Free DUI Lawyer In California

Reader Question

Living a life here at San Francisco, California comes with a price. Engaging with the top executives of companies and establishments led to a much needed socializing that involves alcoholic beverages, which of course I can’t say no to it. This has taken its toll, and has led to my first DUI conviction.

A lot is at stake here, my career, my family and eventually my social status. It can ruin the life that I had before such conviction. I had heard of expunging a DUI conviction and somebody told me that it can solve my problem and that I can regain the life that I had before. Is there such thing as expungement?

Edward, San Francisco CA

Edward,

You got same questions from most of first offenders of DUI or even those who are convicted of DUI more than once. In the state of California, like other states in the US do allow you to expunge record of DUI conviction.

What expungement does, it seals your DUI conviction. All you need to do is to file a petition in court asking to expunge your DUI conviction record. The court will replace your plea into not guilty and then eventually dismisses your case. The effect of which is that when you are going to apply for another job that you want, there is no need to disclose any information pertaining to your DUI conviction.

To make it easier for you, try to contact an expungement lawyer who will do the hassle of filing a petition in court to expunge your DUI conviction.

While I am of the opinion that you should be hiring an CA DUI lawyer in any kind of circumstance, I must admit that some people have fewer options and so, unless they are provided with a public defender, then they must rank their circumstances to see whether a DUI lawyer is absolutely necessary for them, because there are some cases where you are basically out of luck without a lawyer, whereas there are others where you can squeeze by without them.

• You might get by without hiring an CA DUI lawyer if…

Being convicted criminally for the DUI could impede your chances of getting hired at a job, or if the job you currently hold requires bonding, or if the conviction could get you fired. You need someone who can explain the ins and outs of DUI law to you.

• You probably won’t get by without hiring an CA DUI lawyer if…

This is DUI charge number two for you. You had twice the normal blood alcohol level when pulled over. A minor was with you.

• You don’t have a chance without a DUI lawyer if…

This is DUI charge number three or above for you. Your DUI charge is the result of a serious accident. You are someone whose job requires driving, such as a taxi driver.

Although a California DWI lawyer can be helpful in many ways, there are times when you must hire one and then there are times when you may have more options. I’m going to present you with several scenarios that you can consider when making your decision about whether or not to hire an attorney.

If you match the following criteria, you absolutely must hire a California DWI lawyer.

• You should absolutely hire a lawyer if this is the third DWI you have gotten, or if you have gotten more than that. Although punishment is already worse on a second DWI, by the third it starts getting especially severe and you will have a difficult time getting the sentence reduced.
• You need a lawyer if part of your job requires you to drive and thus you will not be able to earn a living if your driver’s license is suspended or revoked. It’s possible for the lawyer to win you a restricted license.
• While you were driving under the influence, you got into a car accident, and someone was injured or killed.

Even so, sometimes you just can’t get a lawyer, and that’s understandable. While in some cases this spells very bad news for you, in other cases it does not mean that all is lost. If your offense is pretty small time in terms of DUI charges, then you may have a very good chance of winning if you represent yourself. Still, anyone considering going it alone should consult with a lawyer first. Consultations are usually free.

You may be able to go without a California DWI attorney if you meet at least one of the following criteria.

• You find the California DUI laws complicated and need help understanding them and how they apply to your case.
• This is your first DUI offense.
• You need help understanding what consequences you may suffer if found guilty of driving under the influence.
• Your job requires bonding.
• You are working on a degree for a job or a professional license which you will not be able to get if there is a criminal conviction on your permanent record.

The cost of DUI in California is enough to give you a heart attack. After you have forked over the money for your bail, your attorney fees, your car insurance premiums, your fines, your fees for reinstating your license, your court charges; after you have possibly lost your job or in any case lost a certain amount of time at work while you were in court or in jail; the cost comes out to around $20,000 for the typical person. Of course, this can be higher or lower depending on the severity of your case, your sentence, your job, and the state where you live in.

One of the things about the cost of DUI in California which you can control is the insurance and the attorney. The most important thing to do if you want to save money on these is for you to shop around. Ask several CA attorneys for quotes on their services and compare them, while comparing the quality of the attorney as well.

You can compare rates for DUI car insurance as well, and you can also drive less, get discounts, cut coverage, raise your deductibles, among many other things you can do to save some money.