed for high risk drivers and it will cost you a small fortune. These are not the only expenses you will have to deal with. The court may oblige you to pay restitution as well as some heavy fines. The sums vary, but can go as far as $10,000. Furthermore, do not forget that you may be obliged to attend special alcohol or drug awareness classes. These will also be paid for from your pocket. The judge may also find that it is necessary for you to perform community service, which means that you will have to perform unpaid labor for hundreds of hours.
In case a person was injured or even killed during the DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE accident, the crime may be considered a felony, so you will be incarcerated and will have to spend a lot of time in jail or state prison. Do not forget about the detrimental effect that the DUI case may have on your day to day living. Your career, your reputation, even your family may be at stake. Very few employers will want to hire a person with criminal DUI records. Therefore, if you or your loved ones were accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances, it is imperative not to lose time and to consult a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Sacramento DUI defense attorney at the earliest opportunity.
A professional and seasoned Sacramento DUI attorney law firm will have the knowledge, skills and expertise to help you. He will go over your case and all the evidence against you. There is a number of defense strategies that one may be able to use in your defense. First of all, it is important to determine whether the law enforcement officers had the reasonable cause to pull you over and whether test results are accurate. The lawyer will be able to find even the tiniest detail that is out of place and will use it to help you.
Hence, if you wish to minimize the sentence or even to get the case dismissed whatsoever, do not hesitate to contact a good attorney as soon as possible and you will surely not be disappointed.