Los Angeles DUI Defense: Busy Court System Good for Accused?

In a Los Angeles DUI defense case, the relative burden placed on the court system in such a large city can work in the benefit of a defendant. This is also true in relatively large cities across the country, including cases in Miami (Dade County, but also including cases in Broward as well), New York (all five boroughs), Chicago (Cook County, plus other surrounding suburbs), and virtually any large metropolitan area across the U.S.

In reality, DUI arrests are one of the most common criminal violations in a large city, and in turn, the charges are virtually always misdemeanor offenses, involving the possibility of jail time, plus certain fines and other sentencing mandates. In short, municipalities and large cities already have in place an efficient system for handling DUI and other relatively minor, non-violent criminal offenses. Often, the prosecutor’s in a given jurisdiction are eager to offer a standard plea agreement to first time offenders, which often entails a probation period, emphasizing rehabilitation and driving restrictions, rather than incarceration.

These systems are in place to address the burden of the courts system, but in practice, to prevent a continuing problem with jail overcrowding. A lesser known, but undeniable reason includes the revenue derived from DUI related cases for law enforcement, corrections departments, the county, city, and state. In short, the offender incurs a costlier alternative sentence, but avoids the possibility of further incarceration.

Benefits in a Defense Strategy for DUI Cases

The aforementioned process is applicable to any DUI cases, which often include those with limited or no grounds for contesting the charges. DUI cases with potential grounds for dismissal, however, can fare even better in large court jurisdictions in the following manner:

• Just because a jurisdiction is considered busy or overwhelmed does not give prosecutors the right to proceed with criminal cases outside of the standard process of law. In short, the defendant’s rights to defense and fair trial remain the same, while the prosecution may be hampered by limited resources to dedicate to a case.

• Busy court systems often are indicative of a chaotic prosecutor’s office. For offenders, this means limited resources (personnel, evidence gathering, and other items) will be used to obtain conviction, if compared to a dedicated criminal defense employed by a defendant.

• Most DUI cases hinge on chemical sampling following arrest, which can be probed on a number of levels in an attempt to obtain dismissal. In a busy court system, the likelihood of errors or illegal practices involved in evidence gathering increases dramatically, thus presenting greater chance for finding grounds for dismissal.

Getting Legal Help with a Los Angeles DUI Case

In short, if you are arrested for DUI in Los Angeles, it is important to consult with a Los Angeles DUI lawyer about your specific pending criminal charges as soon as possible following arrest. Depending on the specific elements of your case, numerous grounds for dismissal may exist, and in other cases, obtaining a favorable plea bargain will likely be possible. For more information and insight, consult with a Los Angeles DUI lawyer.