Lake Tahoe DUI Lawyer

Getting a DUI charge is a lot more common than most think, with as many as one in five Californians having faced previous penalties for a DUI. When facing a DUI charge, one of the most important steps of your legal journey begins with finding an experienced defense attorney able to help you through your court proceedings. Depending on the state and your number of previous convictions, DUI charges can range in both severity and longevity, and finding a lawyer in the Lake Tahoe area you can trust to help you through the process is key to formulating the best defense for your case.

DUI Penalties in California

Depending on the state in which you receive your conviction, the charges and results of your conviction may vary. In the state of California, those who are getting convicted of a first offense DUI misdemeanor can face up to six months in county jail, accompanied by up to $1,000 in fines, mandatory DUI-related remediation programs, and either an ignition interlock device or a temporary license suspension.

For more serious DUI convictions, typically involving secondary convictions or injury to others, the penalties for receiving a DUI charge as well. For example, a first-time felony DUI charge can entail upwards of $1,000 in fines, anywhere from 16 months to 2-3 years in prison, multi-year license suspension, and months of DUI remediation programs. For a felony DUI charge that involves injuries to another party, fines can go up to $5,000, with prison sentences reaching 16 years and long-term license suspension in addition to remediation programs.

Any court case should be handled by a legal professional, especially DUI cases. We understand that each case is different, and you should not feel obligated to fully accept any charges or penalties concerning a DUI conviction without consulting a legal professional first. Conor Bell’s top-tier criminal defense council can provide you with the necessary legal knowledge needed to take your case to court.

How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost in California?

Each case varies greatly from one to the next, so trying to pinpoint the specific price of legal services depends on a specific list of circumstances. Severity of the charges, as well as how many charges for the same crime have already been committed, will affect the pricing for your legal counsel. The most common factors that go into your legal budget can include:

• -Case complexity
• -Case history and experience of your attorney
• -Availability of attorney to take on your case
• -Whether your case will be taken on by the head of your firm or an associate attorney
• -Whether or not the case goes to trial
• -Location of trial
• -Expected length of trial

Factors like these can all affect the cost of your legal counsel, but ultimately, your legal team’s track record will be the biggest indicator of price for your defense. A curriculum vitae – more commonly referred to as a CV – is a list of accolades and achievements awarded to your legal team that can be used to dictate pricing for legal services.

It is important that a clear conversation about price is discussed with your legal team, and at the Law Office of Conor Bell, we understand that price transparency is extremely important.

What Are the Possible Outcomes of DUI Charges?

The consequences of a DUI charge can be extremely hard to handle, but understanding the different outcomes of a DUI conviction beyond sentencing is important to understanding your case. As with any sentencing, a DUI charge will go on your permanent record, which can follow you and affect different aspects of your life for years to come. Fortunately, under California Penal Code 1203.4, DUI charges can be expunged from your record, becoming invisible to employers.

Before considering options like expungement, or record sealing, choose an expert legal team to help combat your charges in court. At the Law Office of Conor Bell, we can assure you that our office can provide the skill needed to help you put this mistake behind you. Facing a DUI charge is never easy, and Connor Bell understands how hard these convictions can impact you and your family. We aim to supply you with the legal knowledge needed to help you interpret and understand your situation fully, without judgment, and we can support you at every step of the case.

Is It Worth Getting a DUI Lawyer in California?

As with any criminal case, hiring a criminal defense lawyer should be your first step in the legal process. With the help of legal counsel, your charges can be examined by those with full knowledge of the law, making sure that your charges were filed accurately and honestly. Ensuring that you have a strong legal team who is able to examine the prosecution’s arguments and offer the best defense against their case is extremely important in a DUI case. Having a DUI lawyer able to evaluate the facts of your case and fight on your behalf is imperative to helping you reach the justice you need to go back to your normal life.

The consequences around DUI charges can impact you for the rest of your life, so securing a top-tier defense team to help combat these charges in the courtroom is key to helping you put your DUI charge behind you. The Law Office of Conor Bell values our clients and respects their personal lives, so we provide high-quality legal services to all of our clients in and around the local area.

The Law Office of Conor Bell serves the greater Lake Tahoe area, throughout El Dorado County and the southern edge of Lake Tahoe. Conor Bell is a highly skilled criminal defense attorney who is equipped to help tackle your DUI charge, helping you move on from your conviction. If you are looking for a DUI lawyer in Lake Tahoe, look no further than the Law Office of Conor Bell. For representation you can trust, contact our office for a consultation today.