Penalties for Driving Under the Influence

Los Angeles DUI attorneys will strongly urge their clients to pay close attention to the penalties for DUI convictions.  Usually people think that a DUI conviction in Los Angeles will simply result in a slap on the wrist, however Los Angeles judges have come down hard on DUI defendants lately, and only a qualified  Los Angeles DUI lawyercan assist in keeping you out of jail and in your car.

It has become unpopular lately to be seen as "soft" on people charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Because of the efforts of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) to raise public awareness of the dangers that driving while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol can pose to the public at large, politicians, local law enforcement and those in the legal community are arresting, convicting and punishing more people than ever. M.A.D.D., with its nearly prohibition-style stance even hands out awards to police officers that write the most  DUI and DWI citations. Legislators in Los Angeles and the rest of California have drafted ever-tougher penalties for those convicted of  DUI and DWI, and prosecutors and judges have jumped on the collective bandwagon and begun doling them out. How much prison time can you serve for a  DUI or DWI conviction? Depending on the case, years.

One of the easiest ways to stick convicted Los Angeles DUI offenderswith tougher penalties is through sentence enhancements. Sentencing enhancements serve to increase whatever penalties are eventually assessed through factoring in other criteria. Prior convictions in a  DUIcase make a big difference. Drunk driving is generally assessed as a misdemeanor offense, but having three or more prior convictions of  DUIwithin the past ten years will make a fourth offense a felony, punishable by time in a state prison. Having a blood alcohol concentration of .15% or higher, as well as refusing to submit to a chemical test also carry enhanced penalties if a conviction is reached.

Speeding, reckless driving and carrying a passenger in the car under the age of 14 all also warrant enhanced penalties. Accidents that involve damage to another person's property or bodily injury to another person while driving under the influence not only merit tougher sentences, but are also generally classified as felony offenses. For first time offenders that don't meet the enhanced sentencing criteria, heavy fines and alcohol education classes may be imposed as punishment, but the option of up to one year in a county jail is available depending on the circumstances of the case.

For felony cases of DUI that involve the death of another person, up to 10 years in a state prison can be handed down as punishment for a conviction. Being charged with a  DUI can easily be a life-altering experience. A good criminal defense attorney with extensive experience in  DUI and DWI cases can help you safeguard your future.

The Los Angeles DUI attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLPhave experience will all types of DUI charges and penalties. We will do whatever we can to help you receive alternative or lessened sentencing or have your  DUI charges dropped altogether. We have included a  DUI penalty chart for your convenience, so you can see what approximate charges you may be facing.