DUI First Offense - What to do now?
Don't worry - you are not alone; every year nearly 1 million drivers are arrested with DUI or DWI conviction and about 70% of those are first-time DUI offenders who are charged with driving under the influence. Maybe you are facing DWI arrest but you just need to calm down and see the facts before things get worse.
When you are convicted of DUI first offense arrest, the first thing you need to do is to request a DMV hearing, so that you can protect your driving privileges and keep the driving license. At the time of arrest, if you had refused to take a breathalyzer test or blood test then you will automatically lose your license for minimum 1 year. But you still have a chance of requesting the hearing and accompany DUI Lawyer with you if you wish, or you can let the lawyer take care of it instead. Usually there is only 7 days of hearing time frame limit, so you will have to act quickly and ensure that you don't miss the date. For some people, this DUI license becomes a serious issue due to the impact of their losing ability of daily operation of vehicles.
In case this is your first DUI offense, you might think that you are convicted of a serious crime. As with other legal issues, there are always other ways of handling matters and your case could be the one. Your DUI attorney can investigate if your BAC (blood alcohol content) level was tested accurately and if the process was followed correctly. There are cases where the breathalyzer test machine was not properly calibrated for a while, and the case was dismissed at the court. You just never know what other possibilities are hidden on your specific case.
The penalties for a DUI first offense could be more than what you expect. First-time DUI offenders could be sentenced to probation process, level 2 alcohol education class and therapy, and even jail time with high fines.
There are number of factors that will be considered for enhanced penalties that are usually mandatory jail time and expensive fines along with the entire process. If you had BAC level of .20% or higher, or had minor children in the car at the time of incident, or have been driving over speed limit, or hurt somebody then the chance of getting severe degree of sentence and punishment will be very high.
A DUI first offense conviction should be considered as a warning sign in your life. It could be a hindering block when you are seeking a job in the future, and your auto insurance company will definitely raise your premium as a high risk driver.
If you are fighting your DUI first offense charge right now, you better consult an experienced DUI lawyer in your area as they have years of expertise on a case by case.
Check out California DUI Laws and its own regulations
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