Escondido DUI Defense Attorneys

Representing Defendants in Escondido DUI Cases

DUI’s are taken very seriously by San Diego County law enforcement and prosecutors, often leading to extensive charges against defendants. Depending on your case, you may have your license suspended, have to pay significant fines, and even face jail time. The district attorney will likely not go easy on you even if it is your first offense, so you should do everything you can to fight the charges against you.

If you are being charged with a DUI in Escondido, then you need the best legal aid available. Call jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys at (760) 630-2000 to get in contact with a skilled Escondido DUI defense lawyer. Our legal team has extensive experience defending clients throughout San Diego County and can fight on your behalf to have your charges reduced or dropped.

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Types of DUI Charges in Escondido

A DUI charge can vary depending in severity based on your case, but every charge should be taken seriously if you want to reduce or disprove the charges against you. At jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, our legal team has more than 30 years of experience defending clients in San Diego County and there is no one better than us at defending clients against DUI charges.

If you are charged with a DUI in Escondido, we can represent you in cases of:

• First-offense DUI
• Second or subsequent DUI
• Underage DUI
• Commercial Driver DUI
• Military DUI
• Out of State DUI
• Boating Under the Influence
• DUI with Injuries
• Vehicular Manslaughter
• DMV Hearings

Each case requires a skilled hand and extensive knowledge of the California court system to ensure you do not face the full extent of a DUI charge.

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Penalties for a DUI in California

The consequences for a DUI in California will ultimately come down to the nature of the crime and your own criminal history. If this is your first offense, then you may only receive between two days to six months in a San Diego County jail, fines of up to $1,000, and a license suspension for up to six months. In addition, underage drivers can have their licenses suspended for up to four months and, if your BAC is high enough, you may also be required to attend a DUI school, have your vehicle impounded, or be required to use an ignition interlock system.

Subsequent convictions are heavily looked down upon by San Diego prosecutors, and they will often want to pursue the full limitations of a charge. Second or subsequent DUI charges can lead to:

• Up to one year in a county jail
• Up to $1,000 in fines
• A license suspension that lasts for up to one year
• Attendance of a DUI program for up to 30 months
• Seizure of your vehicle

You may also face additional charges and consequences if you are a member of the military, such as a marine serving at Camp Pendleton, or if you are charged with a felony DUI.

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Misdemeanor or Felony?

The majority of DUI cases are treated as misdemeanor charges that come with lighter sentences and are designed to rehabilitate defendants. However, if you a charged with a felony DUI, the court may push for significant penalties in order to heavily punish the related crime.

Felony DUI charges are often only pursued in cases that involve a serious bodily injury or death, but you can also face a felony charge if this is your third or more offense. Felony crimes can lead to significant penalties, including:

• A five-year license suspension
• 16-months, two or three years in a California state prison
• Fines of between $390 to $1,000
• DUI school attendance for between 18 to 30 months

You may also face other charges, such as vehicular manslaughter, that can severely impact your prison sentence. Because of the severity of these crimes, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to begin building your case and a detailed defense strategy.

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Defending Against DUI Charges

When you bring your case to jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, we can immediately begin reviewing the nature of the arrest, the details of your charges, and any past charges to prepare your defense. While every case is different, our lead attorney has extensive experience defending clients, and some common defenses he can employ include:

• You were illegally stopped by law enforcement
• The field sobriety test results are undefinitive
• BAC test results registered a false positive
• You only demonstrate the objective signs of intoxication
• The officer did not institute a 15-minute observation period

Remember, you are innocent until proven guilty and the prosecution must demonstrate that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction, so the burden of proof is on them, not you. However, you should take these charges as seriously as possible and employ a skilled Escondido criminal defense lawyer to advocate for your rights. Contact the legal team at jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys at (760) 630-2000 to learn how we can defend you in an Escondido DUI case.

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