A California DUI conviction may carry collateral consequences

 Posted on May 06, 2011 in DUI

DUI charges in California can bring direct consequences under California sentencing if an individual is convicted of a DUI charge. An experienced Santa Cruz DUI attorney knows that conviction for DUI can have other "collateral" consequences, beyond what the judge imposes at the time of sentencing.

So far this year, six Major League Baseball players have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol across the country. Pat Courtney, a spokesman for Major League Baseball says the topic of discipline for ballplayers who are convicted of DUI will be "a topic of negotiations this time around" when the league and players union sit down to hash out the next collective bargaining agreement.

The current agreement expires in December. There is no provision in the agreement related to off-field matters. The number of ballplayers charged with DUI this year has caught the eye of the league.

The most recent arrest occurred Tuesday. Shin-Soo Choo of the Indians was charged with DUI after police say chemical tests indicated the man's blood alcohol level was more the twice the legal limit. In February, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was arrested during spring training. Police claim the ball player drank from a bottle of scotch in their presence during the alleged DUI investigation.

Mariner Adam Kennedy, Austin Kearns of the Indians, Derek Lowe of the Braves and Californian Coco Crisp of the Oakland A's have all been charged with DUI in the past four months. Currently players do not typically receive discipline from the league for off-field incidents, like DUI related charges, but the league is looking into the matter.

For people who are not a part of professional sports, a player's association collective bargaining agreement may not protect an individual from collateral matters. Employment opportunities are increasingly associated with background checks. A DUI conviction can factor in to future job prospects for some people. People charged with DUI have the right to challenge the state's evidence in court. Any Californian facing a DUI charge can speak to an experienced DUI defense attorney about their specific case.

Source: Bloomberg, "Baseball to Seek Off-Field DUI Discipline Option in Labor Negotiations," Erik Matuszewski 4 May 2011