SUMMARY: After a Bay Area DUI / DWI arrest, the driver should consult with a qualified attorney, find a bail bond provider, and request a DMV hearing to protect driving privileges.
A Bay Area drunk driving arrest pose an immediate danger to the accused motorist’s driver’s license, rights, and even freedom, so it’s crucial to take fast action. For most individuals arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Northern California, the most urgent issues are finding an experienced Bay Area DUI / DWI lawyer, locating a bail bond firm, and taking swift action to protect the driver’s license.
Retaining a top DUI / DWI defense attorney to safeguard the accused drunk driver’s rights is the surest way to address the significant legal issues that emerge after a driving under the influence arrest in San Francisco, Oakland, or anywhere in the Bay Area. The knowledgeable defense lawyers of the Kavinoky Law Firm will aggressively defend a drunk driving case anywhere in Northern California.
The top DUI / DWI defense lawyers from the Kavinoky Law Firm can effectively attack drinking and driving charges in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sunnyvale, Concord, Vallejo, Fremont, Santa Rosa, Hayward, and Daly City. They are available to defend driving under the influence charges in Marin, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Napa counties.
Getting out of jail is usually the most urgent issue for anyone arrested for drunk driving in the Bay Area. Drivers arrested on suspicion of DUI / DWI in Northern California are sometimes released on their own recognizance, known as OR, while others must post bail. Locating a bail bond provider is the first step in obtaining release from jail if bail is required. Bail bond firms typically require an up-front down payment of 10 percent of the bail amount to secure the driver’s release.
Once the driver is released from custody, it’s important to start addressing the issues triggered by a drunk driving arrest as soon as possible. A DUI arrest in Northern California actually generates two different cases – a California DMV case and a court case. The Department of Motor Vehicles case is the most time-sensitive – after a DUI / DWI arrest, the driver has just 10 calendar days from the date of arrest to request a Department of Motor Vehicles hearing, or his or her license will be automatically suspended.
The court case generated by a Bay Area drunk driving arrest starts with the accused motorist’s arraignment. The driver must enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Experienced DUI / DWI attorneys advise their clients to always plead not guilty at the arraignment, because while the idea of facing a jury is a nerve-wracking prospect, there are many excellent reasons to fight a drunk driving charge in court. Although accused drunk drivers worry that a driving under the influence arrest means a slam-dunk conviction, that’s simply not true. D.U.I. cases can be fought and won if the driver has experienced legal counsel fighting for his or her rights.
It’s entirely possible to win both the Department of Motor Vehicles hearing that determines the driver’s license status and the criminal court case, but success is unlikely without expert legal help. The experienced attorneys at the Kavinoky Law Firm have the skills and knowledge needed to minimize or even eliminate the repercussions of a Bay Area DUI / DWI arrest.
