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DUI Cases Involving High Blood Alcohol Level

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding | Jun 08, 2020

What Will the Judge Do to You on a High Blood Alcohol Level On a DUI Case in Los Angeles When You Show Up for Court? Many people don't realize that the judges across LA County — and 38 courts — are taking challenging positions on driving under the influence or DUI-related offenses.

Suppose you had a high blood alcohol level. In that case, a lot of the judges in the major courthouses like Van Nuys, San Fernando, LAX, the Metro court, and downtown Los Angeles are asking the prosecutors what your blood alcohol level was at the time of your arraignment. The prosecutor, based on this information, will typically recommend a bail amount to the judge, which is often set at a high mark to ensure your appearance in court.

However, I have successfully made good arguments for you to remain on your recognizance.  Technically, when they give you a letter to appear in court or a citation to appear in court after they arrest you and let you go, you're released on your recognizance.

When you appear in court for your arraignment, the judge wields the authority to set bail, a decision that could result in your being taken into custody. This underscores the significant role judges play in DUI cases and the impact of their decisions on your situation.

So, one big thing they do, especially in high blood alcohol cases, is to put a scram bracelet on your ankle that reads whether or not you can have any alcohol.

They will order you not to drink while you're out on your recognizance any alcohol, and that scram bracelet — which you will have to pay for — will reinforce whether you drink.  If you drink and the scram bracelet goes off, you can be taken into custody.  So, the judges have a lot of authority. Not complying with these orders can lead to further legal consequences and a more severe judgment from the court.

Alcohol Anonymous Meetings

Another significant measure taken in Los Angeles County for DUIs and high blood alcohol levels is to attend a certain amount of Alcohol Anonymous meetings every week while you're out on your own recognizance. These meetings are seen as a way for you to acknowledge and address your alcohol problem, and the court often requires them as part of your rehabilitation process.

DUI Cases Involving High Blood Alcohol Level in Los Angeles

I think this is their way of (1) teaching you a lesson and (2) reminding you that you have an alcohol problem, and for you to have gotten behind the wheel with such a high blood alcohol level, you need to be kept an eye on and if you do step out of line, the judge will come down on you like a ton of bricks.

So, be prepared to go in there.  Your first line of preparation is to hire a lawyer like me if you have a DUI in Los Angeles County because I'll be able to evaluate the situation before you go to court.

I will be ready when you go to court to be able to argue on your behalf, keep you out of custody, avoid you paying thousands of dollars in high bail, and avoid a bunch of restrictions being put on you that you can't comply with.

So, if you have a high blood alcohol level, then obviously you want to get somebody like me to help you. We'll go into court prepared so we can keep you out of custody, keep you working, and get you on the right track to getting your DUI in Los Angeles resolved as fast as possible.

What is a High Blood Alcohol Level?

Many people will ask, what is a high blood alcohol level when it comes to a DUI?  I would say anything double the legal limit or more will be something that the prosecutors and judge will look at with a third eye and be prepared to up your bail or take you into custody at the time of the arraignment.

If you blow a .15 or greater, there's an extra enhancement that the judge can tack onto the back of your case, or the prosecutor can add in the criminal complaint charging you with a DUI. They can add that enhancement for being a .15 or greater.

So that would be your benchmark, in my opinion, as to what a high blood alcohol level would be.  If you blew a .15, .16, or higher, you could bet the judge will take action against you.

Even if you blew lower than a .15, the judge might force you to do AA meetings, cause you to put a scram bracelet on, and move you to post bail if you have prior DUIs.  In other words, the more DUIs you get, from their perspective, the more you are unable to control yourself, the more likely it is that you're going to drink again, put yourself in danger, and put the public in danger.

So, if you've got a high blood alcohol DUI pending in Los Angeles County, I encourage you to pick up the phone. You can usually get hold of me pretty quickly. We can talk about your situation and start preparing the case to be dealt with the right way right from the beginning. So, if this is your first DUI, you can do it once, do it right, and never do it again.

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Ronald D. Hedding

What Makes Ronald Hedding Uniquely Qualified To Represent You? I've been practicing criminal defense for almost 30 years and have handled thousands of cases, including all types of state and federal sex crime cases. All consultations are discreet and confidential.

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