QUESTION

What can I do now if I had got a reckless DUI about 2 years ago and never went to court?

Asked on Apr 03rd, 2013 on DUI/DWI - California
More details to this question:
I was 20 and had got a reckless DUI. They let me go and let a friend drive home. I never did anything about it. I did not show up to court or anything. I checked to see if I ever got a warrant and I never did. Also I checked online with the ticket I had and it says I have to pay $600 but nothing else. I wanted to know if that was all I had to pay. I had just got a good job and wanted to know if there was any way I would be able to drive to work and back that is until I paid off my ticket or found out.
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3 ANSWERS

Criminal Defense Attorney serving Oakland, CA at Kapsack & Bair, LLP
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It sounds like you were found guilty "in absentia" of an infraction. There is a DUI infraction that may be charged in low blood alcohol concentration cases with underage drinking drivers. Unfortunately, you will have to pay the fine to clear the "hold" on your license additionally you will have to file an SR-22, the DMV may have additional requirements. You should call a local DUI lawyer they may be able to help you sort this out.
Answered on Apr 09th, 2013 at 7:51 PM

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Wrongful Termination Attorney serving Huntington Beach, CA at Nelson & Lawless
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You have been greatly misinformed. You can not simply pay. You have an arrest warrant for you. To handle a warrant, you must turn yourself in to the issuing court, with or without an attorney. On misdemeanors and infractions, an attorney can appear in court without the defendant being present which is safer and avoids immediately being taken into custody. You'll try to negotiate a recall of the warrant[s] and seek bail reduction or OR release. You'll try to negotiate a plea bargain on any ?Failure to Appear? charge or probation violation that caused the warrant. You'll try to negotiate a plea bargain or take to trial the outstanding charge that caused the warrant. While this isn't a 'capital case', you now face potential jail and fines, so handle it right. Effective plea-bargaining by your attorney, using whatever legal defenses, facts and sympathies there may be, could possibly keep you out of jail, or at least dramatically reduce it. Unless you're competent to effectively represent yourself in court against a professional prosecutor trying to put you in jail, most people hire an attorney who can. If serious about hiring counsel to help in this, feel free to contact me.
Answered on Apr 05th, 2013 at 4:25 AM

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I am suspicious. I would have someone check the court where the dui occurred to see if anything else is pending.
Answered on Apr 05th, 2013 at 1:29 AM

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