MORGAN HILL DUI LAWYER - CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
MICHAEL REHM - (408) 489-2007
FREE CONSULTATIONS
Morgan Hill is a city of luxury. Many Silicon Valley executives have made Morgan Hill their home. The city's Michelin-star chefs produce gourmet meals, while the award-winning wineries that surround the city assure that local wines match the quality of local meals.
Too much of a good thing can lead to trouble. That's particularly true when drivers consume too much of a good wine. A driver who is stopped for driving under the influence (DUI) in Morgan Hill is at risk of serving jail time, facing a driver's license suspension, and other serious consequences.
DUI Arrests in Morgan Hill
The DMV's most recent arrest statistics were compiled before the pandemic. In that year, 208 drivers were arrested for DUI in Morgan Hill.
The DUI arrest rate in Morgan Hill is much lower than the arrest rate for other California cities of comparable size. Still, the raw numbers suggest that, on average, four drivers each week are arrested for DUI in Morgan Hill. Nor do the statistics reflect arrests that are made outside of city limits.
During a traffic stop, drivers are usually questioned about their alcohol consumption. When an officer believes probable cause exists to believe the driver is “over the limit” or has consumed a substance that interferes with the ability to drive safely, the officer makes an arrest.
After an arrest in Morgan Hill, male drivers are taken to the Santa Clara County Main Jail Complex for booking. That jail is located at 150 W. Hedding Street in San Jose. Female drivers may be taken to the Elmwood Correctional Complex in Milpitas. Drivers are usually given a court date and released within a few hours after being booked.
DUI Prosecutions in Morgan Hill
Arrests in Morgan Hill are referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office for prosecution. Unless the driver caused an accident or has multiple convictions for DUI, the prosecutor will probably charge the driver with misdemeanor DUI and a companion charge of driving “over the limit.”
Prosecutors file charges in the Superior Court for Santa Clara County. If the courthouse is open, a DUI charge that results from an arrest in Morgan Hill will be heard at the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill. That courthouse is not always staffed by a criminal court judge. If the courthouse is unavailable, the case will probably be heard at the Hall of Justice at 190-200 West Hedding Street in San Jose.
DUI Convictions in Morgan Hill
Not all drivers who are arrested for DUI in Morgan Hill are convicted. DUI Attorney Michael Rehm can help drivers understand how a conviction might be avoided.
In the most recent year analyzed by the DMV, only 75.4% of drivers who were charged with DUI in Santa Clara County were convicted. Plea bargains resulted in the conviction of a lesser charge in 11.3% of all Santa Clara County DUI cases.
Some charges were dismissed, usually because a lawyer filed motions challenging the arrest or the test results. In some cases, a jury found the driver “not guilty.” In all, 12.4% of drivers charged with DUI — nearly one out of eight — had their cases resolved with no conviction of any crime.
Summary:
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Morgan Hill, CA, call Attorney Michael Rehm at (408) 489-2007 for a free, confidential consultation and learn how the court system and the DMV should be navigated, and how you can do damage control, and move on with your life.