How And Why To Fight To Get Your DUI Charge Reduced

Most states have strict punishment laws in place for people who get charged and convicted of a DUI, and while you might not end up with the most severe punishment for your case, you would still likely end up with consequences that are more severe than you would like. This is why it is important to try to fight your DUI case to get the charged reduced. You might not be able to get them dropped completely, but there are benefits of getting them reduced, and here are a few things to know about this.

The consequences of a DUI

While the consequences of a DUI vary by state, most states have laws that could include jail time, a loss of driving privileges, and fines that you must pay if convicted of a DUI. A DUI could also fall into a felony category of crime, which is a more severe crime than a misdemeanor. If you did not fight your DUI case and did not hire a lawyer, these are the types of consequences you would likely end up with, and there can be a lot of secondary consequences too. An example is having a hard time finding a job due to having a felony crime on your record.

The lesser charge you might receive

Depending on your criminal record, primarily on your history of your driving crimes, there is a chance you could fight for a lesser charge. This works well for people with no criminal record and for people charged with their first DUI works, but it might be harder for repeat offenders. The charge you could fight for is a charge of reckless driving. This charge is normally considered a misdemeanor, which is a much better charge to have on your record than a felony. If you can get the charges reduced from a DUI to reckless driving, the consequences you face will be lighter and less severe.

How to get charges reduced

The big question you might wonder is how you can go about achieving this. Well, the first method is by pursuing a plea bargain through the court. A plea bargain will often reduce a DUI to reckless driving as long as you will admit to driving recklessly. A second thing to know is that you should hire a lawyer who offers services for driving crimes, such as DUIs, as this type of lawyer will have a history of helping people just like you with getting their charges reduced. Reach out to an attorney, like those at http://www.chichesterlaw.com, to learn more.