To convince the prosecutors to give you a lesser charge in a DUI case, your attorney will have to convince them that you were not a danger to others on the road at the time of driving.
Despite the increasing pressure to punish drunk drivers, there are still viable solutions that can be crafted by the best DUI defense attorneys. This should give you hope that a reduction in your case is not out of reach.
One significant factor in deciding whether to reduce a case to a 'wet reckless' (a charge that is less severe than a standard DUI) versus a standard DUI is the person's blood-alcohol level at the time of driving. This once again comes back to the issue of public safety. If the person had a high BAC, the prosecutors would perceive them as dangerous and do everything to punish them severely. On any first-offense DUI in Los Angeles, where the person blew a .11 or below, a seasoned local DUI attorney will have an excellent chance to get a reduction. A 'wet reckless' charge carries less severe penalties, such as shorter license suspension and lower fines. There are, of course, other factors that go into the prosecutor's decision-making process, but this is a big one.
Reviewing Police Report
Another area we thoroughly investigate to convince the prosecutors to reduce your case is the information gathered by law enforcement before the arrest. This comprehensive approach should give you confidence in our strategy.
When they exited their car, were they staggering or walking normally? We see if they were cooperative with the police (those people who were cooperative and not belligerent have a good chance of being given a break). Finally, we look at how the client did on the field sobriety tests (if they passed some of them, we are in a solid position to get a reduction). Again, this is all based on public safety, and mounting an argument that you were not a danger to the community at large will go a long way to getting what we want.
Factors in your Wet Reckless Reduction
If you have a clean driving record, a valid driver's license, and proof of insurance, these are also factors in your favor when we go to negotiate your case for you. Of course, the argument that we want to make to the prosecutors is that your behavior, in this case, was an aberration that will never happen again. The more indications that we have to support that premise, the more likely we will succeed in getting the resolution we are aiming for!
Another angle the prosecutors in Los Angeles will consider when reducing a DUI case relates to whether they have any problems of proof in the case or if the defendant argues that the police violated your constitutional rights during the arrest.
Some of the arguments that I have had much success with relating to illegal stops of vehicles if the police did not properly advise the person of their choice between blood or breath (try and force them to take one of the tests), if the subject person is not driving when the police catch them, then we can use this to attack the prosecutor's case. Of course, if there is a problem with the breath machine used to test the person's blood-alcohol level, this is an excellent linchpin to upend the prosecutor's case.
When I meet with clients regarding their DUI matters, I have a goal in mind: to make sure that they know what they are facing, what they can do to assist me, and what we can realistically hope to achieve in resolving their case. This usually helps them take control of the situation and gives them peace of mind moving forward. In my opinion, our job is to make this process as easy as possible for you!
