In the US, DUI offenses are taken pretty seriously regardless of state. In most US states, including California, DUIs are seen as criminal acts.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 28 people across the United States die daily due to drunk driving. This number is alarming as it implies one death every 52 minutes.
Over 10,142 individuals have died since the NHTSA began alcohol reportage in 1982. These deaths were preventable, and it’s not surprising to see states like California craft stiffer penalties for those caught Driving Under the Influence (DUI).
However, while these penalties are stringent to curtail their occurrences, drivers in Oakland, CA, are still on the receiving end of DUI arrests. Have you been arrested for a DUI? Then, you might have to call upon the services of a DUI attorney in Oakland.
That said, if you’d like your sentence reduced significantly, you might want to book a legal representative that’s experienced and vast in Oakland DUI provisions. To kick-start, this endeavor, head to https://www.louisgoodman.com/dui-attorney/oakland and see what’s required of you.
In this article, we’ll be looking at DUIs, the stages of a DUI, and tips to employ when seeking the right DUI attorney.
DUI Explained
A DUI or Driving Under the Influence is a criminal offense. Those charged with DUIs are individuals caught driving while being impaired by alcohol or drugs, to an extent where they’re incapable of operating a vehicle to meet safety requirements and protocols.
According to Vehicle Code Section 23152 in California, it’s unlawful for an individual to have an alcoholic beverage volume of 0.08 percent or more in their bloodstream when driving a vehicle. More so, as stipulated in Section 15210, driving a commercial vehicle with an alcohol volume of 0.04 percent or more is illegal.
When you violate these provisions in Oakland, CA, you’ll be charged and taken to court for a legal hearing. Thus, you’ll need to get the best Oakland DUI lawyer to build a great case for you.
That said, it’s pertinent to note that first-time DUI offenders are treated as misdemeanors. Nevertheless, if you’ve been found guilty of inflicting injuries on a person or charged with 4+ DUIs, your case might be heard as a felony.
However, have you given thought to the DUI process before? If you’re unsure of how it works right from when you’re charged, we’ve created some perspective in the following lines.
The DUI Process: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
The clock starts ticking from the moment you’re arrested when driving on a state or federal road.
When the police officer senses that you’re under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, you’ll be taken in for a breath test that measures your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
If this is higher than California’s stipulated 0.08 percent mark, you’ll be charged immediately. However, you should note that refusal to undergo a breath test might result in extra charges leveled on you.
Once you’re charged with a DUI, you’re given a temporary license. That said, you must seek reinstatement by contacting the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California. By contacting them, a date for a hearing is scheduled. At this point, seeking out a DUI attorney in Oakland should be your next line of action.
The primary goal of this hearing is to determine whether or not you’re fit to keep your driver’s license. During a DMV hearing, proceedings are recorded for future use.
Regardless of the outcome of your DMV hearing, a criminal court will try you. Here, you’ll be arraigned, and you’d have to make a plea (guilty or not guilty). Depending on the circumstances surrounding your case and the DUI mastery of your attorney, the sitting judge will give a suiting sentence.
Are you scared of a lengthy sentence after a DUI? Well, you should be. However, you can get it significantly reduced if you take a closer peek into lawyers in Oakland, CA, and make the right pick. Let’s find out how in the subsequent lines.
Choosing the Best DUI Attorney in Oakland: Important Considerations to Take Into Account
To come out on top after a DUI case, you’d have to select the right lawyer. With an expert DUI attorney by your side, you can build a rock-solid case that’s devoid of loopholes.
While there are so many law firms in Oakland, CA, you’ll have to go through the clutter and pick the right fit for you. You can do so by:
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Coming Up With a Listing
Besides your grocery list, you can make up a listing that focuses on DUI attorneys in your state. While there are so many resources to create one, we recommend doing in-depth research on the National and State Bar Associations. Using these outlets, you can contact the best DUI attorneys near you and settle with one.
To ensure that things don’t get overwhelming, create a spreadsheet and input notable names. On this sheet, add important information on these individuals, such as their working emails, phone numbers, and contact addresses.
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Looking at Qualifications
After you’ve come up with a listing that highlights the top DUI attorneys, it’s essential to dig deeper and take a close-up look at their resumes. Taking into account the attorney’s history and educational background is instrumental in the outcome of your case. If they’re in line with federal standards, then you’re good to go.
That said since a legal representative can be licensed in one state and unlicensed to practice law in another, you might want to see what license they hold and what region they cover.
If it doesn’t cover yours, a co-counsel might be recommended. However, this action will yield more costs in the long run. Consequently, hiring a DUI attorney in Oakland, CA, is a must to nullify astronomic miscellaneous expenses.
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Going With an Attorney That Offers Free Consultation
If you’ve been charged with a DUI, the legal service you go with must feature a free consultation. Besides being free of charge, a free consultation is essential as it helps you understand the attorney and whether or not they’re the perfect fit for your case.
By talking to a DUI attorney during this period, you can measure his confidence and see whether they’ll be willing to weather the storm at a criminal court. That said, also check his mannerism to know if he gives your concerns a listening ear.
If you can’t establish a rapport with a DUI lawyer during this segment, you’re better off looking at other alternatives. This informed decision would do you lots of good in the long run.
Summary
As we’ve seen in this article, DUIs are criminal cases. If you’ve been charged, the next step to take is finding a DUI attorney who’s based in Oakland, CA.
That said, the region shouldn’t be the only determining factor as you’ll have to dig deeper to ensure that they’re the right legal representatives to offset a lengthy sentence or astronomic fine.
Selection is critical, and if you’re able to employ the considerations mentioned above, picking the best DUI attorney would be hassle-free.
However, if you’d like to hire a law firm that has a proven record in Oakland, CA, you might want to look towards the services of Louis J. Goodman.
