Penalties for Driving Under the Influence | Hayward DUI Laws
Hayward DUI Penalties
There are two separate aspects to being arrested for driving under the influence and possible penalties. Certainly, when the district attorney’s office receives the police report from the court, they will be filing criminal charges against you, but there is also an administrative action taken by the Department of Motor Vehicles against your driver’s license. That pink piece of paper that you were given – that temporary driver’s license – that is a DMV action you must request a DMV hearing within ten days of having received that form. The penalties for DUI vary depending on a number of factors.
First Offenses
Certainly, if this is your first DUI, the possible ramifications are very different than if you have prior convictions. Even on a first-time DUI it depends on how the case is resolved. Speaking very generally one’s looking at a period of probation, a fine, a class, and some community service, which is generally done instead of doing jail time. In Alameda County, the instillation of an Ignition Interlock Device or a IID can also be imposed if you are convicted in that jurisdiction. But the amount of the fine, the length of the class, and so forth is all conditioned upon how that case was resolved, and you may not have to do any of this.
Each and every case is different, and this is why you need a skilled and knowledgeable DUI attorney on your side. The administrative penalties imposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles will also vary depending on whether this has happened to you before. You could be facing as little as a 30-day part suspension followed by months of a restricted driver’s licence, or if you have prior convictions, that period of suspension and/or revocation can be as much as two or three years. If you have a commercial license, this can be even more serious and severe.
Multiple Offense Restrictions
There are other restrictions that are available for multiple offenders for the instillation of an Ignition Interlock Device. If there was no chemical test, that has different ramifications and can cause a revocation of your license. Attorneys who specialize in DUI know how to win DMV hearings, minimize penalties, and prevent an unduly likely driver’s license loss. I pride myself in working to prevent as little disruption of your life as possible.
By: Lynn Gorelick