You should meet with your attorney within the first month of being arrested for DUI so that you can give them all the information related to the arrest. It would be best if you were honest with your attorney about what happened; don't put a spin on things.
You should tell your attorney how you think the prosecutor and the police will tell their version of events, and you should not omit anything. The attorney will then ask you to share your version of the events so they can prepare to represent you best.
Summary Probation vs. Formal Probation
If you are charged with a misdemeanor DUI in Los Angeles, you probably won't be put on formal probation or have to deal with a probation officer. If you are set on summary probation for a case, you cannot violate the terms of that probation or incur new charges.
If you end up being convicted of a felony DUI, then you will most likely be put on probation, but that would not occur within the first 30 days of the arrest. Instead, that would probably happen later, and your attorney would explain how to interact with the probation department.
Before counseling or AA meetings, you must sit with a Los Angeles DUI attorney. Some attorneys recommend that their clients take specific actions without knowing anything about their case. It's not a cookie-cutter situation; we don't just do the same thing in every DUI case in Los Angeles County.
If your blood alcohol level was very high and you were behaving dangerously, then they might think that you have a problem with alcohol. Taking some AA classes in coordination with your attorney may be a good idea. Alternatively, you may want to enter an inpatient or outpatient program.
If you don't have an alcohol problem and you just made a mistake, then you don't necessarily want to start going to AA meetings. If you do, the prosecutors may assume that you have a problem with alcohol, and as a result, they may add punishments. So, let your attorney be your guide. Give them all the necessary information, and they will advise you on how to proceed.
Best Advice To Clients Following A DUI Arrest In Los Angeles
In the days and weeks that follow a DUI arrest in Los Angeles County, my clients and I will have a meeting of the minds to discuss what exactly happened and how we are going to deal with it. I let my clients know how they can help me and what to expect.
Knowing what they are up against helps give clients peace of mind. We determine our goal and determine how we can get the best resolution and avoid potentially harsh legal penalties.
Once I have the answer to that question, we move the wheels and start doing things that can help us. For example, I suggest that the client enter some program or collect character letters from friends and family to demonstrate that they are a good person.
Several things can be done, but the specifics of those will depend on the circumstances of the case at hand.
