California DUI 2nd/Second Offense Penalties
What punishment am I facing for a second-time DUI?
Our Los Angeles DUI Lawyers point out that penalties only ensue from conviction. Conviction means that you have either entered a "guilty" plea... or been found "guilty" by a jury.
In the case of DUI charges that involve allegations of prior offenses, the prosecution bears the burden (responsibility) of proving they occurred. Failing that, prior offenses cannot be used to increase California DUI penalties.
When convicted of driving under the influence in California for the second time, the potential penalties are as follows:
- informal (otherwise known as "summary") probation for three to five years,
- a minimum of 96 hours to a maximum of one year county jail,
- between $390-$1,000 in fines,
- an 18-month or 30-month court-approved DUI school, and
- a two-year driver's license suspension.
While the California Vehicle Code allows all of these penalties to be imposed, maximum punishment is infrequent. In particular, our Los Angeles DUI Lawyers have been successful at eliminating jail time subsequent to arrest and keeping informal probation, alcohol programs, and license suspensions to a minimum.