When do you need an attorney?

If you've been arrested on a California DUI charge, you need to find a DUI lawyer. Remember, your best defense against a California DUI charge is not to drink and drive at all. However, failing that, your second best defense is a good DUI attorney. A California DUI attorney can help defend you against the charges against you, especially if you feel that you have been charged for DUI unfairly. A California DUI is a serious charge, and you'll need the specialized help and advice that only a legal professional can provide.

If you’ve been arrested for California DUI and you need an attorney, click here. 

Services of a DUI attorney

A California DUI charge usually involves a several court appearances. Your DUI attorney will help you navigate through them. The first court appearance is called an arraignment. At the arraignment, the judge reads the defendant the charges, and the defendant (that's you) enters a plea. After the arraignment, the next hearing you'll go to is an administrative hearing about your license (if you requested one). You have 10 calendar days from the date of your arrest to contest your administrative license suspension. The outcome of the hearing does not affect the criminal charges against you.

The next step in the criminal trial is a series of pre-trial motions, a set of court dates in which each side of the case comes to an agreement about what evidence can be used at the trial itself. Here, your California DUI lawyer will help you by trying to suppress evidence against you if there is a good legal reason to do so. During this time, the prosecutor may decide to offer a plea bargain. Your California DUI attorney will help you evaluate any offers you receive from the prosecution to decide if it's a good idea to accept them or not. Then, a court date is set. California DUI cases often go before a jury. In this phase of the proceedings, your California DUI lawyer will help you find the jurors that he or she expects to give you a fair hearing and will try to get them seated. At the trial itself, your lawyer will argue on your behalf and try to convince the jury of your innocence. After the jury comes to a verdict, a California DUI lawyer will assist you in getting the best possible sentence if you are found guilty.

Costs of a lawyer

The cost of hiring a California DUI attorney will depend on several factors: where you are located, how much work your case requires, and how expensive the particular lawyer you choose is it to begin with. Therefore, the cost can vary greatly. California DUI lawyers are usually pretty expensive-after all, law school is no picnic. However, the costs of not hiring a lawyer can be far greater. When you are up against a charge as serious as California DUI, you really can't afford to lose out on the expert a help that a lawyer can provide.

Risks of not having a lawyer

If you choose not to get a California DUI lawyer to defend you against the DUI charge, make no mistake: there will be nobody on your side in the courtroom. We have an adversarial system of justice: both sides fight it out by presenting their cases, and in theory the side with the best case wins. How are the judge and jury going to know who has the best case if you don’t have a lawyer to present your side of the story?  The prosecutor is there to present his side of the case-as far as he is concerned, you're guilty, and that's that.  If the only person in the room with any legal training is the prosecutor, you are at a much greater risk not only of being found guilty, but of having the book thrown at you during sentencing.

The benefits of having a lawyer

Given the harsh penalties for a guilty DUI verdict in California, the benefits of having a trained lawyer are irreplaceable. Your California DUI attorney will be there at every hearing, questioning the prosecutor’s evidence against you and trying to create enough doubt to avoid a conviction. Depending on the case against you, your California DUI attorney may be able to plea bargain to get the charges changed to a lesser crime than California DUI, usually reckless driving. When it comes to plea bargaining, having the advice of a trained California DUI attorney is essential. Your lawyer can evaluate the offer to make sure it's a good deal for you. Also, if you do end up getting convicted, your California DUI attorney will try to keep the sentence as manageable as possible. For example, your lawyer can argue for home-based detention or probation instead of jail. Your attorney can also improve your chances of getting a restricted license so that you can at least continue to drive to and from work. 

California DUI attorneys

California DUI attorneys are your best bet for getting your life back after you are charged with a DUI. A California lawyer that specializes in DUI law can help you secure the best possible outcome for your DUI charge, based on your specific situation.