Orange County College DUI Lawyer
Orange County College DUI Attorney
If you’ve recently been arrested for or charged with intoxicated driving as a college or university student, take proactive action by speaking with a qualified Orange County college DUI lawyer. The team at the Law Offices of Christopher J. McCann, APC, has successfully represented numerous college students, and our lawyers are well-equipped to handle your case as well.
Understanding DUI Charges as a College Student
While DUI arrests occur across the state, many drivers who are charged with driving under the influence in Orange County are college and university students from schools like Cal State, Concordia University Irvine, and others. One study reports that 42 percent of college students across the nation have driven after drinking alcohol, 17 percent of students drove while intoxicated, and 38 percent got into a car with an intoxicated driver.
For college students aged 21 years old or above, they can be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol if their blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08 percent or more. This is the same standard held for all adults of legal drinking age, as 0.08 is the limit according to the state’s DUI legislation. Drivers under the legal drinking age can be charged with DUI if their BAC is anything above 0.0.
You may also be arrested for showing signs of intoxication by substances other than alcohol, including prescription or illicit drugs, at the arresting officer’s discretion. Law enforcement is especially diligent about closely watching for intoxicated drivers near and around universities and colleges. It’s crucial to seek proper legal counsel as soon as you can because students facing DUI charges have the potential to suffer academic repercussions as well as legal penalties.
Potential Legal and Academic Penalties for DUIs in Orange County
The legal penalties for a DUI conviction include jail or prison time, fines, enrollment in an alcohol education program, and the installation of an ignition interlock device in any vehicle you drive, all of which can disrupt your life, especially when pursuing an education. You may instead face a license suspension or restriction, which can make it difficult to get to school or work.
Sustaining a conviction on your record can make several aspects of your future, such as advancing your career, finding affordable housing, and increasing insurance premiums, more difficult to navigate. As a university student, you must keep potential academic penalties in mind in addition to legal ones. These are some disciplinary actions your institution may impose after a DUI conviction:
- Probation or expulsion from the school
- Loss of scholarship or other academic benefits
- Athletes may face stricter standards with penalties, including suspension from the team or a total loss of an athletic scholarship.
Each college or university has its own student code of conduct, and penalties can range in severity depending on the student’s past disciplinary history and the circumstances surrounding the DUI arrest, including any mitigating or aggravating factors. Higher education institutions usually conduct their own proceedings alongside criminal cases to investigate the situation further. It’s important to have legal representation that is experienced in college criminal cases.
How Can a College DUI Defense Lawyer Help?
It’s a good idea to work with a DUI defense lawyer in Orange County who is qualified to assist college students facing criminal charges. Since university students essentially have two cases going on simultaneously, one legal and the other academic, it’s crucial that their legal counsel understands how to approach both proceedings.
Your Orange County College DUI attorney can represent you in all meetings with law enforcement, the court, and your school to ensure your rights are protected, your case is regarded fairly, and you can obtain a favorable outcome. In Orange County, your DUI arrest is likely to be processed in one of the following courthouses, depending on the city where the offense took place:
- Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701.
- North Justice Center at 1275 North Berkeley Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832
- Harbor Justice Center at 4601 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660
- West Justice Center at 8141 13th Street, Westminster, CA 92683
FAQs About Orange County College DUI Laws
Q: How Do Colleges Handle a DUI Charge in CA?
A: In California, it’s not uncommon for higher education institutions, such as colleges and universities, to conduct their own academic proceedings after a student has been charged with a DUI. Since schools have their own student code of conduct that they enforce, each school also has the right to enforce its own academic penalties should a student be convicted of driving under the influence.
Q: What Do Colleges Consider During DUI Proceedings?
A: During college or university DUI proceedings, there are various factors that schools consider when considering potential disciplinary action. These factors include the circumstances surrounding the DUI arrest, such as whether there was an accident that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another and other grossly aggravating factors, the student’s criminal history, and a record of disciplinary action.
Q: How Does a DUI Lawyer Help Me as a College Student?
A: As a college student facing DUI charges, having the help of a qualified Orange County College DUI Lawyer can be very beneficial for several reasons. As a legal professional, your defense attorney has a deep understanding of the criminal system and can use their experience to build an effective case on your behalf. With legal counsel who’s experienced in representing college students, your lawyer also knows how to counsel you through academic proceedings.
Q: What Is the Penalty for a DUI in Orange County?
A: In Orange County, California, the criminal penalties for a DUI conviction in a jail or prison sentence, a fine, and a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, among other punishments the judge may deem appropriate for the case. Academic punishments following a DUI conviction include probation or expulsion from school, loss of scholarship or financial aid, and similar disciplinary actions.
Orange County College DUI Lawyer
At the Law Offices of Christopher J. McCann, APC, our criminal defense attorneys have extensive experience representing university and college students in academic settings as well as within criminal proceedings. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
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