Drinking and Driving Lawyer in Toronto – Do I Plead Guilty?
You’ve been arrested for drunk driving – what do you do? A guilty plea can drastically affect your future; find out how from a reputable drinking and driving lawyer.
Most people have had the consequences of driving drunk drilled into them through TV and radio commercials, MADD campaigns, and public service announcements. Too often, we feel these consequences firsthand when loved ones are affected by someone’s reckless decision.
Don’t drink and drive – the message is loud and clear. What’s unclear is how to proceed if you’ve been arrested for DUI or impaired driving. Do you plead guilty? Do you hire a lawyer? Read on to learn more or contact John Erickson Law firm to get immediate advice what actions to take to defend your drink and drive case.
The Situation
You’ve just been charged with impaired driving, refusal, or “over 80.” Your license has been automatically suspended for 90 days and you’re feeling pressure to plead guilty. You’ve been told that doing so allows your automatic 90-day suspension and the 1-year driving prohibition to run concurrently (i.e. at the same time).
Is it worth it to hire a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto? What happens if you take the Ontario Government’s advice and just plead guilty?
What Happens When You Plead Guilty
It’s always in your best interest to consult a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto before you make a drastic decision; even the advice offered during your free consultation can make all the difference.
You probably don’t need a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto to tell you that a guilty plea will drastically affect your insurance rates. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Pleading guilty will give you a record of a criminal conviction that will likely impact you for the rest of your life. If you hoped to work in the school system, police force, or government or to do volunteer work, a guilty plea may prohibit you from realizing your dreams. Your drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto can produce an exhaustive list of consequences you’ll face if you plead guilty. The Registered Insurance Brokers Act, the Surveyors Act, Professional Engineers Act, Funeral Directors and Establishments Act, Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, and many other statues outline stringent consequences for those pleading guilty to drunk driving offences.
Of course, you’ll also lose your driver’s license for a minimum of one year which can be devastating for your employment and social prospects.
Your drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto should also give you information about how a guilty plea affects any future convictions. If you plead guilty for your first impaired driving, refusal or “over 80” charge, you’ll face a fine of at least $1000 and a driving prohibition of at least 1 year. A conviction for a second DUI offence will result in a jail sentence of at least 30 days and driving prohibition of at least 2 years. A conviction for a third DUI offence will result in a jail sentence of at least 120 days and a driving prohibition of at least 3 years, plus the Ontario Ministry of Transportation will automatically suspend your driver’s licence for life! And if you are caught driving at any time while you are prohibited, the consequences can be even more severe than the original DUI charge.
Plus, it should come as no surprise that if you are charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm or impaired driving causing death, the consequences will be even more drastic if you plead guilty.
Granted, you may be eligible for a record suspension (formerly called a pardon) at least 5 years after your sentence ends, but this is not a guarantee. Not only are record suspension taking longer than ever to be granted but many activist groups and politicians are lobbying for drunk driving, refusal, “over 80” and DUI convictions to be ineligible for record suspensions. As well, Canadian record suspensions or pardons are not always recognized by US border authorities, certain provincial legislation, and Criminal Code driving prohibition rules.
What are my options?
Specific recommendations cannot be given unless you hire a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto to assess your unique circumstances.
However, if you choose to take your time and think about what you’re doing, you can strengthen your case by asking for a “full disclosure”, including a copy of the “breath room video.” You can also ask for a short adjournment in court which will give you time to bring your disclosure to a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto, who will then assess the validity of your defence to the charge.
Schedule a free consultation with a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto
Try to schedule a free consultation with a reputable law firm – this will take no money out of your pocket, but will give you a chance to find out how much your defence will cost directly from the mouth of a drinking and driving lawyer in Toronto.
To learn more about our services at Erickson Law, you can call (416)-363-3612 to speak with Mr. Erickson directly.
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