When you think of places that you don’t want to get a DUI in, Ventura County is going to be one of the places that just so happens to be on the top of that list. While this is going to be very true, there are often times other counties that can be even more difficult to deal with if you get a DUI there instead.
With that being said, whenever you get a DUI, it is simply not going to be something that is very good. But before you decide to walk into the courtroom and put out a guilty verdict, it is going to be very important for you to consider if there is any chance that you actually have a defense that will allow you to get the entire case dismissed.
Now keep in mind that the DUI law in California is one of the more complicated ones according to ventura-dui.com. But at the same time, you are going to need to remember that just because you may have had a blood alcohol that was over the legal limit, it is not necessarily going to mean that you are automatically guilty.
The Two Parts of a DUI
If you are arrested for a DUI in the state of California, you are going to go through a two-part process, both of those parts being completely separate. The first part is going to be your arraignment, which will be in the county where the criminal charges have been filed against you. Completely independent from your court hearing, the DMV is also going to have a hearing to look over the facts of your case and figure out whether or not your license is going to be suspended.
Now you will need to keep in mind that this DMV hearing is going to basically follow a procedure, meaning that if you want a better chance of winning the hearing, you may need to plead guilty in the court of law. With that being said, the absolute worst-case scenario is going to be that you are convicted of the DUI or that you have pleaded guilty to the charge.
If this does happen, you will face several different penalties that can include jail time, a misdemeanor on your record, or even a felony. However, most of the time, as long as there are no serious extenuating circumstances, you will be able to do some type of sentencing alternative. With that being said, it is going to be possible for you to avoid doing any jail time, even if it is your second, or even third DUI.
In order to help yourself be better protected during this entire process, you are going to want to hire an attorney, even if it is your very first offense. This is because the District Attorney may ask that you have a minimum of 48 hours in jail, potentially being as long as 6 months if your case is on the extreme side. Your attorney will be able to help you avoid having to deal with this.