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Is your commercial driving license or other professional practicing license at risk after a DUI or other criminal charge in Fresno County? Call criminal defense lawyer John Abel to protect your rights and license.
Small mistakes can have big consequences. While the judicial punishments for criminal convictions have to be proportionate to the crime committed, the consequences outside the court system certainly do not. Nowhere in Fresno County is this more clear than when facing disciplinary action or a license review after a minor DUI, drug possession or domestic violence arrest.
Such crimes, while relatively common and minor on the scale of crime in Fresno County, can completely destroy your professional future. Most folks arrested here might not even realize the extent of damage such a conviction can have on their record, and the police are under no obligation to tell them when fishing for a confession or offering a “quick and painless” resolution.
Fortunately for Fresno County professionals, there are defense attorneys out there who work around the clock to protect the rights and futures of those accused of such crimes. Among them, John Abel is one of the most experienced criminal defense lawyers out there, especially when it comes to defending against DUI charges, for which he has hundreds, if not thousands, of successful outcomes in and out of court.
One of the many consequences of getting arrested, and especially for getting convicted, is having the crime become a nearly permanent blemish on your record. In most professions, especially those regulated by the government, in which there is some oversight over your license, many crimes can cause your license to be revoked or at least reviewed and put on probation.
Some examples are obvious. If you are a trucker with a commercial driver's license (CDL) and you get arrested for drunk driving and slapped with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) in Fresno County, you will have your CDL revoked or suspended automatically if you get convicted, and might lose it just for getting charged with the DUI. This can leave you unable to work, earn income, or pay off your truck if you took any debt to buy it.
Commercial truck drivers are not the only professionals at risk; however, far from it, unfortunately. Everyone from doctors to firefighters, passing through teachers, correctional officers, and more all have jobs in which the government plays a role in deciding on their right to continue working. Even folks who operate entirely in the private sector may face professional consequences for a very public conviction on their record. Domestic violence incidents and DUIs, especially, can generate negative PR consequences or cause a board or shareholders to frown hard enough to show you the door.
If you have been charged with a crime, getting a defense lawyer is a no-brainer. Or at least, it should be. The California criminal justice system does not have your best interest at heart, and while they are supposed to respect your rights, there is no guarantee that they will do so without a lawyer to stand up for them.
Without a lawyer, you might never realize, for example, that the evidence being used to charge you by the state is a lot less solid than they are trying to make it seem. A good criminal defense attorney can undermine their evidence and potentially even get the case thrown out.
For example, in a DUI arrest, from the reason that you were initially pulled over to the way a breath, blood, or field sobriety test was administered, everything can be examined and called into question by an experienced attorney. In drug possession cases, a defense attorney might be able to dispute the legality of their search or your ownership over any drugs the police found.
In the best cases, without sufficient evidence, the prosecutor or police will have to drop the charges, but even when that is not possible, a little doubt can go a long way toward securing a more favorable outcome in negotiations or court.
Your criminal defense lawyer’s first priority is always securing the least damaging outcome. Often, these are outcomes you would not be aware were even possible without the help of a dedicated defense attorney.
For example, if you are arrested for Drunk Driving, you might be told your license will be automatically suspended; this is not exactly true. You have a chance to contest that suspension at a DMV hearing, but only if you demand it within a very brief time period after your arrest. Alternatively, at that same hearing, your lawyer can advocate for only a partial loss of driving privileges, such as with a work-restricted license or an ignition interlock device.
This approach can also pay off during negotiations with the prosecution or with the judge to secure an outcome that might not go onto your record or for a reduced sentence that does not come with the same penalties or consequences on your career.
Ultimately, it is your conviction or lack thereof, that will impact your professional career the most after an arrest. However, what you are convicted for and what the justice system demands in terms of punishment and consequences can play a significant role in influencing that impact as well. It is also one of the places your defense attorney can make the biggest difference.
Someone like John Abel in Fresno County knows how to secure alternative sentencing instructions, such as getting you assigned to drug court or obtaining a first-time DUI outcome that will not go on your permanent record if you comply with certain conditions. These alternatives can be life-savers when it comes to preserving your reputation and reducing the burden of your arrest and conviction on the rest of your life and career.
John Abel | Criminal defense lawyer who can secure your future and career after an arrest in Fresno County
If you or a loved one have been arrested in Fresno County, especially for a DUI, domestic violence or drug-related charge, your career or future is likely to be at risk. To minimize the harm done to your life and profession, get a criminal defense attorney who understands the system and how to beat it.
To discuss your case and defense, call (559) 321-1977 or set up an online consultation to figure out the best path forward with criminal defense attorney John Abel on your side.
