FIRST OFFENSE DUI PENALTIES
What You Should Know About Your First DUI Offense
FIRST OFFENSE DUI PENALTY - ORANGE COUNTY
The penalties or punishment for a Driving Under the Influence charge vary greatly in Orange County from the rest of the State of California. Orange County has some of the harshest DUI Penalties across the State of California. If you are concerned about the harsh Orange County First Offense DUI Penalty that you may be facing, contact Peter F. Iocona, Attorney at Law for a free DUI Consultation.
FIRST OFFENSE DUI PENALTIES IN ORANGE COUNTY
The standard First Offense DUI conviction in Orange County, California typically results in the imposition of fine, three (3) years of informal probation, an alcohol program for either three, six or nine months depending on the blood and/or breath alcohol level, and oftentimes, one Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Meeting.
As stated, the duration of the First Offense DUI Alcohol Program depends on the reported blood and/or breath alcohol level. A blood and/or breath alcohol level under a 0.15% typically results in a First Offense DUI Alcohol Program of three (3) months, however, a 0.15% to under a 0.20% may likely result in an First Offense DUI Alcohol Program of six (6) months. A blood or breath alcohol level of 0.20% or greater results in a First Offense DUI Alcohol Program of nine (9) months in duration and a suspension/restriction period that is extended beyond the standard six month period based on the duration of the nine (9) First Offense DUI Alcohol Program.
A refusal on a First Offense DUI results in the requirement of a minimum of 48 hours in jail and the First Offense DUI alcohol program will be at least six months and is now almost always a nine month First Offense DUI alcohol program. This penalty for a First Offense DUI is in addition to the one year suspension imposed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a First Offense DUI Refusal/Forced Blood Case.
YOU ONLY GET ONE FIRST OFFENSE DUI THE BEST DEFENSE IS A STRONG OFFENSE
Some people believe that a First Offense DUI is "no big deal" - just plead guilty and move on; however, you only get one First Offense DUI. Thereafter, if you were to get another one, you will be wishing you hired an experienced DUI Defense Attorney to determine whether any legal and/or factual defenses existed in your First Offense DUI case that would have made your Second Offense DUI, Third Offense DUI, or worse yet, Fourth Offense DUI, a lesser offense.
This is especially true on DUI Marijuana cases in Orange County because Orange County is one of the most aggressive Counties in prosecuting DUI Marijuana cases. Many people erroneously believe a DUI is like a traffic ticket because the penalties for a First Offense DUI in Orange County and throughout California are not overly harsh when compared with a multiple offense in Orange County. The Penalties for a Second Offense DUI, a Third Offense DUI, or a Fourth Offense DUI are so harsh you will be wishing you had defended against the First Offense DUI more aggressively because once you are on the radar of Orange County police officers as having a prior offense, the chances of you being investigated for a Second, Third, or Fourth Offense DUI are greatly increased, especially if the police officer believes you may have smoked marijuana recently. What might have been a simple law enforcement encounter becomes quite the opposite as soon as the police officer learns that you have been convicted of a DUI in the past, especially DUI Marijuana.
Peter F. Iocona and the DUI Defense Attorneys of The SoCal Law Network, are trial lawyers - we thoroughly examine a DUI case from its inception to determine whether any legal and/or factual defenses exist in the case and then proceed in such a manner as to obtain the best possible outcome to your case, even if that means going to a jury trial. Make no mistake, all litigators are lawyers, but not all lawyers are litigators. You need an experienced DUI Defense Attorney who understands the science behind DUI. You need an attorney who understands breath testing, blood testing, field sobriety testing, medical defenses, special defenses for women, and a whole host of other defenses related to a DUI charge.
AN EXPERIENCED ORANGE COUNTY DUI ATTORNEY CAN REVIEW THE EVIDENCE TO TRY TO AVOID THE HARSH ORANGE COUNTY DUI PENALTIES
Thus, if you were arrested for DUI in any of the Orange County Cities listed below, and are concerned about the First Offense DUI Penalty you are facing, click the appropriate City Page Link for information on the types of DUI Evidence your Orange County DUI Defense Attorney to review to try to find defenses to your Orange County DUI Case:
- Aliso Viejo
- Anaheim
- Brea
- Buena Park
- Costa Mesa
- Coto de Caza
- Cypress
- Dana Point
- Fountain Valley
- Fullerton
- Garden Grove
- Huntington Beach
- Irvine
- Ladera Ranch
- Laguna Beach
- Laguna Hills
- Laguna Niguel
- La Habra
- Lake Forest
- Mission Viejo
- Newport Beach
- Orange
- Placentia
- Rancho Santa Margarita
- San Clemente
- San Juan Capistrano
- Santa Ana
- Seal Beach
- Stanton
- Tustin/Tustin Ranch
- Westminster
- Yorba Linda
CONTACT ORANGE COUNTY'S "RECOGNIZED LEADERS" IN DUI DEFENSE-CONTACT PETER F. IOCONA, ATTORNEY AT LAW AND THE DUI ATTORNEYS OF THE SOCAL LAW NETWORK FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
Being charged with DUI is no small affair. It has potential consequences to your ability to drive, to get to and from work or even do you work. It has potential consequences to your ability to advance or obtain a promotion at your work, especially if you were also charged with Hit and Run. If you are a professional licensee, it will most certainly have the potential consequence of a suspension or revocation of your professional license. If you have been charged with DUI in Orange County and are worried about the First Offense DUI Penalty in Orange County, California, contact Peter F. Iocona, Attorney at Law and the Orange County DUI Lawyers of The SoCal Law Networks - Orange Count's "Best" or "Top-Rated" DUI Defense Attorneys.
If you were charged with DUI in Orange County, contact Super Lawyers Rated DUI Attorney Peter F. Iocona, Attorney at Law and the DUI Lawyers of The SoCal Law Network for a Free DUI Consultation and Case Evaluation by calling: (949) 305-0343.