If you are charged with a DUI and do not work with the right DUI attorney in San Juan Capistrano CA, you could end up facing significant consequences. At Simmons Wagner, LLP we offer a wide range of legal services, including DUI defense. Keep reading to learn about the potential consequences and then call us at (949) 439-5857 to request a free legal consultation.
Minimum Penalties for a First DUI Offense
A minimum fine of $390 is required, plus extra government charges. Around $1800 is the typical total. You can also expect to be in jail for 48 hours. It is possible to get this waived, but the license suspension will be extended by 90 days.
You will also face a suspended license. The exact period will vary, but you should expect your license to be suspended for at least four months, including 90 days for criminal penalties and 30 days for DMV suspension. Some people’s licenses will be suspended for up to a year.
Typically, three months of alcohol therapy is necessary, which costs approximately $500. Please keep in mind that these are the bare minimums. Maximum penalties include fines of up to $3600, up to six months in prison, and considerably lengthier alcohol treatment and license suspension requirements.
Your car might potentially be detained for 30 days at your expense. The judge may also order you to pay for the installation of an interlock device in your car. The best chance you have of reducing these penalties is to work with an experienced DUI attorney in San Juan Capistrano CA.
Minimum Penalties for a Second DUI
Fines are the same as the first infraction, totaling about $1800, and you should expect to spend 96 hours in jail. For at least one year, your license will be suspended, and you will be prohibited from driving for two years, meaning you will only be able to drive to work and alcohol treatment. Alcohol therapy for 18 or 30 months, which costs $1800 and is required.
At your cost, interlock devices will be fitted in all cars. These are, once again, the bare minimums. You may face fines of up to $4000, a year in prison, a two-year license suspension, and two years of restricted driving. It is possible that your car will be detained for 30 days at your expense. Once again, a DUI attorney in San Juan Capistrano CA is your best bet.
DUI Minimum Penalties for the Third and Subsequent Offenses
Total penalties and costs are estimated to be over $1800. A third offense will result in a sentence of 120 days in jail, and a fourth offense will result in a sentence of 180 days in jail. For a third offense, a driver’s license is revoked for three years, and for a fourth offense, it is revoked for four years, with no restricted driving privileges. For $1800, you can get a 30-month alcohol treatment program.
The potential penalties include fines of up to $18,000, a year in jail for a third violation and up to 16 months in state prison for a fourth crime, and 90 days of car impoundment (at your expense) or the state taking it completely.
Work with an Experienced DUI Attorney in San Juan Capistrano CA Who Can Help
Is this information frightening to you? Is it looking bleak? The good news is that you have choices for defense and that you are not alone in this. Call Simmons Wagner, LLP right away at (949) 439-5857 to find out how we can assist you in defending this charge.