If you have been charged with a DUI in Riverside, then you need an attorney who is experienced in handling DUI cases in Riverside. Although the California state laws specify certain methods for handling DUI cases, the prosecutor, the police and the courts have methods and punishment which are unique to their jurisdiction.

Within each county, plea and sentencing practices can vary from courtroom to courtroom, depending on the judge or the deputy district attorney assigned to the case. A riverside DUI attorney will know the methods and the attitudes of the local officials and the court for handling DUI cases. Each law enforcement agency has developed testing procedures for administering to persons suspected of DUI, however, the breathalyzer test, the blood test and the field sobriety test must be conducted according to specific state laws. The police officer can make so many mistakes in any of the DUI arrest procedures and in administering any of the tests. A dui attorney will be able to attack the officer’s methods of administering any tests.

Your attorney will ask you about why you were stopped and how you were stopped. The actions taken by the police officer after you were stopped will be very important. The police can make mistakes in any of a number of ways. An experienced DUI attorney will know all of these and he can attack errors which may cause charges to be dropped, or a sentence to be minimal with no jail time.

The punishment phase of a DUI charge can really impact your life. These are some of the punishments for the first offense administered by the courts:

4 days to 6 months in jail
48 continuous hours of jail time.
Fines and assessments which generally total to $1,300-$2,200.
Attorney fees can be high.
The defendant’s car may be impounded for up to 6 months.
An Ignition interlock will be installed for up to 3 years.
Attendance for 3 months at a state-sponsored DUI school.
Driving privileges will be suspended for 6 months.

Of course, the problems don’t end here. The above penalties will result in considerable embarrassment when your significant other realizes the penalties and the embarrassment they will suffer when others realize you cannot drive. Think of your children who may not be able to attend after school activities. There will be so many embarrassing moments. This is just an overview of the problems after being charged with DUI.