Drunk driving is a serious criminal charge. You will most definitely need a qualified DUI lawyer to help you reduce potential damage. Depending on the circumstances and lawyer your case will either be dismissed, there will be a jury trial or you will offer a guilty plea. Sometimes drunk driving plea bargains are preferred because the state will give you an exchange for the time and money saved from not having a jury trial. A good lawyer will be able to give you the best advice.
Once a criminal charge has been filed, there are three ways it can be concluded:
Dismissal (either a pretrial motion was granted or the prosecutor feels it is necessary to dismiss the case), jury trial, or a guilty plea.
Most drunk driving attorneys know once accused of drunk driving you should never enter a guilty plea unless he or she is getting something in return. Remember that the accused of drunk driving has the right to demand a jury trial.
While the court is ready and willing to provide a jury trial, all the parties know trials are time-consuming and cost money. When an accused pleads guilty, he or she is helping the prosecutor and the judge. Therefore, the accused should be given something in return for that help.
A good DUI attorney will attempt to extract as much from the prosecutor and the judge in exchange for his or her client's guilty plea for a drunk driving charge. Plea bargains often include a promise of a reduced sentence, a reduction in charge (reckless driving instead of driving under the influence), or a dismissal of one or more counts.