If you are faced with charges for a Los Angeles Hit and Run, there are several different consequences you may face. This could have a lasting impact on your record and your day to day life.
Jail Sentence
In some cases, you may be facing some jail time. This is common in cases where there is extensive damage to property, or there is injury to a person. A jail sentence is not standard in every hit and run case, but can be in egregious cases that give rise to a felony.
If you have been charged with a Los Angeles Hit and Run, it is important to remember that you have not been convicted of any crimes at this point. Before you can be convicted, you have to be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury, or have entered a plea of guilty.
If you are convicted of a Hit and Run, the potential sentence is not set in stone, it varies upon different factors. These factors including the facts of the case, as well as your own criminal background.
If your case involves property damage, it falls under California Vehicle Code §20002. The potential sentence is imprisonment in the county jail, not exceeding six months, or a fine, not to exceed $1,000, or both.
The Vehicle Code statutes that make it unlawful to commit a Los Angeles Hit and Run also outline a range of potential penalties that a Court may impose. The sentence is stated as a range because it would not be reasonable to expect that every offense would warrant the same type of consequence, if convicted.
The court looks at several factors when determining where in the range the final sentence will fall. The Court will consider the specific facts of the case and the person’s criminal background. These facts are presented by both the Prosecutor and your Los Angeles Hit and Run attorney through evidence and testimony.
The Court will then consider the evidence and issue a sentence. Of course, this is only if a person has been convicted. As a reminder, if you have been arrested for a Hit and Run, that does not mean you are guilty or that you have been convicted. It simply means that officers have a reasonable suspicion that you are guilty of the offense. It must still be proven in Court that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, or you would have to enter a plea of guilty, to be convicted. It is only once, and if, convicted, then a sentence can be issued.
Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer Blog