DUI Reduced to Reckless Driving

For some people, accepting a reduction in your DUI case to an offense like reckless driving may not be in your best interest. In a state that has what is called a “wet” reckless law, any DUI-DWI that gets reduced to a reckless driving offense may cause a driver’s license suspension, revocation or restriction. For professionals (e.g., doctors, registered nurses, chiropractors, CPAs, dentists, attorneys) reduced pleas (such as a “wet” reckless in California) may trigger “fitness” hearings that delay or prevent being licensed (or renewing a license) in a particular state.

Your DUI attorney may feel that you have an excellent chance to win the DUI-DWI case against you. While this can never be promised with certainty, part of the reason you hired a DUI-DWI specialist is to obtain this type of expertise. The prosecution may offer you a plea to a reduced criminal charge because he or she knows the DUI-DWI case against you is weak, or missing some critical element or witness.

DUI penalties, such as the threat of more lengthy jail time, are a common concern for most people facing drunken driving charges. For some people, going to jail or having to serve mandatory community service for a lengthy period of time could be devastating. For others, even being on DUI probation can end their job.

For a conviction of any misdemeanor offense (no matter what the misdemeanor), you are at least theoretically facing some jail time. You could face exactly the same punishment if you accept a guilty plea to a lesser charge rather than being found guilty on a DUI-DWI charge. It could be that a negotiated plea to another serious offense offers you no real benefit. Your top DUI lawyer will be best able to recommend which alternative is best for you.