California wet reckless driving penalty ca dui laws. In united states law, reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation that generally consists in. Consequences of california s wet reckless plea bargain. Although a wet reckless driving charge is the most common type of plea bargain. Unlike a drunk driving convictionwhich can cause your insurance rates to skyrocketa dry reckless. Similar to california, kansas defines reckless driving as willful. Anyone looking at your criminal history will be able to see it. How long does a wet and reckless stay on your driving record. These are referred to as either a wet reckless driving or a dry reckless driving. Depending on the extent of damages caused by your reckless driving, the fines you face may run into thousands of dollars.
If this is your first visit please consider registering so that you can post. You may have the conviction expunged pursuant to penal code 1203. The term, wet reckless, is used to describe a reduced plea arrangement made by a driver arrested for driving while intoxicated. What is the difference between dui and wet reckless. A person convicted of reckless driving with a measurable amount of alcohol in their blood must complete a twelvehour dui education program. Violation of dui or wet reckless provisions of the california vehicle code 23152, 23153 or 23103. An added benefit of a wet reckless is that it will appear on your public driving record for only 7 years. A reckless driving charge can also come along with other serious criminal charges relating to the same incident, including driving under the influence, a hit and run or street racing.
You can read about the differences between a dui and wet reckless here. Dui or alcoholrelated wetreckless driving convictions. I can get it expunge but i am worried if i would be able to drive for uber after the exxpungement coz the expungement will clear it from my background but not the driving record. A wet reckless will depend upon the system and court youre in. Wet reckless sure beats a san diego dui on your record. The difference between the two is not that significant. Driver record request california department of motor. In 2001 i was arrested and pleaded to a wet reckless charge. You should request from the california department of justice a copy of your criminal record. Online records are informational because they are not printed on dmv paper and cannot be used for most driving. By the way, a wet reckless conviction and dui conviction can often be expunged see penal code 1203.
A wet reckless is really a kinder, gentler or watered down dui. The term wet reckless refers to a plea bargained charge of violating california vehicle code 23103 pursuant to 23103. How to expunge a dui and wet reckless please note that for our purposes in this discussion a dui and wet reckless are the same thing. Whether wet reckless is a good plea bargain depends on the circumstances of the case. Punishment for reckless and wet reckless driving in. However, your record of conviction will also contain a notation that alcohol and or drugs were involved in your. California wet reckless and dui expungement summary. Under the new law, any dui violation under california vehicle code sections 23140, 23152, or 23153 will report for 10 years. Although a wet reckless driving charge is the most common type of plea bargain offered to dui offenders, it does not guarantee that it will be offered in your case.
It counts as a prior dui conviction if you are arrested for dui within the next ten years and. How long does reckless driving stay on your record. It is still the same amount of points on your driving record. Sometimes, a dui can be reduced to a wet reckless driving charge, or a charge of reckless driving involving alcohol pursuant to.
A wet reckless is not something you can get arrested for. Pleading guilty to a wet reckless charge in arizona. Ca expunging wet and reckless from driving record reddit. I was convicted of wet reckless driving in california in 2014 and my probation is for 2 years. Understanding what this charge means and how it works is useful when youve been in a crash with a driver previously charged with wet reckless. The lawyer reduced it to a wet reckless driving, which by ca law is a recklass driving with alcohol driving. When a dui is reduced to a reckless driving charge, its sometimes called a wet reckless. Addition of two points on the drivers california dmv driving record or 3. Such a code section, incidentally, is not one for which you can be arrested. Reckless driving is described under california vehicle code 23103.
However, a notation must be entered in the official court record that there is an alcohol enhancement with the reckless driving conviction. Dry reckless as a plea bargain in california dui cases. A wet reckless is a common plea agreement in california drunk driving cases. The primary benefits of pleading guilty to a reduced charge include possibly not having to go to jail and not having a lengthy license suspension put in place. Reckless driving may sound minor, but the consequences can be much more serious than the consequences of an infraction such as a speeding ticket. Unlike a drunk driving convictionwhich can cause your insurance rates to skyrocketa dry reckless charge will also have little impact on your. One of those lesser charges is wet reckless reckless driving involving alcohol. So, these states have two types of reckless driving.
Mar 25, 2009 first, the term is wet reckless, which refers to a reckless driving conviction which results from a reduction of a dui charge in california. That means after three years, you can get the wet reckless driving charge expunged. Reckless driving refers to driving in a way that potentially endangers othersfor example, speeding and running up onto the sidewalk, or swerving out into oncoming traffic. The driver pleads to reckless driving with alcohol involved hence the wet reference. It is the first of several reductions which a person suspected to be driving.
The existence of this plea on a drivers record can be meaningful to your own car accident case and settlement. Reckless driving and dui charges wet reckless in california, its possible for a driver whos charged with driving under the influence to plea bargain for a lesser charge. In california, how long does a wet reckless violation stay on my driving record. Your criminal record will include a reckless driving conviction, which is not considered an alcoholrelated offense.
How california defines the wet reckless driving charge a law enforcement officer cannot arrest you for wet reckless. In particular, it may depend on whether the defendant already has a dui or wet reckless on his or her record. A wet reckless involves alcohol or drugs a dry reckless does not. I dont think what i blew on the breathilizer shows up on the dmw record. Points commonly range in value from 1 to about 6, with reckless driving. Many states allow judges to suspend a motorists license for reckless driving. A wet reckless is still a misdemeanor criminal conviction. A legal withdrawal of plea, an entry of not guilty, and a court dismissal of a wet reckless driving. Is reckless driving a felony or misdemeanor in california. California vehicle code defines reckless driving as the following. But for those convicted of a wet reckless as opposed to a dry reckless. Your record will only show that you were convicted of a normal traffic. Yuor conviction for a wet reckless will never fully be taken off your record and for ten years it is considered a prior if you happen to get arrestedcharged with a new dui offense. Wet reckless driving is just another way to describe the legal charge of reckless driving.
If you are arrested for a dui and have a good defense or the prosecution believes there is some weakness to the dui charge, the prosecution may offer a plea bargain for a wet reckless. Reckless driving is often called dry reckless because you dont have to be drunk or under the influence of a substance to be convicted of reckless driving. The dmv record distinguishes the wet reckless from the standard reckless driving by adding the letter r to the disposition code section for the vc 23103 conviction. Judicial council of california criminal jury instructions 2017 edition. Ca expunging wet and reckless from driving record before we met, my so of several years was arrested for dui, and eventually charged with a wet and reckless funny name, harsh deterrent. This charge is serious, because it threatens peoples lives. Insurance companies will treat your wet reckless identical to how they would treat a dui, and. I attended courtordered aaa meetings and consultations. Wet reckless plea bargain in a california dui case hedding. Reckless driving involving alcohol under vehicle code 2310323103. But for those convicted of a wet recklessas opposed to a dry recklessthere are a few additional consequences.
Wet reckless plea bargain in a california dui case. Wet reckless or reckless driving involving alcohol. How california defines the wet reckless driving charge. Your criminal record will show a wet reckless conviction as opposed to a dui. Here at off the record, we may be able to help too. A wet reckless plea can also have advantages with regard to licenserelated consequences. It is not significantly different than a dui conviction in that it is an alcoholinvolved driving criminal misdemeanor charge, but the penalties are somewhat reduced, including shorter license suspensions and probation periods.
California has a tenyear look back period for alcohol andor drugrelated driving offenses. This means that employers and insurers should not be able to find a wet reckless conviction older than 7 years. Know the pros and cons of a wet reckless plea if you are being charged with dui in california. A wet reckless is youre driving recklessly on the road and you had alcohol in your system. The benefits of pleading to a reckless driving charge are simple. The following offenses can result in 2 points being placed on your driving record in california.
Driving under the influence is a serious charge filed against motorists that are above the legal limit of intoxication, while wet and reckless is a charge used in plea deals for motorists involved in dui cases. With a wet reckless, you will be placed only three years informal summary probation instead of five years. California in november of 2005 i pleaded no contest to a wet reckless charge. Now that you have a general understanding of what a wet reckless is, we can discuss when and why it might be advantageous to plead to a wet reckless.
A wet reckless is the more common term used for a reckless driving charge that involves alcohol, hence the use of the word wet. Online records are informational because they are not printed on dmv paper and cannot be used for most driving jobs. This may cause drivers to lose their good driver discount and may cause insurance rates to go up. Wet reckless charge colorado dui lawyer tiftickjian law firm.
In most cases, a wet reckless will not result in an automatic suspension of your drivers license, but this is contingent upon your prior driving history, as well as, the number on points on your colorado motor vehicle record. Difference between dui and wet reckless in california. Your wet reckless will still be reported to the dmv and the dmv will treat it the same as a dui in terms of suspension of your driver s license. In shasta county, we have one of the highest dui rates so they usually throw the book at you.
While a prosecutor may not charge you initially with a wet reckless offense. Wet reckless dui, traffic ticket attorneys in california. The pros and cons of a wet reckless plea in a dui case. Like any criminal conviction, it will stay on your criminal record for life, and can be used as a prior conviction to increase punishment in a later dui case for 10 years. If you were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the prosecution may try to convince you to plead guilty in exchange for a less severe criminal allegation. Driver record request california department of motor vehicles.
If the prosecutor feels the dui case against you has some weaknesses then he or she might offer a plea bargain called a wet reckless. While drinking and driving is undeniably stupid, she was not above the legal limit when pulled over 0. Sometimes, a dui can be reduced to a wet reckless driving charge, or a charge of reckless driving. You dont want that conviction on your record, but its certainly much better than an alcoholrelated dui. The penalties for a reckless driving violation are generally less severe than those for a dui conviction. In addition, the fines associated with wet reckless. New dui reportability requirements california department of. Dui convictions drunk driving are one of the most common criminal offenses in california. Fortunately in california there is relief available if you have every been convicted of a wet reckless or dui.
Wet reckless charges have benefits and drawbacks, depending on the facts, evidence, and circumstances surrounding your case. Initially, you may be arrested for a dui, and the california department of prosecution. In such cases, the court disposing of the case shall note in the courts record that the offense. I received a wet and reckless charge, how can i get the.
Wet reckless is a plea bargain that can be offered to dui suspects after a drunk driving arrest. Whats more, though the charge will add points to your driving record, you wont lose your driving privileges or have to serve time in jail if you are convicted of a dry reckless offense. This means that employers and insurers should not be able to find a wet reckless. Reckless driving refers to endangering others when driving. The reason its called a wet reckless, however, is because youre going to have a number of requirements that arent normally associated with an average reckless driving conviction. If you want an official document, please fill out form inf 1125 pdf. However wet reckless convictions will add two points to the defendants driving record. Initially, you may be arrested for a dui, and the california department of prosecution will institute charges against you. Points commonly range in value from 1 to about 6, with reckless driving often on the 4plus end of the scale, sometimes even netting the full, dreaded 6. Under vehicle code vc 23103a, any person who drives a motor vehicle upon a highway with a willful disregard for the safety of another or property is guilty of a misdemeanor reckless driving. A wet reckless implies that alcohol was involved during your reckless driving. Apr 28, 2014 there is no official charge named wet reckless driving and it is not reflected on your record as a wet reckless driving. How a wet reckless instead of a dui could help you save.
With a wet reckless, you plead guilty to vc 23103 reckless driving, just as you would with a california dry reckless. A wet reckless, sometimes wrongly called a wet and reckless, or even misspelled as a wet wreckless, is a special charge. Some stateslike california have laws that specifically provide for a wet reckless. While the specifics vary by state, reckless driving charges often result in high point values, though wet reckless driving charges are normally less damaging to your record than dui charges. Though a wet reckless is considered to be a better charge than a dui, there are many aspects to consider before the driver agrees to plead guilty to a wet reckless driving offense. You do not have to be drunk to be charged with reckless driving. A charge of wet reckless typically carries fewer obligations, punishments, and costs than a traditional duidwi. On your record, it simply reads as a conviction for reckless driving dry reckless vc 22103, with a special notation indicating drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident. Dui reduced to wet reckless the points stay for 36 months and they can only be removed if you manage to get a hearing with the dmv and they agree to remove them.
California how i plead down to a wet reckless i hope this can help someone with a. The advantages of a wet reckless plea are that the fines are lower and there is usually no jail time. In california, how long does a wet reckless violation stay. Results 1 to 2 of 2 wet and reckless driving record in california. California reckless driving laws vehicle code 23103. This is one of the big requests a lot of clients have they want a wet reckless instead of a firsttime dui. Dui programs california department of health care services. Wet reckless plea bargain wet reckless dui san diego. Below are five main consequences of reckless driving under california law. We are able to expedite our wet reckless and dui expungement service in most counties, taking the average processing time from 612 weeks down to just 1830 days for those that need to clean up their criminal record. Dry reckless plea bargain in a california dui case hedding law.
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