Common Penalties for a DUI in San Diego
The consequences for being convicted of driving under the influence in California can have devastating effects on your present, as well as the rest of your life. The penalties can include jail time, steep fines and a license suspension. Whether you are a first-time offender or not, this is a serious charge and it needs a serious defense. A good San Diego DUI lawyer can help prepare that defense and also educate you on what DUI penalties you are up against.
Even if you are a first-time offender, you may be required to pay thousands of dollars in DUI fines once mandatory fees are added. Your drivers’ license may also be suspended for up to six months and to get it back, you’d need to attend an administrative hearing with the DMV and possibly be required to attend California-approved DUI education courses. Losing your license can affect more than just your social life. It can affect your livelihood if you need to drive it to and from work and possibly need to use it to perform your job and is something you can ill-afford to lose. You also face the possibility of spending time in jail. For a first-time offender, jail time can be as little as four days, but as much as six months. Either way, jail time is something you want to avoid and an experienced DUI lawyer in San Diego can help ensure that you either receive a minimum jail sentence, just probation or neither.
There are also circumstances in California known as ‘enhancements’ and they can make the penalty for DUI even more severe, even if it is your first conviction. Having a minor under the age of 14 can lead to harsher punishment if convicted, as can speeding at more than 20 MPH above the limit on the streets and more than 30 MPH above the limit on the highway. If you have faced DUI charges before in the last decade or have had two or more prior convictions, that can also lead to much harsher penalties and makes your need for a San Diego DUI lawyer more pressing than ever. These DUI penalties may include more time in jail, more fines and a longer license suspension.
Your life can change from one fateful night when you may have done something you shouldn’t have. But, you do not have to let it destroy everything. If you face a DUI charge for the first time or even third, make an appointment with a DUI lawyer in San Diego today.