How Much Can You Expect to Pay for a Good DUI Lawyer in California
Make no mistake, getting arrested for a DUI in California can be one of the most costly and careless decisions you can make, and so when faced with the expense of fines and court fees, it may be tempting to cut costs as much as possible when searching for a DUI lawyer to guide you through the process. That may raise your costs even more, however, as the risk of working with an inexperienced or inattentive lawyer can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run. Before we get into the costs of working with a good DUI attorney, however, let’s go through other costs you may have to pay in dealing with a DUI charge.
Fines, Penalties and Classes
The minimum fine a defendant convicted of a first-time DUI in California will face is $390, and that amount can rise up to a maximum of $1,000. The fine, however, is in addition to whatever penalties the court may choose to impose. The penalties typically amount to around $1,000 but the court can choose to impose up to around $2,600 in total DUI penalties. This is not counting jail time the court can sentence the defendant to, discussed below. A DUI offender will generally also have to attend a DUI class, which typically costs over $500 to attend.
The court may also require a person convicted of a DUI to have an “ignition interlock device” to be installed in his or her car, which requires the driver to record a blood alcohol level before operating the car. This costs several hundred dollars to install and requires monthly rental costs of approximately $100.
Defendants facing repeat DUI charges will typically end up paying fines and penalties that are exponentially higher than the cost of a first time DUI.
Days Missed From Work and Potential Jail Time
A judge may also sentence a first-time offender to up to six months in jail. While the six-month maximum is not handed down regularly, jail time is not uncommon. Many employers will not pay a employee while in jail, and may automatically terminate the employee. Even where jail time is not imposed, a defendant will have to miss work to meet with an attorney and show up in court, and this cost should be considered in calculating the total cost of conviction.
Cost of a Suspended License
A guilty conviction on a DUI generally results in a six-month suspension of driving privileges. Depending on how much you use your car, this can result in high costs of using taxi services to get to and from work and other locations, or the time involved in taking public transportation, a bike, or walking. It will also cost the driver around $100 to have his or her license reinstated.
Insurance Costs
Drivers in California convicted of a DUI are required by law to report the conviction to their auto insurer. This will almost invariably result in higher insurance premiums for many years to come, potentially adding up to tens of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the driver.
Effect of DUI Conviction on Future Earnings
Although a first-time DUI is a misdemeanor, employers can lawfully ask you to report the conviction and may be able to find it through a background check. This may not necessarily disqualify you from being hired for a job, but it certainly doesn’t help, and the cost of a conviction on future employment opportunities and earnings is impossible to quantify, but may be massive in many cases.
Cost of a DUI Attorney
As you can see from the above, the fines and penalties imposed for a first-time conviction can cost several thousands of dollars, and the costs on insurance and future earnings can dwarf those costs over time. With that in mind, you’ll want to resist the temptation to find a bargain-basement DUI attorney and instead look for one whose skill and experience offers the best opportunity for avoiding a conviction or mitigating the penalties imposed.
A DUI attorney will generally charge by the hour, and you can expect to pay between $100 to $400 an hour for an attorney’s time, with more inexperienced attorneys charging on the lower side of the scale. An attorney will likely ask for a retainer up front to cover billable hours and fees, and this retainer can be several thousand dollars, with $5,000 being a typical retainer for an experienced attorney. Total costs for representation in a DUI matter average out around $10,000. A lawyer who vigorously defends your case will of course cost more than one who simply plea bargains for a conviction, but, again, factoring in the fines, penalties, insurance, and career costs, simply trying to pay as small a legal bill as possible is often a poor long-term financial strategy.
Work with a Skilled Defense Attorney
If you or a loved one are facing DUI charges in California, contact Pasadena criminal defense attorney Richard Jacinto today to consult with an accomplished, skillful defense attorney to help you avoid or mitigate criminal charges and penalties.
