3 Common Plea Bargains Offered During DUI Cases
As a driver, there are few charges you can be slapped with that are more concerning than a DUI charge. With a guilty verdict on a DUI charge, you can be left with stiff penalties and a record that follows you for many years. However, in some situations when a person is charged with a DUI, the prosecuting attorney will offer some form of plea bargain, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the circumstances. If you are facing a DUI charge and are offered a plea bargain, you will definitely need to understand the terms of this deal before you agree to what is offered. Here are three common plea bargains you could be offered with a DUI case.
You may be offered jail time instead of license suspension.
There are several states that will suspend your license with a DUI charge. A suspended license can change everything about how you live your life, so many who are facing this with their charge will be willing to accept a plea bargain. The prosecution may offer you the option of a short stay in jail instead of license suspension. However, even with this exchange, you will likely still have to plead guilty to the charge.
You may be given the opportunity to plead guilty to part of the crime.
Say you were pulled over for reckless driving and found to have a high blood alcohol level. So, when you are arrested, you will likely be charged with both reckless driving and a DUI. In certain situations, you may be able to plead guilty to only one of the charges and see a lesser sentence, but this will only be an option in specific cases where there could be reasonable doubt that you are guilty of one thing or the other.
You may be given the chance to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
This is probably the most preferable plea bargain that you could be offered after a DUI charge, but does not always become a viable option for the prosecution team. Many states have varying degrees of a DUI charge, depending on how high your blood alcohol level was at the time of your arrest. If possible to avoid a lengthy court battle, a prosecutor may offer you the chance to plead guilty on a lesser charge to avoid the stiffer penalties that come with the charge you are facing.
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