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Substance Abuse Experts can help with DUI / DWI cases, drug cases, domestic violence cases and other criminal cases in California.

California criminal offenses such as DUI / DWI, drug cases, and domestic violence charges often carry serious consequences that can include jail or prison time. However, alternative sentencing is often available that can help offenders avoid incarceration. The experienced criminal defense lawyers at the Kavinoky Law Firm will evaluate each case to determine whether alternative sentencing is an option, and fight to help clients avoid jail time.

In any criminal case involving alcohol and/or drug use, a skilled criminal lawyer will assemble a top-notch defense team that may include a Substance Abuse Expert. A knowledgeable Substance Abuse Expert will conduct a thorough evaluation of the client and make recommendations that may persuade the court to sentence the offender to residential treatment or another form of alternative sentencing rather than jail.

In the past, a jail sentence was almost unavoidable when individuals were convicted of many California criminal offenses. However, the courts are increasingly recognizing that carefully chosen alternative sentencing benefits both the offender and society.

The connection between substance abuse and offenses such as DUI / DWI and drug charges are clear, but alcohol and drug use also plays a significant role in many California domestic violence cases. Domestic situations sometimes spin out of control when one or both intimate partners are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Not every criminal offender has problems with alcohol or drugs, but many do. In some cases, alcoholism or drug addiction is a mitigating factor that can persuade the court to impose a more lenient sentence. An evaluation by an experienced Substance Abuse Expert can identify defendants in drunk driving, drug, and domestic violence cases who would benefit from alternative sentencing such as residential treatment, attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, or electronic monitoring.

In other instances, particularly first-time DUI / DWI or drug possession cases, the individual's arrest is clearly the result of a momentary lapse in judgment. In those types of cases, a Substance Abuse Expert's evaluation can assure the court that the defendant doesn't have a problem with drugs or alcohol and should be allowed to avoid a jail sentence because he or she isn't likely to become a repeat offender.

In either case, the input of a reputable Substance Abuse Expert is essential in many California driving under the influence cases. The expert's input may lead to a favorable plea bargain that allows the accused driver to avoid incarceration. With or without a plea bargain, the driver may be eligible for alternative sentencing such as electronic monitoring, residential treatment, or an ignition interlock device.

Individuals facing California drug possession, sales, trafficking or manufacturing charges can also benefit from having an experienced Substance Abuse Expert on the criminal defense team. A skilled defense lawyer will use the expert's evaluation to press for a favorable plea bargain and seek alternative sentencing. There are many alternatives to jail in California drug cases, such as residential treatment, electronic monitoring, deferred entry of judgment, Proposition 36 diversion, drug court, or informal diversion.

A Substance Abuse Expert is also integral to the defense team in a California domestic abuse prosecution. Alcohol or drug use sometimes cause situations between intimate partners to escalate, and the expert's evaluation may pave the way for a favorable plea bargain or persuade the court that the accused abuser would derive far greater benefits from residential treatment, electronic monitoring, or informal diversion.

Regardless of the type of charge, having a skilled Substance Abuse Expert on the criminal defense team can help promote a favorable plea bargain or persuade the court to consider alternative sentencing options such as electronic monitoring, residential treatment or ignition interlock devices. The knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers at the Kavinoky Law Firm can incorporate the skills of a Substance Abuse Expert into their winning defense team and will fight to minimize or even eliminate the consequences of any California criminal offense involving drugs or alcohol.