Almost never right away. Pleading guilty at your first court date gives up all your leverage before anyone has looked at whether the case against you is even solid. Once you plead, the penalties are locked in. There is rarely a good reason to rush into that.
It feels tempting when you think the evidence is obvious. A breath result over the limit can look like the end of the story. It often is not. The number depends on the machine being calibrated, the officer following procedure, the blood being stored and tested correctly, and the stop being lawful in the first place. Weakness in any of those links can change what the case is worth.
A not guilty plea at arraignment is not a lie or a gamble. It simply keeps your options open and forces the prosecution to hand over the evidence so your lawyer can examine it. From there, the realistic outcomes come into focus. In many cases that review leads to a reduced charge like a wet reckless, a better set of terms, or a reason to fight.
Even if you eventually decide to resolve the case, you want to do it after someone has looked hard at the facts, not before. That is where the value is.
Talk it through before you decide anything. Joe Crudo will give you a straight read on where you stand.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case is different. Call Crudo Law at (858) 622-7280 or visit /contact for a free, confidential consultation.