Many people who are arrested and charged with DUI are under the impression that these types of cases are open and shut cases in which guilt is a foregone conclusion. This is not true, DUI cases are some of the most complex cases in the criminal field, it is imperative that when facing a DUI charge in the city of Santa Barbara, you quickly hire a Santa Barbara DUI attorney. A Santa Barbara DUI attorney is intimate with the Santa Barbara court system, fully attuned to plea bargaining procedures and completely capable of navigating through the complex administration procedures associated with DUI offenses.
A repeat DUI offender that is charged with a DUI in the city of Santa Barbara is strongly suggested to retain a Santa Barbara DUI attorney. Even when a person is arrested for a first time DUI offense in the city of Santa Barbara and there are no extenuating circumstances such as; reckless driving, driving drunk with a child in the car or having a BAC over 0.12, it is still strongly suggested to retain council, but if these or other mitigating circumstances are present, then proceeding without a Santa Barbara DUI attorney will cause irreparable harm.
Should you plead guilty?
If you have been arrested and charged with a first time DUI in the city of Santa Barbara then the following information should impact your plea: If the officer that made the arrest testifies that you were driving recklessly and negligently, if your BAC was over the limit of 0.08, then these factors will influence your plea. It is recommended however that you become aware of the penalties before you plead, the penalties, even for a first offence can be strict in the city of Santa Barbara, and a Santa Barbara DUI attorney may very well offer advice that can have an effect on the severity of the penalty. Also remember, if your BAC was between the legal limit of 0.08 and 0.11 there is every possibility that a plea bargain will prove successful.
Sentence bargaining:
There are times in which a plea bargain for a first time DUI in the city of Santa Barbara may allow the DUI attorney to downgrade the violation to a reckless driving. This is an important tool for your Santa Barbara DUI attorney where a plea of guilty on a standard DUI would result in a very long sentence. As the offender, you may be willing to enter a guilty plea if you know in advance what the sentence will be; this is even more true when injury or death was the result of the original offense of DUI or DWI. In circumstances in which the DUI has resulted in death, the weight of a guilty plea is much more significant.
When you a looking for a Santa Barbara DUI Attorney; look for a firm that has the experience and the ability to resolve your case in the best way possible.. At The H&M Law Firm, our attorneys will fight for your rights and make sure to resolve your case as quickly and efficiently as possible.
