“I have never been arrested before, and I am scared. What will happen to me?”

Getting arrested for the first time can be a traumatic experience. This process will go a lot more smoothly if you just follow the steps listed here.

1. Write down everything you can remember starting with the time you went to bed the night before, and all the way through your release from jail. Do this before you forget something including what time you got up, and everything you ate all day, drinks where, when, what, how many and times.
2. Contact a good lawyer. A cheap one will get you exactly what you pay for. There are many things your lawyer can do for you. And make sure this is going to be the lawyer who will handle your case, that is really important. Too many firms have a sales person sign you up, and you get someone you have never talked to.
3. Your lawyer should immediately request your hearing with the DMV so you don’t lose your right to a hearing. It must be done within 10 days from the date of your arrest. Have the lawyer do it, so it is done correctly.
4. Next, the lawyer will go to court for you at the arraignment, and plead you NOT GUILTY. Then you will be given new dates to return. Then the lawyer will get your police and other important reports. From here the lawyer will go through this and compare it with your list of events of what happened. Then maybe set a motion to suppress evidence depending on what the attorney finds. The lawyer will also need all the video and audios that may or may not be available. All of this evidence is necessary for the attorney to properly evaluate your case, and it can take months. YOU SHOULD TALK TO NO ONE BUT YOUR LAWYER DURING THIS TIME.
5. Now, you and your attorney will decide whether or not you want to settle this case with a plea bargain or go to trial. To get a good plea deal, the attorney needs all of that evidence, and sometimes they don’t want to give, so the attorney will to do a motion to compel the evidence.
6. I have never had a client go to jail on a first time DUI case that was a Misdemeanor charge. That is not true for all attorneys, but it should be. However, in most cases where you took a blood test, no accident, and no breath test, you should probably go to trial if your attorney has the new special software for Integration of the Digital Data results of your test. If they don’t have this, you should be looking for one that does. If it is another type of Misdemeanor, all of the same above is needed for your case too!
7. Convictions can prevent you from getting a new apartment, job, or even a loan, or get into a college. It is important that you take care of it properly now, later is too late.

The Law Office of Donald Drewry would be happy to review your options. Call us at (510) 346-6666 and we’ll set up a free consultation.Our office is located in San Leandro, California.14895 E. 14th Street, Suite 485 San Leandro, CA 94578-2991.