Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common questions regarding DUI cases:

What options do I have?

Unless you are comfortable accepting the maximum DUI penalties, we highly recommend you contact a DUI defense attorney as soon as possible. A qualified defense attorney will help you explore the options you have when facing a DUI which should pursing a case dismissal, negotiating a plea bargain, or taking the case to court.

What happens when the case is taken to court?

If you are charged with a DUI you will have to appear before the judge at a designated date and time which will be mentioned on your ticket or in your paper work.

You must decide whether you will go solo or if you want to hire an attorney. If you decide not to hire an attorney, you will appear before the judge on the designated time mentioned in your paper work. The judge will first handle attorney-represented cases, and later he will move on to the non-attorney represented cases.

At some time during the proceedings the judge will ask you to enter your plea. If you plead guilty then the sentence will be passed immediately and you will be given the due punishment for your crime depending upon your county, state and judge. Punishment for DUI crimes usually entails jail time, or programs that count as jail, as well heavy fines and probation.

If you plead as non-guilty then the judge will ask you several questions to determine whether you want to forfeit your constitutional rights including your right to a speedy trial. It is best to hire an attorney before your trial so that he can help you suffer minimum loses from your case.

Can I even expect to win a Orange County DUI Case?

Absolutely. We have an long-standing track record of fighting and winning DUI cases in Orange County. We have helped many of our clients in winning their DUI cases and getting the DUI charges against them reduced. In some of the cases the charges against our clients were dismissed entirely.

Many defense strategies have worked in the past in DUI cases such as challenging the measurements of blood alcohol and arguing constitutional violations.

We review all our cases thoroughly by going through all the facts in as much detail as possible. This includes reviewing police reports for any discrepancies and inconsistencies in procedure. To ensure the blood tests were done correctly, we request complete disclosure of the personnel who were conducting the tests, the lab certification, and the instrument that was used to conduct the blood test.

What penalties can I expect for a Orange County DUI conviction?

The penalty you get depends upon a number of factors relating to your case. These are some general penalties that you may expect:

• Jail time
• Fines and monetary penalties
• Annulment of your driving silence
• Car internment.
• Compulsory attendance at rehabilitation programs
• Probation
• Installment of ignition interlock devices in your vehicle

You can find more specific penalties in the Orange County DUI chart.

Apart from the punishment administered by court, your DUI penalty can also affect you adversely in other matters. Your employment may suffer, and you may have to pay higher insurance premiums.

How do I protect my drivers license when fighting a Orange County DUI?

If you want to protect your driving privileges then you must contact the Orange County DMV to schedule an administrative hearing within ten days after your arrest.

Can I win a DMV administrative hearing?

Yes. If you have a attorney experienced in handling DMV hearings then it is highly probable that you will win your DMV hearing. Our firm has won many DMV cases in the past. Knowing what to expect can help you navigate through the case better. The hearing officer of DMV is interested in three things:

1. Were you driving the car or somebody else?
2. Did the police office have “reasonable cause” to make an arrest?
3. Was your blood alcohol concentration 0.8 or higher?

While the first question is simple enough, the other two are dependent upon many variables. A skilled attorney can use the second and third question in his client’s advantage to protect his driving privileges.

If I lose my license how do I get it back?

Whether you can get your license back or not depends upon the specific facts pertaining to your case. You may get your license back only if there are legal defenses that can be applicable to your case. Without knowing the specific facts about a case it is impossible to predict if the license can be recovered or not. You should consult an attorney to help you understand if license can be recovered in your case or not.

How long does this take?

A specific time estimate can only be given after reviewing all the facts and figures relative to the case, but generally unless you plead guilty DUI cases can last for several months. Complicated DUI cased and felony cases involving accidents may even take several years.

You can get a realistic estimate of how long your case will take by contacting our firm for a free consultation of your case.

How much will all this cost me?

DUI cases have many costs you will need to factor in. DUI case costs include the court costs, fines, attorney fees, DUI traffic school, increased insurance premiums, and expert witnesses. The complexity of your case details will reflect on the cost. If it is a first time standard DUI with no injuries the costs will be far lower than a second offense in which someone was injured.

You can contact us for a free consultation about your case. We can often give you a flat fee that will be based on the details of your unique situation. We will tell you exactly what our attorney fee will be so you can decide if the arrangements suits you on not.