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GETTING A DUI IS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE
Apart from the shock and embarrassment of being arrested, you now have to face the prospect of dealing with both the criminal justice system and the DMV.
One reason to contact a lawyer immediately is to request an Admin Per Se hearing from the DMV. This must be done within ten days of your arrest in order to protect your right to a hearing within the time before your driving privilege is suspended for the next four months.
Because of the technical aspects of a DUI, you need an attorney with specialized expertise in this field. I have been specializing in DUI defense for the past twenty years.
I understand the importance of keeping your driving privilege intact and avoiding the harsh consequence that could be imposed in the event of a conviction.
Although there is typically no jail time associated with a first time DUI in Los Angeles, the typical consequences involve a long term of probation, a license suspension, attendance at a first-offender program, a large fine and a DMV order to install an ignition interlock in any vehicle you drive for five months. An experienced DUI lawyer can help you avoid some, if not all, of this unpleasantness.
Another important aspect of getting a DUI in Los Angeles is the increase in insurance rates that you will be looking at. A suspension by the DMV from the Admin Per Se process will result in a driver license suspension. A conviction in court will also cause a suspension to occur. When a suspension has occurred in California, you will then be required to maintain proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22, which is a special document sent by your insurance company’s underwriting department. The effect of requesting this is that it will alert your insurance company that you have had a conviction for a DUI. Depending on the carrier, that could result in cancelation of your policy. Again, an experienced DUI lawyer can help you avoid this, which, alone, could save you as much as your legal fees to the attorney.
Another important aspect of having an experienced DUI professional represent you is the knowledge he has regarding the various court and prosecuting agencies he has worked with over the many years he has been in practice. The fact is, different prosecutors (L.A. City Attorney versus the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office,) have different approaches to charging and negotiating outcomes in DUI cases. That is also true of the various courthouses where they practice. Like in so many aspects of life, knowledge is power.