Yes, a Sonoma County DUI is serious and complicated. Don't act on casual advice to fight this by yourself (See, Ten Tips for the First 48 Hours: Don't Follow Bad Advice), or even worse, don't simply walk into court alone to "accept responsibility" and ask for leniency. Many people believe that a case may be dismissed or penalties avoided or reduced because they've never been in trouble before, or because they will face substantial hardship if convicted, but it just doesn't work that way. Understand that the court does not see alleged DUI offenders as victims regardless of the degree of hardship that would be suffered with a DUI conviction. Rather, it is legal issues which make the difference in most cases. Sonoma DUI lawyers are prepared for a variety of aggravating factors which can make a DUI case much worse, and lawyers seek out and utilize a variety of legal defenses which can make a DUI case much better. Only lawyers are specifically trained to identify and employ all of these factors and defenses on your behalf to successfully reduce or dismiss a DUI case, or soften the blow.
In addition, there are also piles of legal issues, bureaucratic tasks, and huge inconveniences in every DUI case which a local Sonoma County DUI lawyer can help you to navigate, or completely avoid. If you don't see how involved and complex even a first DUI can be in Sonoma County without a lawyer, then click on Anatomy of a DUI on this site and see the many different directions a Santa Rosa DUI case can go, as well as the burdensome collection of obligations, timetables and tasks to perform. And don't drive to court with a suspended license. Click here to see recent examples of Santa Rosa Court Stings. Have a good local DUI lawyer go for you instead.
Will your absence be noticed by the court or required by your Sonoma DUI attorney? No, in most cases court appearances are strictly procedural. Unless special circumstances are present, judges do not wish to speak to a defendant at such proceedings and your absence or presence will go unnoticed. Clients who live in Santa Rosa, or Sonoma County, rarely, if ever, come to court in typical DUI cases. This doesn't mean you'll be left in the dark about your case. A good Sonoma County DUI lawyer will explain the entire process. To start, click here to see Jake's comprehensive Anatomy of a Sonoma County DUI flowchart. In addition, Jake's tech know-how can be very helpful to avoid the need for client travel, meetings or appearances, especially at the procedural beginning of a case. Jake routinely makes available to our clients the police reports and other DUI case documents after court appearances.
A good local Santa Rosa DUI lawyer will get you the best resolution, properly handled with the least stress and confusion, which is well worth a reasonable fee. If you already know you cannot afford to hire a private lawyer, then consider requesting a public defender. Click on Ten Tips for the First 48 Hours after Arrest on this site for a more detailed discussion about getting a DUI lawyer. Watch our Sonoma DUI lawyer Video Short discussing why to hire a lawyer. Consult with a Sonoma DUI lawyer about your specific case.