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The Tragedy of Pleading Guilty to DUI Prematurely

Posted by Christopher Martens | Dec 11, 2014 | 0 Comments

Contrary to the misguided stereotype that most people have about California DUI defendants, most people arrested for major DUI crimes -- like violating California Vehicle Code Section 23152, hit and run, or assaulting a police officer -- do not take a cavalier attitude towards their charges. They know that they face life-altering punishments, such as prison time, driver's license suspension, weeks and weeks of forced community service and alcohol education school, draconian probation terms, and beyond.

At the same time, many people think that if they plead guilty and just throw themselves on the mercy of the court as early as possible, then they will get a better deal.

This attitude can lead to tragic outcomes.

For instance, attorney Christopher Martens has personally seen people with 0.05 percent BAC levels plead guilty to DUIs, because they lacked legal representation. According to California Vehicle Code Section 23152, the legal limit for DUI is 0.08% for someone who is 21 years or older. In other words, people basically only half way to this threshold have plead guilty and seen their lives irrevocably changed for no good reason. Why might people "surrender" so easily? Perhaps they assume that they have no viable defense. For instance, they knew they had consumed alcohol; so they just assume that the police "got it right" when they made the arrest.

So why fight back?

The answer is that it's easy to misjudge your own level of innocence or guilt in either direction. For instance, perhaps your blood alcohol level had actually been "on the rise" when police stopped you. Even though they tested you to have a BAC level of 0.09% at the station, when you had been behind the wheel, your BAC level was only 0.07% – i.e. under legal limit.

DUI convictions in Central California lead to mandatory JAIL TIME. Christopher Martens and his legal team can fight back aggressively against your charges and help you win your freedom and gain back peace of mind.

About the Author

Christopher Martens

Bio Visalia and Bakersfield criminal defense attorney who has dedicated his life to helping those who have been accused of crimes or injured due to the negligence of others.

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