Should I just plead guilty to a DUI. Is jail involved?

When you are arrested for DUI, there are one of two things you can do:

• You can plead guilty. This usually involves trying to work out a plea bargain with the prosecutor wherein you agree not to fight the DUI and the prosecutor agrees to give you a lesser sentence then you might face if you went to court. The sentence may or may not include jail time, depending on how serious your DUI was. A BAC well above the legal limit, aggravating factors such as causing an accident or having a minor with you during the DUI or a history of DUI offenses, can all make it more likely that you'll face jail time- even with a plea bargain
• You can plead not guilty. This involves an attempt to avoid DUI penalties by arguing that there is something wrong with the evidence against you or that the prosecutor somehow cannot prove his case. If you win, then you could end up walking away with no penalties at all. If you lose, you'll be at the mercy of the judge for sentencing.

Whether or not you should plead guilty depends on the nature and circumstances of your arrest. If you believe you have a reasonable argument as to why you should not be found guilty, it is often worth hiring a lawyer to help you to try to prove that argument so you can walk away without a criminal record. Even if you do decide to plead guilty, however, a lawyer should be consulted as your lawyer can help you arrange the best plea bargain possible.