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Being arrested for DUI in Orange County can seem very scary – especially if this is your first offense.  Driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent or greater is considered drunken driving under California law.  If you are first time offender, you stand the risk of jail time, fines, license suspension or possibly all of the above.  Two or more DUI offenses could result in the more severe consequences including mandatory DUI classes.  

The consequences for drunk driving in Orange County will depend upon a number of factors including blood-alcohol content (BAC), whether or not you were involved in an accident, your history of moving violations, whether or not there were any serious injuries or deaths, and other circumstances specific to your case.  If you are a parent with a minor in the car, there’s a chance that child neglect/abuse charges could be filed against you as well. 

It’s highly recommended that you hire an Orange County DUI attorney to help you with your case.  There are certain procedures that need to be followed if you’ve been arrested for a DUI and a DUI attorney can help make the process go a little smoother.  Your attorney will be the one to investigate all the details of your case including the police report.  The more you remember what happened before, during, and after your arrest, the better.  Having witnesses to testify to your state of mind will help the case even more. 

Drunk driving is a mistake that many people make, but if you learn from that mistake the better off you’ll be in the long run.

Originally published here.

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Maria Palma

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If you’re arrested and charged with a DUI in the state of California, it is highly likely that the incident will go on your criminal record, or “rap sheet”. However, there is the possibility that you can get a DUI charged expunged. An expungement has different definitions in every state, but generally it is a formal process of deleting or clearing a DUI charge from your record. However, due to the drunk driving laws being different in each state, it’s important to consult with a drunk driving defense attorney to get help with your DUI case.

In the state of California you can get the DUI charge expunged after completion of probation. However, keep in mind that a DUI charge or conviction in California will not necessarily be removed permanently from your criminal record. Furthermore, if you have a second DUI charge within ten years, the first DUI incident could still be used as prior conviction. For example, if DUI #1 is expunged but later the person is charged with another DUI (#2), it will still be considered a second offense.

Benefits of a DUI Expungement in California

So what then are the benefits of a DUI expungement if it can’t be completely removed from your record?

1. The current case will be dismissed by the court

2. You do not have disclose the DUI charge when applying for a job with a private employer. However, if applying for any government or state-related position, it must be disclosed.

Originally published here.

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Maria Palma

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Secrecy surrounds firing of Sonoma County ag commissioner
Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner Cathy Neville is no longer employed with the county, following months of controversy and turmoil.

Published Mar 23, 2011.
Read more: The Santa Rosa Press Democrat