Being charged with driving under the influence is a frightening situation for anyone, even those who are facing a second, third, or subsequent charge. You might not be sure what will happen next when it comes to your case and the charge levied against you. Our Los Angeles DUI defense attorney would like to discuss the DUI diversion program available to residents of California so you know your options for fighting such a charge.
So, what exactly is the DUI diversion program? The rationale surrounding the DUI diversion program is that first-time offenders should be given a second chance before being convicted of a crime and sentenced to jail. These programs have shown reduced recidivism because the offenders are given a second chance.
DUI diversion programs require the offender to complete any or all of the following in order to have the charges dropped or reduced:
The first thing you need to determine is if you qualify for the DUI diversion program. These programs are typically built for those who are first-time offenders, not those who have been charged with two, three, or more DUI crimes. In order to qualify for such a program, you might also not have injured or killed someone in a DUI crash or have registered more than 0.15 BAC.
You might be required to plead guilty to the charge prior to being admitted to the DUI diversion program in California. The admission of guilt would be a prerequisite to having the charges dropped. This is what is known as deferred adjudication. It could wind up hurting you in the end if you fail to complete the diversion program as you have already pleaded guilty to the crime.
The sentence will be suspended when you are admitted to a DUI diversion program. The reason for this is that the court might want to adjudicate your case should you fail to complete the program or are charged with another DUI while in the program. If this does occur, you will be subject to the sentence originally issued in the case before you were admitted to the program.
As you can imagine, the benefits of a DUI diversion program are immense. One of the biggest benefits is that you won’t have a charge on your record. When you go to apply for a job you won’t be lying on the application when you answer ‘no’ to have you been convicted of a crime if you go through the program successfully.
Another benefit of completing the program is that you won’t have your driver’s license suspended. This means you can still go to school, to work and run errands without having to use public transportation or rely on others to drive you everywhere.
Our Los Angeles DUI defense attorney wants you to remember how important it is to look into the DUI diversion program if you are a first-time offender. Contact our office at 310-430-7799 to schedule a consultation today.
