Avoid Jail

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DUI Defense – Avoid Jail Time

Depending on the circumstances of your DUI arrest in Los Angeles, you may be facing jail time as part of your DUI sentencing. A jail sentence can turn your life upside down, destroying your reputation, your personal relationships, and your career. With so much to lose, you can’t afford to trust your case to anything less than a Los Angeles DUI / DWI lawyer who specializes in getting DUI charges reduced or dismissed. Larry Wolf has been doing just that within the L.A. court system for more than 40+ years.

The Threat of Jail Time

There are numerous variables involved in determining the length of a DUI jail sentence, or if there will be a jail term at all. In addition to other consequences such as fines and license suspension, the following are some possible jail sentences that accompany various DUI offenses.

• If it’s your first DUI (misdemeanor), you could face up to a maximum sentence of 6 months in jail.
• If it is your second DUI within 10 years there is a minimum sentence of 96 hours in custody, and a maximum of 1 year in jail.
• Upon your third DUI within 10 years, you will get a minimum of 120 days to a maximum of 1 year in jail.
• If you are convicted of a fourth DUI within 10 years, you face a minimum of 180 days in jail (misdemeanor) or up to 3 years in prison (felony).
• If your DUI involved injury, the case will be treated as a felony and the possible jail times increase substantially.
• If you exceed the maximum speed limit by 30 mph on a highway, or 20 mph on any other roadway, an additional 60-day jail enhancement will be added to your sentence.

How Larry Can Keep You Out of Jail

In addition to fines and license suspensions, a judge may order jail time depending on the facts of the case and the number of prior DUI arrests you’ve had within a 10 year span. Since your sentence is to some degree at the judge’s discretion, an experienced DUI attorney who knows the Los Angeles court system can plan the best defense strategy for minimizing jail time.

The majority of Larry’s DUI cases get many of their charges dismissed or significantly reduced and jail time is not a part of their sentence. However, even in the case of a conviction or a plea bargain, Larry is skilled at obtaining alternatives to jail time for his clients. These include:

Electronic Monitoring – Also known as “house arrest,” this involves wearing an electronic device around your ankle that monitors your whereabouts at all times. Often, arrangements can be made for you to go to school or work, as long as you return home by a pre-determined time.

Work Release – If there is a mandatory jail sentence, an experienced DUI attorney in Los Angeles can often negotiate to have this replaced with a work release program. These programs require that a person report to a work site daily for the number of days required to fulfill his or her sentence. This work is typically manual labor, and may include tasks such as cleaning up graffiti, picking up trash, helping the needy, or other approved activities that benefit the community or a non-profit agency. At the end of a day’s work, you are released to go home until the next day.

Work Furlough – The work furlough program is different from a work release program in that it allows the participant to keep his or her own job. However, at the end of the work day, he or she must return to a state-monitored facility to spend the night.

Alcohol or Drug Rehabilitation – In some cases, a person convicted of DUI is dealing with an addiction issue. If this is the case, Larry has extensive experience in negotiating rehabilitation as an alternative to jail and other penalties.

Larry Wolf has kept thousands of individuals from paying too dearly for their indiscretions. Let him help you to minimize the consequences of your DUI. Request your free consultation online with Larry, or call our office at (310) 277-1707 and help to ensure that you avoid jail and receive a fair outcome.

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