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Adding It Up: The Broad-Based and Steep Costs of a California DUI

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Euphoria dashed in an instant.

That is unquestionably what it feels like for some motorists in the Bay Area and across California who, while heading home after an evening of social engagement with friends, suddenly see flashing lights in their rearview mirror.

We note the feeling on our criminal defense website at The Law Offices of John W. Noonan in Dublin, stressing that in many instances those lights usher in “a host of legal issues” for drivers who are ultimately convicted of a drunk driving charge.

Although the concerns relevant to a California DUI conviction are many and varied, for many motorists they invariably turn — and quickly so — to costs.

And that is logical, because the bottom line in dollars spent following a DUI charge and conviction spells a truly heavy exaction for most people.

There are various fines, of course, which are often levied in concert with a number of “court penalties and fees” that we reference on our site. Collectively, those out-of-pocket costs can easily run into many thousands of dollars.

And they are typically added to by a host of other expenses, which in many cases include cash outlays for things like the following:

  • Reinstatement of a suspended driver’s license
  • Spiked insurance premiums, which can jump appreciably
  • Recovery of a towed and impounded vehicle
  • Participation in alcohol and/or drug treatment programs
  • Installation and maintenance of an ignition interlock device

A DUI arrest is a flatly serious matter. Timely consultation with a proven DUI defense attorney can ensure aggressive advocacy geared toward mitigating drunk driving-related costs to the fullest extent possible.

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