Sacramento Boating Under the Influence Lawyer

The penalties for boating while under the influence of alcohol are just as serious as they are for drunk driving. To beat your charges, you’ll need a Sacramento boating under the influence attorney on your side.

In California, it is illegal to operate a boat while you’re under the influence of alcohol. If you are charged with boating under the influence (BUI), you could face serious criminal, financial, and social consequences.

But with the help of a Sacramento boating under the influence lawyer from Crowell Law Offices, you can rest assured that you will stand the best chance possible of mitigating serious sentencing and proving your innocence in your case.

What Are the Penalties for Boating Under the Influence?

Although boating while under the influence of alcohol is illegal in all fifty states, the penalties you may face if you are convicted vary from state to state. In California, the severity of your BUI penalties is highly dependent on your criminal record and whether anyone was hurt as a result of your alleged actions.

Here are some of the penalties you may face without a Sacramento drunk boating lawyer to defend you:

• First Offense – First-time offenders are usually given up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. However, your attorney may be able to negotiate for time spent in an alcohol education program instead.

• Second Offense – After the first drunk boating conviction, the fine of $1,000 remains the same. However, the time spent in jail may be increased up to twelve months.

Possible BUI Defense Strategies

Without proper representation, you’re likely to receive the harshest possible sentencing for your BUI charges. But with the help of your Sacramento boating under the influence attorney, you may be able to achieve a minimal punishment. And in some cases, by utilizing the right defense strategies, your lawyer may be able to have the charges thrown out completely.

Some defensive strategies your attorney may use include the following:

• Lack of Knowledge – If you were unaware that you were ingesting an alcoholic substance, your attorney can use your ignorance to prove your lack of liability in the drunk boating matter at hand.

• Believing You Weren’t Drunk – In some cases, a person may choose to operate his or her boat after drinking because he or she truly did not feel intoxicated. In these cases, your Sacramento BUI lawyer may use this belief to help build your defense.

• Duress – If you were put in a position where your only choice to avoid danger or serious consequences was to operate your boat after drinking, your attorney may use duress as your defense strategy.

Contact a Sacramento BUI Lawyer

When you’ve been charged with a BUI, you can’t afford to put off finding quality legal representation. In your search for an experienced, qualified attorney, you’ll need to look no further than Crowell Law Offices.

To speak with a Sacramento boating under the influence lawyer, get in touch with us today by calling 916-303-2800 or filling out our online contact form, which you’ll find at the bottom of this page.