Were you recently arrested for drinking and driving and are now facing DUI charges? If so, you should act quickly by hiring a DUI lawyer to represent you in the case, as you will need to try to get this settled right away. If you have never faced criminal charges before, here are several different things you should expect during the process of settling a DUI charge.
You will need to get bailed out of jail
The first step after an arrest is finding a way out of jail, and there are options for this. The simplest is to pay cash for the bond. Once you do this, the jail will release you shortly. The other option is to pay a bail bondsman fee to get out of jail. This is also a simple option that tends to work well for most people.
You will have an initial court hearing
Within just a couple days of your arrest, you will have to attend an initial hearing at the local court. This is often called an arraignment hearing, and it is designed to make sure you understand the charges that are against you and to inform you of your rights. At this time, you will need to decide if you would like to hire a lawyer or if you would qualify for a public defender. The court will ask you at this time how you plan on pleading to the charges, and you should plead not guilty. You can change your plea at a later point, if you decide to, but pleading not guilty right now will give you more time and options.
You will have to determine a plan of action
Next, you will need to create a plan of action of how you will proceed with your case. Do you want to accept full responsibility for the charges and plead guilty? This would cause the case to be very fast, but it may have the most consequences. You can also fight the charges by sticking with a not-guilty plea. Additionally, you might have the option of accepting a plea agreement if the court is willing to offer one to you. Talking to a lawyer about your case is the best option you have at this point.
If you are currently trying to figure out how to handle your DUI case, you should talk to a lawyer if you have not already done so.
Share28 August 2019
Few things are more frustrating than being accused of a crime that you didn't commit. I found myself in this difficult situation a few years ago when I was with a friend who broke the law. However, I knew that I didn't do anything, which is why I hired an experienced criminal attorney to help me out. He carefully reviewed my case, talked with me about what court would be like, and helped me to wrap my head around the different punishments I might face. He helped to prove my innocence, and I decided to set up this blog to help other people to understand the importance of working with a professional.