Jail when I show up at court for first DUI

Question:  Can I go to jail when I show up at court for first DUI in Van Nuys, CA?  I was arrested for a DUI about a week ago but I was released without having to go to jail at all.  Now I am nervous that when I show up to court they will then take me to jail.  Is that true that that can happen?  If you can get back to me soon as I am losing sleep over this and it is causing me so much stress it is effective all parts of my life.

Answer: It is possible under some variable scenarios, but there is generally a lot more to it than just showing up to Court and getting thrown in jail for a DUI in Van Nuys Court.  Depending on the circumstances of the DUI (ie.  if there was an injury) or other enhancement factors, the Judge could potentially order bail be posted, and you could get remanded into custody until that bail is set up.  That being said, that usually does not happen at the first court date (called the arraignment) at Van Nuys court unless there are some extenuating circumstances. The commissioner in Van Nuys is more likely to order AA meetings or other conditions as a term of continued own recognizance release.

That being said, if you were not booked at the time you were cited, the commissioner may have you go to the police station to get booked and return to court with proof that you were booked.

Too much to discuss in specific detail based on such a general post. Contact me at 818-336-1DUI to discuss your DUI in Van Nuys in more detail.  It would be best to have a good DUI attorney represent you as soon as possible for DMV purposes as well as Court purposes from the first hearing and on.

Phil Hache,

Criminal Defense & DUI Attorney
www.philhachelaw.com
Handling DUI and Criminal matters throughout Courts in Southern California including Van Nuys, CA, San Fernando, CA, Burbank, CA Glendale, CA Pasadena, CA Metropolitan Court, Bellflower, CA, Alhambra, CA,  Compton, CA, Santa Clarita, CA, Airport Court, Chatsworth, CA Inglewood, CA, Los Angeles, CA and other Courts.