Felony DUI in California
Although most California DUI cases get charged as misdemeanors--involving fines, DUI school and sometimes a short jail sentence--in certain instances prosecutors can charge a California felony DUI.
The consequences for a person convicted of felony DUI are significantly more serious. First, a misdemeanor DUI carries only a maximum sentence of six months to a year of county jail--though most offenders do little or no jail time. By contrast, a felony DUI can land a person in California state prison for 3 years of longer. Second, a felony DUI conviction resulting in probation will require felony probation and formal supervision by a probation officer.
Prosecutors may charge felony DUI in only three instances. First, a California DUI causing injury or death may be filed as a felony (or in more serious death cases, vehicular manslaughter). Second, a Fourth Time DUI may be charged as a felony. Finally, if a person has a prior felony DUI conviction for any reason, any subsequent DUI charge may be filed as a felony.
Like with all criminal cases, felony DUI often gets plea-bargained down. A prosecutor may start a case by filing the charge as a felony. But after recognizing weaknesses in the evidence, and negotiating with defense counsel, he/she often will agree to reduce the charge to a misdemeanor in exchange for a guilty or "no contest" plea.
