Orange County DUI Community Service

In DUI cases, several Orange County judges and district attorneys will negotiate sentencing alternatives as a replacement for of jail time. One such alternative is community service.

The community service alternative is usually combined with probation. Community service tasks are usually doled out by probation officers. If the person assigned to community service fails to obey any term of the probation, including community service, he or she may be found in violation of probation, which will results in jail time.

The community service alternative requires those convicted of a DUI in Orange County to work for a civic or non-profit organization, or charitable organization. This service is completed without pay. Community service projectscan include picking up trash at parks, road clean up, graffiti removal, working at an approved thrift store or volunteering at a church or school. If the offender has special skills like carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, physician, or dentists, etc., the county may allow them to serve their time using those skills in one of the above mentioned locations.

Amount of Time Required

The number of hours that a person convicted of DUI is required to work with is equal to the time that the person would have spent in jail. These are known as good time/work time custody credits.

There is usually a deadline that is set by the court for completing the work. If the work is not completed by the set deadline, then the convicted individual may face a probation violation hearing. Always have a lawyer with you at any hearing that you might attend. If the offender loses the probation violation hearing, then jail time will be served.

The community service alternative gives someone convicted of DUI in Orange County the opportunity to serve good time/ work time credits for every hour that they would have spent in jail. At least it gives a person a chance to be productive rather than just sit in a jail cell. The offender lives at home and he or she makes a contribution to society. Community service alternatives may be the best option to choose if a person is facing certain jail time.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a DUI (or BUI), seek legal advice from an Orange County DUI Attorney. Find out if community service might be an option in your case. At Coffey & Coffey, we deal exclusively with Orange County DUI and other criminal charges. We know the judges and D.A.s in Orange County. Call us for a free consultation. We will research the evidence and help you come up with a strategy to defend your case.