In Nebraska, if you are arrested for the first time on charges of DUI, you have the option to request your Lincoln DUI lawyer ask for a wet reckless plea bargain. What is a wet reckless and what does it mean for your DUI case? Keep reading to find out more information from our Lincoln DUI attorney.
Understanding Wet Reckless
A wet reckless charge is a reduced charge from a first time DUI. The advantage of entering the wet reckless pleas bargain are the following:
- Lower fines: If you are charged with DUI, a judge can send you to jail for a maximum sentence of up the 6 months. A wet reckless charge carries a maximum penalty of 90 days though the final ruling will likely be less.
- Less Jail time: A DUI can be extremely expensive after you factor in the many court assessments, fines, and fees. DUI can end up costing your upwards of $10,000. A wet reckless is still not cheap, but it is considerably cheaper than a DUI.
- No mandatory license suspension: Unlike a DUI conviction, there is no mandatory license suspension. You will still need to fight your DMV administrative license suspension, which requires you to schedule a hearing with 10 days of your arrest.
The public pressures prosecutors to charge offenders with DUI, which means it can be difficult for your plea bargain to be agreed upon. Typically, your DUI charge can only be reduced if your BAC was only slightly over .08% BAC and there was no injury or property damage. Many drivers in Nebraska notice their insurance goes up more when they are convicted of wet reckless than if they were convicted of DUI. Insurance carriers have conducted studies that show that statistically drivers convicted of wet reckless get into more accidents than those convicted of DUI.
For more information on how our Lincoln DUI attorney can help you take the next steps, contact our offices.