What are the penalties and punishments for a DUI?

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) penalties and punishments in California vary from county to county. However, some minimum penalties apply for all of California thus the penalties/punishments for a DUI in Yolo County and the penalties/punishments for a DUI in Sacramento County and the penalties/punishments for a DUI in Placer County, for example, tend to be similar. The penalties of course depend on whether the defendant has prior DUIs or not. If there are no priors, a period of 3 to 5 years of informal or summary probation is standard. Furthermore, by statute (Vehicle Code section 23152 – California’s DUI Statute or law), a minimum of 48 hours of jail is required. However, many counties including Yolo, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, El Dorado and San Joaquin offer jail alternatives such as work program and work furlough. Additionally, there is a fine that ranges per county from about $1,500 on up to over $3,000. Also required for any California DUI is completion of a first offender alcohol program or DUI school/FOP. A first offender program lasts anywhere from 3 to 9 months and entails weekly meetings. The final significant punishment associated with a first time DUI is a license suspension that can be from 6 to 12 months in length. However, with the assistance of an experienced Sacramento DUI attorney like Jonathan Turner, you may be able to obtain a restricted license or critical needs license as soon as 30 days into the suspension period.

Note, the above DUI penalties and punishments are essentially minimums. As such, depending on the county and the circumstances of the DUI, the jail sentence may be significantly greater than 48 hours. Because of the varying punisments for DUIs, it is wise to consult with someone like criminal defense attorney Jonathan Turner to apprise you of your defenses and see to it that you avoid the harsher sentences under the law.

Also, keep in mind that a DUI with priors in Sacramento, Davis, Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills and other cities and counties significantly increases the potential DUI punishments and penalties including weeks or months of mandatory jail time, an 18 month long drunk driver (SB38) class, and license revocation for over 3 years.

If you are arrested for DUI in Sacramento, Davis, or any other Northern California city, contact DUI attorney Jonathan Turner for a free consultation.