This is a quick reminder from supervising attorney at San Diego Defenders, Daniel Smith, to the question of when and how you should tell your command about a DUI arrest. That you should report in accordance with SORM was decided under U.S. v. Castillo however, “How You Report” is probably the most important aspect to know. And the answer is partially dependant on the fact that you will most likely need to tell your command immediately if you have been arrested and booked in a County Jail Facility (at least in San Diego County, California) because your command is probably going to know based on that booking within 24-48 hours. If you booked and released, as is so often the case in Chula Vista Police Department (especially if you are coming back from Tijuana “TJ”) it takes longer before your command will know. My advice is to give us a call, in either case, after the arrest so we can help you know “How To Tell Your Command” when you have been arrested so that you do not put a big red flag on your file with your command. Your command will want to know certain facts that this short article cannot address. Each DUI arrest, or any arrest for that matter, is very very different and there are different concerns your command will have regarding the alleged offense. Our job at San Diego Defenders is to save your career and minimize the potential punishment and get your life back to normal. We also caution you to keep the arrest to yourself and not tell your buddies. As the old saying goes about bad news, “Half the people you tell could give a rat’s ass and the other half is happy to hear it!” So just shut up. The other half of the truth about DUI’s is the old adage that “misery loves company” and that includes your friends that had a DUI and want to tell you what and how to handle the situation. To that, we say that just because your friend was an idiot and fell on the sword does not mean you have to. All the advice about DUI cases being the same is hogwash and simply not true. It is obvious that the facts are different. But less obvious to all the “experts” trying to give you advice is that each court, each judge, each prosecutor, and each state has different views, policies and public opinions that shape what can happen in a DUI case. So if you are charged with a DUI, call us first and keep it to yourself until we can give you some sound advice. Call (619) 258-8888 24/7 and you can speak with attorney Daniel Smith directly or he will call you as soon as possible.
