A drunk driving lawyer in St Augustine can help in getting a lesser charge if you are charged with DUI or a reduced sentence if found guilty of the current charge. The situation that arises, which indicates a potential for charge reduction is uncertainty. If such things as the BAC is just on .09 or .10% and the tests done to determine sobriety by the arresting officer are inconclusive and there was no awkward behavior during the stop and arrest the drunk driving lawyer has a chance of convincing the prosecutor to lessen the charge to perhaps reckless driving. Reckless driving is still a serious offense, but the penalties are far less harsh as it is a misdemeanor rather than a criminal offense.
What does sentence bargaining accomplish?
A drunk driving lawyer in St Augustine may also get the sentence reduced through sentence bargaining, which is acceptable in most states. Sentence bargaining is helpful where a plea of guilty will result in a long prison sentence. Examples of sentence bargaining abound, for example, if the accused is aware of the penalty in advance he may be willing to plead guilty of a second DUI. If the offense resulted in a death, the accused would be foolish to plead guilty without prior knowledge of the consequences. Most first offense cases are straight forward, and the judgment is routine and rarely varies. The variable that often will enter into the judge’s prerogative is whether the charge is driving under the influence of drugs rather than alcohol. If this is the case, the accused may also be sent to drug rehab and then subjected to random testing thereafter. Drunk driving lawyers should be involved in cases where judges mete variable DUI sentences, however, if variable sentences are not handed out and the case against you allows you to plead guilty to a lesser charge a lawyer may not be able to do anything.
The ramifications of a conviction:
Reduced sentence or not, living with a DUI conviction can have a ruinous effect on your life. The court time, the legal fees, fines, DUI school costs, loss of driving privileges’ and increased insurance premiums can haunt you for a long time. There are many cases when even finding a job becomes difficult, and with the economy difficult as it is at the moment, anything that hinders your chances are problematic. There are things that you can do to ease the pain and a drunk driving lawyer St Augustine is easy to consult with to get his opinion. You will find that showing up for all court dates, payment of all fines and an avoidance of a second offense to be obvious. Your lawyer may be able to get the DUI off your record; it may be possible for him to help you get a special insurance rider which allows you to drive and to assist you in getting alcohol evaluation and treatment.
