Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
Consequences of a DUI
When you are charged with drunk driving in California, there are probably many thoughts about the various consequences that run through your mind. Unfortunately, many people who are arrested on suspicion of DUI do not fully understand the laundry list of penalties - criminal, administrative and social - that occur as the result of a conviction. Even misdemeanor DUIs have a large number of sanctions of which you should be aware. At Gold & Witham, the
Los Angeles DUI lawyers are committed to fighting your DUI charges each step of the way in order to help you avoid these consequences.
Criminal, Administrative and Social Penalties After a DUI Conviction
The criminal penalties for a first or misdemeanor DUI in Los Angeles include between two days and one year in jail, a mandatory ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle when your license has been reinstated, attendance of alcohol education classes or a victims' impact panel, as many as two and a half years of alcohol and drug rehabilitation, up to five years of probation and vehicle impoundment. The administrative penalty is a license suspension that lasts between four months and three years.
For an aggravated or multiple DUI, the charge will be a felony. The criminal penalties are increased to up to three years imprisonment in a state penitentiary, restitution to victims if there were any and all of the same penalties for a misdemeanor DUI. Furthermore, you will be marked as a felon and you will lose your firearms possession rights. In some states, you will have also lost the right to vote.
The social consequences of a DUI can be just as devastating as the criminal penalties. Having a DUI on your record may cause difficulty when you try to find employment, it will increase your insurance rates, it may increase your mortgage or other loan rates, you may have problems when applying to higher education programs and you may face distrust and discrimination in your community.
Contact a Los Angeles DUI Lawyer at Gold & Witham for aggressive and highly skilled defense of your rights and your future. |