DUI

Driving Under the Influence: Alcohol/Drugs (VC 23152)

Per California DUI laws, it is illegal to drive a vehicle with blood alcohol content (BAC) percentages:

0.08% or higher―21 years old or older operating a regular passenger vehicle.

0.04% or higher―operating a commercial vehicle.

0.01% or higher―younger than 21 years old.

It is also illegal to drive a vehicle if under the influence of illegal drugs and/or medications, whether it be prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs.

When arrested for a DUI, most people believe that it will be impossible to successfully challenge DUI charges. Usually this is wrong, Our Criminal Defense attorneys have successfully represented many clients against DUI related charges.

Often equipment malfunctions can create inaccurate readings, and all forms of BAC testing are prone to error. Blood samples that were taken during your arrest can be acquired in order for us to have them tested at an independent laboratory. This procedure has often led to different results in your blood tests.

Did you know that during the roadside investigation that led to your DUI arrest the arresting officer is required to follow set of standardized procedures? Many police officers fail to follow these guidelines, making evidence gathered in the field questionable.

As you can see our team of Criminal Defense attorneys will investigate your DUI case from every angle and we will find any errors made by the police and by their testing equipment.

The Arrest

A DUI commonly begins with an officer of the law pulling you over, or at a checkpoint. If the officer suspects you to be under the influence, he will ask you to perform a series of field sobriety tests, you will also be required to blow into a handheld Breathalyzer. If you are thought to be under the influence, the officer will proceed to arrest you and you will be asked to take either a blood test or a breath test at the police station, or at a hospital.

Refusing both the breath and blood test can result in much tougher DUI penalties, often including a one year driver’s license suspension.

Normally if you are arrested for a misdemeanor DUI, you will be released a few hours after your arrest. In case of felony DUIs, you may be required to post bail in order to be released. After you are released you should be given a citation that requires you to appear in court on a certain date and you will also be given a temporary driver’s license. Your regular driver’s license is usually taken by the arresting police officer and mailed to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If you have an out-of-state driver’s license then the police officer will return your driver’s license to you when you are released.

Our DUI lawyers and DUI court

Our expert DUI lawyers will be able to attend most of the DUI court proceedings on your behalf, you will only be required to attend if there is a hearing in which you are required to testify or if the case goes to trial. DUI cases often involve multiple court dates and can run over the course of several months.

During the course of your DUI proceedings, your DUI attorney will spend their time collecting evidence in order to better negotiate with the judge and prosecutor on your behalf. Your attorney will use any evidence gathered to seek dismissal or reductions to any charges you may be facing.

If after all these proceeding, no settlement is reached then the DUI case will be set for a jury trial. Often during a trial, our DUI lawyers will be able to negotiate better deals by using the trial as an opportunity to review minor details that could have been overlooked by the District Attorney.

May 5, 2015May 7, 2015

DUI with Injury

DUI with Injury (VC 23153)

If you drove under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and while driving you injured another person, you may be convicted with VC 23153(b) “driving with a BAC of 0.08% or greater and causing an injury”.

Misdemeanor DUI with Injury:

Informal probation can range between 3 to 5 years with fines imposed up to $5,000, depending on the facts of the case and the injuries involved. You will be required to attend court approved alcohol or drug education programs ranging between 3, 9, 18 or 30 months. Your license may also be suspended for up to three years. You may also be required to pay restitution to any/all injured parties.

Felony DUI with Injury:

If convicted of a felony DUI with injury, the court will require State prison time between 2 to 4 years. If the victim suffers great bodily injury and/or there are multiple victims injured, additional prison time can be imposed for each additional victim. In addition, a “strike” may be placed on your record if anyone other than yourself suffers great bodily injury. Subsequent DUI with Injury offenses will permanently mark you as a Habitual Traffic Offender (HTO).

What happens if someone is killed or injured in a DUI?

If someone is killed or injured as the result of driving under the influence of alcohol, or while blood alcohol is 0.08% or more, the driver can be found guilty of a felony and could go to state prison for over a year, and possibly for up to four years, depending on whether it’s the driver’s first, second, or third offense. Prior convictions for misdemeanor under-the-influence or over-0.08% driving count as prior offenses for the purpose of increasing the prison sentence. So do prior convictions of alcohol-related reckless driving. The jury (and sometimes the judge) will have the option of reducing the offense to a misdemeanor, but even in such cases, the person convicted could still spend up to a year in the county jail—and probably will, since judges take DUI extremely seriously under these circumstances. Also, a person faced with a fourth drunk-driving charge over a ten-year period may be charged with a felony, even where no one was injured as a result of the offense.

May 5, 2015May 7, 2015

Drunk in Public/Public Intoxication

Drunk in Public/Public Intoxication (PC 647 (f)):

In order to violate California’s “drunk in public” law, you need to be so intoxicated that you are either unable to exercise care for your safety or those around you, or, you have interfered, obstructed, or prevented others from using streets, roads, sidewalks, and so forth. Behaving in such a way that invades the peace of others could land you a drunk in public charge.

Penalties (PC 647 (f)):

If convicted of PC 647 (f), a misdemeanor charge will be placed on your record. It will be visible to prospective employers and licensing agencies. If convicted you may face up to 6 months in county jail and/or pay up to $1,000 in fines.

Legal Defenses (PC 647 (f)):

Our skilled criminal defense team of lawyers can use a variety of legal defenses in order to reduce or dismiss your PC 647(f) charge. Some of these defenses include: arguing you were not in a public place, there is insufficient evidence to prove your high level of intoxication, or your civil rights were violated by the police who investigated the charge.

California: California Penal Code 647(f) considers public intoxication a misdemeanor. The code describes public intoxication as someone who displays intoxication to liquor, drugs, controlled substances or toluene and demonstrates an inability to care for themselves or others, or interferes or obstructs the free use of streets, sidewalks or other public way. California Penal Code 647(g) affords law enforcement the option to take an individual fitting the arrest criteria for 647(f), and no other crime, into civil protective custody if a “sobering facility” is available. Essentially, the detainee agrees to remain at the location until the facility’s staff consents to their departure; usually after four hours and upon the belief that the detainee is safe to look after themselves. Not every municipality in California has such a facility. Also, if a person is being combative and/or is under the influence of drugs, they will be taken to jail. Unlike a person who is taken to jail, a civil detainee under 647(g) is not later prosecuted in a court of law. –Wikipedia