Reducing a DUI to Reckless Driving in California

Depending on the facts surrounding your DUI case, it may be in your best interest to try and get your DUI charge reduced to reckless driving. A highly experienced DUI defense attorney can reduce DUIs to the less severe charge of reckless driving. If you live in San Diego or its surrounding cities and you have recently been charged with DUI, contact a DUI defense attorney right away to determine whether this option is right for you.

What are the benefits of having my DUI charge reduced to reckless driving?

A DUI charge is not something you want on your record. Even for a first offense DUI you can have trouble gaining employment, applying to schools and finding an apartment. You’ll also face heavy fines and it’s likely your insurance rates will either skyrocket or your coverage will be cancelled altogether. As if that’s not enough, your driver’s license will be suspended. However, with a reckless driving charge on your record, you shouldn’t run into any of these problems.

How can I have my charge reduced?

This is where having an experienced DUI attorney comes in. Only the prosecution can agree to drop your DUI charge and have it reduced to reckless driving. Remember, the prosecution (or the state) are the ones that have brought the DUI charge against you, which means they want to convince a judge or jury that you were DUI. However, they also bear the burden of proving this through evidence. The right attorney can find weaknesses in their case and may be able to suppress some of the evidence they have against you (for example, if the police did not have probable cause or did not read you your Miranda rights).

If your attorney can expose these flaws in their case, the prosecution will be more likely to negotiate having your charge reduced to reckless driving. After all, no one wants to go to trial knowing that they could lose.

Before you consider pleading guilty to DUI, please contact an experienced DUI lawyer. Remember, it’s your rights that are at stake!