Santa Rosa First DUI Lawyer

Make no mistake – if you have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) for the first time in Sonoma County, then you will not be offered any form of leniency. Compared to many other states within the nation, California has some of the harshest penalties for first-offense DUI convictions.

Some form of DUI safety awareness or driver’s training program will also be necessary. Many of these courses will require several weeks of attendance to complete and offer no form of compensation for the time taken out of your schedule.

You will also have to file an SR-22 form for additional costs when your license is reinstated to prove that you possess current auto insurance.

You can trust Sonoma County First DUI Attorney Evan Zeligwith your case because he has:

• More than 10 years of experience in criminal law and DUI defense
• Handled thousands of cases
• 10.0 “Superb” Avvo Rating
• Selection to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars℠

Plea Bargains & First-Offense DUIs

There are situations when your intoxication may be so prevalent, you cannot reasonably contend that you had not been drinking. While this is certainly not an ideal situation, you are not entirely out of luck and at the mercy of the criminal justice system and the Department of Motor Vehicle’s (DMV) administrative penalties.

With the help of an experienced Santa Rosa DUI attorney, you may be able to negotiate a plea bargain for reduced punishments and sentencing, arguing that your otherwise clean record and your forgiveness now are indicative that you will not commit a similar offense again.

Plea bargains are complicated procedures, though. In effect, you will be admitted that you have committed the crime of driving under the influence of alcohol. If the plea bargain is not accepted, you put yourself at a serious disadvantage for the following trial. Only proceed with a plea bargain if you have worked thoroughly with our Santa Rosa first DUI attorney beforehand.