San Francisco, CA Misdemeanor DUI Lawyer

Attorney for Drunk Driving Defense in Marin County

If you were recently arrested for DUI in California, you are most likely facing a misdemeanor charge. Though the penalties for misdemeanor DUI are not as harsh as they are for a felony DUI, it is still a crime that can negatively impact your future in numerous ways. If you are facing a drunk driving misdemeanor charge, you need strong legal counsel in your corner working hard to mitigate this situation as much as possible.

Attorney Paul Burglin of Burglin Law Offices, P.C. has over 30 years of experience successfully representing drivers charged with misdemeanor DUI in Marin County and throughout the Bay Area. Paul is one of only five attorneys in the state that is Board-Certified by the National College of DUI Defense, as approved by the American Bar Association, and he co-authors California Drunk Driving Law, a two-volume treatise that is commonly referred to as "the Bible of DUI Defense." Paul has a strong track record of successful results, and this is a major reason prosecutors, judges, and DMV hearing officers frequently retain his services when one of their own family members or friends is in trouble because of a DUI arrest.

Consequences for Misdemeanor DUI in California

Most California DUI arrests are charged as misdemeanors. If there are no aggravated circumstances, such as an extremely high blood alcohol content (BAC) level, bodily injury, or fatalities, a first, second or third DUI within a ten-year period is usually classified as a misdemeanor. Aggravated circumstances and/or a fourth DUI within 10 years (or a prior felony DUI conviction) may be charged as a felony.

Penalties for misdemeanor DUIs vary depending on how many prior convictions are on your record in the last 10 years and other specific circumstances. The general guidelines are as follows:

• First-Time Misdemeanor DUI: Up to $2,300 or more in fines and penalty assessments, up to six months in county jail, and up to a six-month driver's license suspension.
• Second-Time Misdemeanor DUI: Up to $3,000 or more in fines and penalty assessments, 10 days to one year in jail, and up to a two-year driver's license suspension.
• Third-Time Misdemeanor DUI: Up to $3,000 or more in fines and penalty assessments, 120 days to one year in jail, and a three-year driver's license revocation.

Additional consequences include community service work, the requirement to attend AA meetings and DUI school, several years of probation, and installation of a breath-alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID).

Contact an Experienced San Francisco Misdemeanor DUI Lawyer

A conviction for misdemeanor DUI can be very costly both now and well into the future. If you are serious about fighting the drunk driving charge against you, then you need someone who knows how the system works and the options for DUI defense strategies to keep the damaging effects to a minimum.

Attorney Paul Burglin "writes the book" on California DUI defense, and he puts his extensive experience to work to aggressively advocate on behalf of each client he serves. For a free personalized consultation with attorney Burglin, contact our office today at 415-729-7300. We serve clients throughout the Bay Area, including Marin County, Tiburon, Sausalito, Mill Valley, Larkspur, San Rafael, Novato, San Anselmo, Fairfax. We handle locals and tourists cited in the wine country of Sonoma and Napa, as well as those cited in San Francisco, Oakland, and Martinez.