MANTECA DUI LAWYER - CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
MICHAEL REHM - (209) 490-5049
FREE CONSULTATIONS
The “Family City” of Manteca offers a water park for family fun and a luxury spa for parents who need relaxing time away from the kids. Manteca is also an annual gathering place for West Coast veterans on Memorial Day. While the city is family friendly, family members may need to contact a lawyer when they learn that a relative has been arrested in Manteca for driving under the influence (DUI).
Manteca DUI Arrests
In the most recent year reported by California's Office of Traffic Safety, 127 drivers were arrested for DUI in Manteca. Manteca's arrest rate was just a bit higher than the median for a city of its size.
After completing arrest paperwork, drivers who are arrested for DUI in Manteca are usually taken to the San Joaquin County Jail for a booking procedure. The jail is located in nearby French Camp. Most people arrested for DUI are given a court date and released. Drivers who are arrested for a felony and those who are detained for other reasons will either be given an opportunity to post bail or will be held until their court date.
An officer who arrests a driver for DUI in Manteca will give the driver several important documents. It is important to show those documents to a DUI defense attorney as soon as possible. Drivers need to act within ten days to avoid or delay an automatic administrative suspension of their driving privileges.
Manteca DUI Prosecutions
The San Joaquin County District Attorney's office reviews DUI arrests made in Manteca. In most cases, a prosecutor will charge a misdemeanor DUI and a companion misdemeanor charge of driving with a prohibited blood alcohol concentration (“driving over the limit”). Prosecutors in San Joaquin County file felony charges in about 4% of DUI cases, usually because the driver has accumulated several prior convictions.
A judge of the San Joaquin County Superior Court will preside over the case. Court appearances are generally held at the Stockton Courthouse at 180 East Weber Avenue in Stockton, but will be held in Manteca if that is where the arrest occurred.
At the first court appearance, the judge will ask whether the driver will be represented by an attorney. Too many drivers waive their right to an attorney and plead guilty at their earliest opportunity. Having a lawyer explore the facts of the case and determine whether defenses can be asserted that will avoid a DUI conviction is something that everyone should at a minimum try.
Manteca DUI Convictions
Pleading guilty assures a conviction. In San Joaquin County, about 76.5% of DUI charges end with a DUI conviction.
Drivers who contest the charges often have a better outcome. In more than 10% of their cases, prosecutors in San Joaquin County agree to a plea bargain involving a reduced charge. A form of reckless driving that lawyers call “wet reckless” is the most common reduced charge.
More than 12% of San Joaquin County DUI charges result in no conviction. That outcome may be achieved by negotiation, by filing motions to suppress the evidence obtained by the police, or by persuading a jury to return a verdict of “not guilty.” A DUI lawyer can recommend the best defense strategy after investigating the facts and reviewing the evidence.
Summary
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Manteca, CA, call Attorney Michael Rehm to learn how the law applies to the facts of your case, and take the steps from here to ensure proper damage control.
MICHAEL REHM - (209) 490-5049 - FREE CONSULTATIONS
Manteca DUI Resources:
Valley Community Counseling - DUI School