DUI Punishment Charts
Misdemeanor DUI Punishment Chart
The first question on the minds of most drivers arrested for California DUI is how much punishment they face. How a California DUI is punished depends on whether you’re convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. If you weren’t involved in an accident and no one was killed or injured, and if you don’t have three or more DUI convictions within the past 10 years, your drunk driving case is likely to be charged as a misdemeanor.
In California, misdemeanor DUI can be punished by up to one year in county jail plus fines and fees, a driver’s license suspension, probation, and alcohol education classes. A skilled California DUI attorney from The Kavinoky Law Firm can review your case and determine what kind of punishment you may face.
The chart below shows the punishment you face after a California misdemeanor DUI conviction. California has a 10-year “washout” period for DUI convictions, meaning that if your prior drunk driving arrest occurred more than 10 years ago, your current case will be treated as a first-time DUI.
|
Fines and Fees |
Driver’s License Suspension |
Alcohol Education Classes |
Probation |
Jail |
|
|
First Offense |
$1,400 to $1,800 |
Six-month suspension |
12 to 45 weeks of one-hour classes |
Three to five years informal probation |
48 hours mandatory, but may be served through alternative sentencing |
|
Second Offense |
$1,800 to $2,800 |
Two-year suspension |
18-month program |
Three to five years informal probation |
Minimum 96 hours of mandatory jail time, may be served through alternative sentencing |
|
Third Offense |
$1,800 to $2,800 |
Up to three years |
18-month program |
Three to five years formal or informal probation |
Mandatory minimum of 120 days in jail, may be served through alternative sentencing |
If you have three or more DUI convictions within the past 10 years and are arrested again, your fourth drunk driving case can be charged as a felony. California felony DUI is punishable by a year or more in state prison.
If you’re facing a misdemeanor or felony drunk driving charge, the experienced California DUI lawyers from The Kavinoky Law Firm are here to help. To learn more about aggressive defenses to drunk driving charges, please contact a top California DUI attorney today at 1-800-NO-CUFFS for a free consultation.
