San Diego DUI Lawyer

Preliminary DUI Hearings

A preliminary hearing is something that happens with felony DUI cases only. In a misdemeanor DUI case, the maximum DUI penalties are a year in county jail, or a combination of jail and fines. However, in a first time DUI misdemeanor case, a year of jail time if highly unlikely. Because of the reduced severity of the penalties of a misdemeanor DUI, a preliminary hearing is not done. For felony DUI cases, the penalties can be much more severe, resulting in a year or more in state prison, driver's license suspension of several years, huge monetary fines, and more. A preliminary hearing is held before a judge only, without a jury, and is for a judge to decide if there appears to be enough evidence for the defendant to stand trial If the judge decides there is enough evidence, a trial will be scheduled with a 12-person jury. A preliminary hearing can be a great way for your aggressive San Diego DUI attorney to cross-examine any witnesses to your alleged indiscretion, and look for other holes in the prosecution's case against you.

A preliminary hearing can give your attorney a better understanding of your case, and help him make important decisions with you, such as whether or not it is in your best interest to plea bargain, or to go to trial, etc. A preliminary hearing can be very helpful to your defense, as your attorney will be able to cross-examine the witnesses that are set to testify against you and can look for weaknesses in their stories.

DUI Attorney Serving San Diego

When facing the complex and difficult to understand DUI legal process, it is important to have an attorney you can count on standing beside you and fighting for your innocence and freedom. Attorney Mark R. De You APLC is a firm that is dedicated to helping its clients fight their DUI charges successfully. He has over 28 years of experience handling DUI cases in San Diego and has represented over 1,000 clients to date. He understands the sensitivities that go along with DUI cases, and handles each case with compassion and forceful legal skill.

Contact a San Diego DUI lawyer from the firm today if you are facing DUI charges and need legal representation for your preliminary hearing.