If you are stopped by the police and arrested for driving under the influence, do you need a lawyer? The short answer is “yes.” A DUI lawyer in Monterey knows the local judicial system, knows the ins and outs of plea bargaining and there is no one better for navigating the complex administration system. Having experienced representation becomes doubly important if this is not your first offense
Should you plead guilty?
This is a something that you will have to consider knowing in advance that if you do lead guilty you will have a criminal record that can come back to haunt you. If this is a first offense and there is little doubt that you will be convicted you might consider a guilty plea as there is a better than even chance that you will be found guilty in any event.
Even with due consideration of your situation, pleading guilty is not always the best approach. There are often ways that a seasoned DUI lawyer in Monterey can offer advice that can mitigate the penalties that may be meted out. Keep in mind that the testing methods employed are not necessarily perfect, if your BAC was between 0.08 and 0.11 percent there is a good chance that your DUI lawyer can plea bargain your case.
Plea and sentence bargaining:
Depending on the specific circumstances surrounding your case, a plea bargain is a possibility. As well as plea bargain, perhaps from DUI which is a criminal offense to reckless driving which is a misdemeanor, it is also possible to sentence bargain.
Courts are often willing to reduce a sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. If this is a second or even third offense and you are facing a considerable period of time in jail the prosecutor may be willing to reduce the jail time in return for a plea of guilty.
Plea and sentence bargaining are possibilities but are difficult to negotiate without the capable assistance of a DUI lawyer in Monterey.
