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Los Angeles DUI Lawyers

1. Copeland, Trent: DUI Defense In California driving with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08% or higher is illegal. If you are stopped by a police officer you can be arrested for DUI (driving under the influence). First, the officer will need to determine whether or not you are under the influence by performing one or more of several field sobriety tests. The tests can range from a walk and turn test to a more extensive test such as a blood, breath or urine test. Refusal to perform any of these tests when asked by the officer will most likely result in your immediate arrest and being booked in a county jail for DUI. A DUI charge and conviction can have dramatic affects on your future. An attorney experienced in defending people charged with driving under the influence will be able to help keep you out of jail. Consequences for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs: First offense: The Court may order you to serve between 48 hours to 6 months in jail. It will impose a fine of $390 to $1,000 and order you to complete a 3 or 9 month alcohol/drug treatment program. The DMV will also impose a 6 or 10 month driver's license suspension depending on treatment program length. And in many cases, the court and/or DMV may impose an alcohol ignition interlock device be placed on your vehicle. Second offense: The Court may order you to serve between 96-hours to 1 year, a $390 to $1,000 fine, and completion of an 18 or 30 month alcohol/drug treatment program. The DMV will also impose a 2-year driver's license suspension. Third offense: The Court will order you to serve a minimum of 120 days in jail. Fourth offense: Can be charged as a felony and carries a possible sentence of 3 years in state prison. In addition to any of the penalties the CourtŐs may impose for a driving under the influence conviction, the Department of Motor Vehicles will take administrative action against an individualŐs driverŐs license. These actions can include restrictions, suspensions, and revocations. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Trent Copeland are experienced in representing clients in any administrative hearings with the Department of Motor Vehicles, and understand that the protection of a driverŐs license is often the most important part of representation in a DUI case. A DUI offense is considered a misdemeanor charge and can result in jail time, license suspension, and points on your driving record, fines, counseling and probation.
2. McFarlin & Geurts: The most commonly charged crime in California, and especially in Los Angeles County is DUI. With Court calendars maxed out and judges dealing with more cases than they know what to do with, justice can take a back seat to efficiency. DUI cases are often treated as ŇroutineÓ where only a moment of time is ever spent by the Judge, Prosecutor or other Court official even examining what happened. This can lead to terrible results for defendants.
3. White Goldstein: Driving Under the Influence, commonly referred to as DUI or DWI, is perhaps the most serious of all driving offenses. If convicted of a DUI in California, the consequences can be severe, costly, and can have a lasting negative impact for years to come. California DUI penalties and punishment include, at a minimum: probation, increased insurance costs, alcohol programs, loss of driverŐs license, and expensive fines. You will also face additional punishment, and possibly jail, if certain factors exist, including: * Prior conviction for DUI * Excessively high Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) * Refusal to take a breath, blood or urine test * Traffic Accident * Particular county where arrested If you are arrested under suspicion of a DUI, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will also take action against your license to drive. You have ten (10) days from the date of your arrest to request a hearing with the DMV. Your failure to do so will result in an automatic suspension of your driverŐs license. DUI/DWI laws are very complex. Finding the right lawyer for your DUI case can make a big difference with regard to the outcome of your case. White Goldstein will fight to get your charges dismissed, or reduced, and will help you cope with the stresses of a DUI charge. If you are charged with a DUI, you will need a DUI defense attorney if you want to successfully fight your case. There are many criminal defense lawyers in Southern California who handle DUI cases but there are very few who are actually legal experts in DUI defense.
4. Salerno & Associates: Drug Crimes Cultivation, Distribution, Importation, Manufacturing, Possession for Sale, Trafficking, Transportation DUI/ DMV DMV hearings, DMV license suspensions, DUI court proceedings Immigration Issues Motions to Set Aside, Convictions/Withdraw Pleas, Nunc Pro Tunc Orders, Writs of Habeas Corpus/Coram Nobis Juvenile Dependency Adjudications, Dispositions Juvenile Delinquency Adjudications, Dispositions, Fitness Hearings, Informal Probation, Sealing of Records Miscellaneous Crimes Aiding/Abetting Arms Trafficking, Conspiracy, Extradition, Hit and Run, Obstruction of Justice, Perjury, Shoplifting, Stalking Post Conviction Certificates of Rehabilitation, Governor's Pardon, Changes of Plea, Expungements, Motions for a New Trial, Parole and Probation, Plea Withdrawals, Reductions, Felony to Misdemeanor, Misdemeanor to Infraction, Sentence Modifications, Writs of Habeas Corpus, Writs of Mandamus Sexual Crimes Child Abuse, Child Enticement, Child Molestation, Child Pornography, Child Procurement, Date Rape, Exploitation, Failure to Register, Indecent Exposure, Internet Pornography, Internet Solicitation, Lewd Conduct, Pandering, Prostitution, Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Battery, Sexual Imposition, Sodomy, Solicitation, Spousal Rape Violent Crimes Armed Robbery, Arson, Assault and Battery, Carjacking, Child Abuse, Criminal Threats, Domestic Violence, Firearms Offenses, Hate Crimes, Kidnapping, Manslaughter, Mayhem, Murder, Robbery, Terrorism Charges, Second and Third Strikes Cases, Weapons Offenses White Collar Crimes Accounting Fraud, Bank Fraud, Bankruptcy Fraud, Bribery, Computer Hacking, Counterfeiting, Credit Card Fraud
5. Hoffman & Associates: One of the most common mistakes made is driving a car after consuming too much alcohol. The law sets a numeric standard and makes it illegal to drive when your blood alcohol level (SAC) is .08 or over. It also looks more at this number than guessing at an individualŐs level of impairment.
6. Mobasseri & Namvar: runk driving, or DUI, is one of the most serious traffic offenses you can be charged with. A DUI conviction can result in more serious consequences than most other traffic offenses. If you are convicted of DUI, some of the consequences you could be facing include: Ű Large Fines Ű Loss of Your DriverŐs License Ű Court Costs Ű Court-Ordered Alcohol Treatment Ű Probation Ű Jail Time A DUI charge must be taken seriously and you must be defended seriously.
7. Artz, Jon: Criminal Law (Felony) * Murder * Sexual Assault * Arson * Assault with a Deadly Weapon * Aggravated Assault * Burglary * Theft (including Grand Theft Auto) * Drug Related Crimes Criminal Law (Misdemeanor): *Misdemeanor criminal cases, with a focus on those involving drugs and/or alcohol. It is also unlawful to drive with your normal faculties impaired. Normal faculties are those faculties of a person, such as the ability to walk, talk, judge distances, drive an automobile, make judgements, act in emergencies, etc.
8. Michael Grodsky: Although the machinery used for breath-alcohol measurement is quite accurate in a laboratory environment, your test was likely done in a police station rather than a lab. The responsible official was some cop, not a lab assistant. Often the cops don't remember just how the machine works.
9. Jonathan Kelman: If you have been charged with driving under the influence in the State of California you may face stiff fines and penalties including license suspension and jail. You need to seek the advice of an experienced and aggressive criminal attorney immediately. Under current California DUI law, a first offense is punishable in jail up to a maximum of 6 months. The usual period of probation is three years. There is also a fine which, along with mandatory penalty assessments, totals approximately $1500. Additionally, a driver's license suspension of 6 months may be imposed, and attendance in a state-approved alcohol program will be required. The length of the alcohol program will vary depending upon the high level of your blood-alcohol content. Lastly, some courts may also require community service, attendance in Alcoholic Anonymous meetings, and installation of an ignition interlock device (IID). Additionally, if so-called "enhancements" are proven or admitted, the law requires more severe minimum penalties. For example, these involve: having a child under 14 years of age in the car, speeding in excess of 20 mph on surface streets or 30 mph on highways, refusing to submit to chemical testing, or having one or more prior convictions within the previous ten years. The speed enhancement carries a minimum 60-day jail sentence. If your case involves a refusal to submit to chemical testing for blood-alcohol content, your driver's license suspension is for one entire year with no possibility of obtaining a work-restricted license. One, two or three prior convictions carry increased jail sentences and longer license suspensions. Four or more prior convictions changes the offense to a Felony, punishable by commitment to state prison. For a first time DUI conviction, a license suspension of 4 months is also imposed by the DMV. However, this suspension may be reduced to 30 days followed by 5-months of a work-restriction if you submit proof of (1) an SR22 from your insurance carrier (2) enrollment in an approved DUI alcohol program, and (3) a driver's license re-issue fee. Unfortunately, the court may also impose a suspension as well. Under California law, California vehicle code sections 23152 and 23153, the following regulations apply: * It is a crime for anyone with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher to operate a motor vehicle on a public roadway. * If you are under the age of 21, it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle on a public roadway with a blood alcohol level of over .01. This means that even one drink may put you over the legal limit. * It is a crime to drink any alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle upon a public roadway. * It is a crime to have an opened container holding any amount of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle on a roadway unless the container is kept out of the immediate control of the occupants. * Anyone arrested for driving under the influence must submit to a chemical test (blood, breath, or urine) to determine the alcohol content of the blood. Failure to complete or refusal to take the test will result in suspension of the driver's license for one year. If you are arrested for driving under the influence and your blood alcohol level is .08 percent or more, your driver's license will be taken away by the arresting officer at the time of your arrest. A 30-day temporary permit will be issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to allow for administrative hearing and review. If you refuse to take a test, your license will be suspended for one year, if you lose your administrative hearing. The Department of Motor Vehicles will suspend your license and issue a temporary permit for 30 days. YOU MUST SCHEDULE A DMV HEARING WITHIN 10 DAYS OF YOUR ARREST IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY FIGHT YOUR LICENSE SUSPENSION. Make sure you get assistance from your DUI defense attorney immediately after your arrest when challenging the DMV suspension. Believe it or not, you can actually win these DMV Administrative Hearings with an experienced Los Angeles DMV attorney and avoid a license suspension, but you must act immediately. In California, law enforcement agencies have the right to stop your vehicle if they suspect that you may be driving under the influence. If you are pulled over, you are only required to present identification and vehicle documentation. You are not required to answer any questions regarding your destination, number of drinks consumed, etc. You are not required to perform any roadside tests such as walking a straight line, reciting the alphabet, touching your nose, or moving your eyes from side to side. You are not required to submit to a roadside P.A.S. breathalyzer test but you are required to submit to testing at a regulated facility. You will be given the choice of submitting to a breath test or a blood test. You will not be given the opportunity to contact a California DUI defense lawyer until after the test is performed. If you refuse the test, your penalties will be much stiffer. There are many types of evidence in DUI cases: (1) Your driving symptoms are usually what first attracts the police officer's attention and typically may involve weaving, lane straddling or erratic driving. (2) Your personal behavior and appearance may include an odor of alcohol on your breath, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, flushed face, unsteady gait, difficulty following directions, etc.(3) You will be required to do FSTs (Field Sobriety Tests). These may include walk-and-turn, touch-the-nose, one-leg stand, modified position of attention, alphabet recitation, horizontal gaze nystagmus, and hand-pat. Many studies have shown that only a few of these FSTs are effective in detecting intoxication; the others are unreliable and have been disapproved across the country. Additionally, many police agencies use a roadside breath-testing device called a PAS (Preliminary Alcohol Screening) unit. These PAS units are very unreliable and are supposed to be used only to aid the officer in making a decision after he or she has given the other FSTs. Submission to a PAS test is not legally required unless you are under 21 years of age. (4) Your incriminating statements, whether made spontaneously or in response to questioning can also be used against you in a court of law. You are not required to answer any questions at any time. A refusal to submit to chemical testing may be interpreted as an incriminating statement. (5) Your chemical test results. In California, this involves a choice of breath or blood (or urine. if breath and blood are unavailable or the officer believes you are under the influence of a drug). All breath machines used in California are all susceptible to numerous problems and none of them are reliably accurate. Blood analysis is considerably more accurate, although possible problems exist here as well (fermentation of the sample, coagulation, lack of sterilization, etc.). Urinalysis is the least reliable test for blood-alcohol concentration. If your blood alcohol content is over .08 you will be arrested. Make sure that you do not answer any questions until you consult with an experienced California drunk driving defense attorney. In California, close to 30% of DUI arrests do not result in convictions, and this is often due to the aggressive defense of an experienced and knowledgeable DUI attorney. In many cases, a conviction will not automatically lead to jail time. There are many forms of alternative sentencing that may be available to you. Return to California DUI Lawyers