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Anaheim, Aptos, Bakersfield, Berkeley, Brea, Beverly Hills DUI Lawyers

  • Anaheim
    • Joseph Alliberti: It is important to retain a law firm immediately to possibly preserve evidence, oppose the actions of the DMV, request a stay on any suspensions of the drivers license by the DMV, set up a hearing, obtain the proper experts, run or own tests, and attempt every possible defense to save the license, reduce or avoid any jail time and ensure the clients rights are protected.
  • Anaheim Hills
    • Danielle Augustin: A cultural stigma has become associated with drunk driving that was not present in our society even a decade ago. Public perception categorizes people charged with driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) as criminals, even before they have been convicted of any crime. Being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) can be an unsettling proposition, to say the least. A DUI - DWI conviction in California carries with it heavy penalties ...
  • Aptos
  • Bakersfield:
    • H. A. Sala: The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively entitled the Bill of Rights and contain limitations on the power of government. The Fourth Amendment limits government's power to invade privacy. It reads as follows: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized."
    • George Boyle: You should never try to represent yourself or appear and just plead guilty to an alcohol related offense, even if it's your first. You could be sentenced to jail, ordered to pay a large fine, and subjected to other penalties which, under certain circumstances, could include the loss and sale of your motor vehicle and/or a prison sentence. Additionally, some violations are now a "strike" under the 3-strikes law.
    • Richard Middlebrook: You can represent yourself -- although it is not a good idea. "Drunk driving" is a very complex field with increasingly harsh consequences. There is a minefield of complicated procedural, evidentiary, constitutional, sentencing and administrative license issues.
    • Joe Whittington: Pleading to a DUI will cost you money over hiring an attorney who dedicates himself to defending those accused of a DUI. The price of pleading is increasing every year (approximately $6,000 to $9,000) depending on where you plead.

      The potential defenses in any given drunk driving case are almost limitless. Some defenses include the driving, probable cause, miranda warnings, implied consent warnings, under-the-influence, blood alcohol concentration, testing procedures, and retrograde extrapolation.

  • Berkeley
    • Kimberly Kupferer: The Department of Motor Vehicles normally takes action such as suspending or revoking a driving privilege once as person has been arrested for a drunk driving or is accused of being a negligent operator. The DMV action is completely separate from the criminal case that is filed based on the same conduct. In order to successfully maintain your privilege to drive, you must prevail at both a DMV Administrative Per Se Hearing and in the criminal court.
    • Seth P. Chazin: A corner-stone of ... strategic defense is to employ the services of a forensic toxicologist to analyze the many technical aspects of a DUI or Drunk-driving case.
  • Brea
    • Dolan Law Offices: Two Government agencies are generally involved in DUI cases... the DMV and the Courts. Each has its own jurisdiction and process.
  • Beverly Hills
    • Brent Merritt:

      Police typically use three methods of determining whether a driver has had too much to be driving:

      • Observation. A police officer will pull you over if he notices that you are driving erratically -- swerving, speeding, failing to stop or even driving too slowly. Of course, you may have a good explanation for your driving (tiredness, for example), but an officer is unlikely to buy your story if he smells alcohol on your breath or notices slurred words or unsteady movements.

      • Sobriety tests. If an officer suspects that you are under the influence, he will probably ask you to get out of the car and perform a series of balance and speech tests, such as standing on one leg, walking a straight line heel-to-toe or reciting a line of letters or numbers. The officer will look closely at your eyes, checking for pupil enlargement or constriction, which can be evidence of intoxication. If you fail these tests, the officer may arrest you or ask you to take a chemical test.

      • Blood-alcohol level. The amount of alcohol in your body is understood by measuring the amount of alcohol in your blood. This measurement can be taken directly, by drawing a sample of your blood, or it can be calculated by applying a mathematical formula to the amount of alcohol in your breath or urine. Some states give you a choice of whether to take a breath, blood or urine test -- others do not. If you test at or above the level of intoxication for your state (.08 to .10 % blood-alcohol concentration, depending on the state), you are presumed to be driving under the influence unless you can convince a judge or jury that your judgment was not impaired and you were not driving dangerously. Defense attorneys often question the validity of the conversion formula when driver's alcohol levels are based on breath or urine tests.
    • Michael Brush: United Statescitizens frequently believethey will not be subject to foreign laws for crimes committed abroad since they are U.S. citizens. This is not the case. In fact, the consequences for crimes committed abroad, especially drug possession, can bemore severe. The U.S. is one of few countries that believe in "innocence until proven guilty." Furthermore, the burden of proof in many countries rests with the accused to prove innocence.
    • Gary Moss: After a typical California DUI arrest, you may have only ten days to request a hearing from the Department of Motor Vehicles to challenge the administrative suspension of your California driving privilege. If a hearing is not set, and a "stay" (or postponement) of the suspension is not requested, your license may be automatically suspended after 30 days if your blood alcohol level was at 0.08% or greater when tested.
    • Pardoe & Associates:

      1. You must Contact the DMV within 10 days of your arrest
      2. Record & Remember what police officer did and said to you
      3. Think about what kind of Legal Representation you want
      4. Decide what are your goals in resolving your case; accepting a plea bargain or having a jury trial

    • C. Robert Brooks: The fact is, you don't need a lawyer. What you do need is a DUI lawyer!
    • Gregory Brenner: While most people understand that a DUI-DWI arrest is going to result in criminal charges in court, most drivers do not realize that a drunk driving arrest also initiates a civil proceeding against their driving privileges, which is commonly referred to as a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) license suspension. A DMV license suspension is initiated against an arrested driver when he or she either refuses to submit to breath or blood testing, or fails a breath or blood test.
    • Lawrence Taylor
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