Orange County Sheriff’s Department Received Three Year Grant to Fund Efforts to Catch Drunk Drivers

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has received a three year grant to fund efforts to catch drunk drivers.  The grant, in the amount of $874,852, was obtained by the California Office of Traffic Safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  The grant money is to be used to fund sobriety checkpoints and other special law enforcement activities to combat drunk driving in the County of Orange, California.  The grant funds overtime pay for deputies to staff DUI checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols and Court Stings.  Court stings are where drivers whose licenses have been suspended are followed as they leave court to see if they try to drive away.  In such cases, the drivers are apprehended by undercover law enforcement officers.

The grant money will be distributed to mostly to cities in South Orange County, such as Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, so be looking for increased law enforcement presence targeting driving under the influence in those areas.  If you or anyone you know is charged with a DUI, please contact the Law Office of Barry T. Simons at: 949-497-1729.  You may also visit our website at: www.duilawyerorangecounty.com.

On September 2, 2009, Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach pleaded guilty to driving under the influence-a misdemeanor-stemming from an August 2, 2009 traffic accident wherein he crashed his Mercedes-Benz S550 into an electrical pole that knocked out power to more than 300 homes.  It was reported that prior to the traffic collision, Mr. Quach was having dinner with some friends at the West Coast Seafood Buffet restaurant on Beach Boulevard.  It was further reported that Mr. Quach had a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.26%-more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%.

According to news reports, the Councilman said that he does not plan to resign and apologized for his conduct at a recent city council meeting.  Further, that Mayor Margie Rice said that Mr. Quach did the right thing by owning up to his mistake.  It was also reported that Mayor Rice said the City Council cannot legally take action against Mr. Quach because, according to California law, only elected city officials convicted of a felony are required to step down or resign.

Mr. Quach, who has served on the Westminster City Council for seven years, was sentenced on September 2, 2009 before Commissioner Thomas Rees in the West Justice Center Court in Orange County, California.  Mr. Quach was sentenced to three years of informal probation, 10 days of Caltrans, a nine-month alcohol program and nearly $2,000 in fines and court fees.

The purpose of this post is not to publicize Mr. Quach’s arrest and subsequent conviction for driving under the influence; rather it is to address the reasons for his sentence.  The sentence Mr. Quach received, while harsh, is not all that uncommon.  Pursuant to Vehicle Code § 23538, Courts shall refer a first offender whose blood-alcohol concentration was 0.20% or more to a nine month alcohol program that consists of at least 60 hours of program activities, including education, group counseling, and individual interview sessions.  The Caltrans requirement is oftentimes requested, but not always required, as a condition of a plea agreement.  This is why it is important to retain the services of an experienced DUI defense attorney to represent you if you are charged with a DUI.

If you or anyone you know is charged with driving under the influence, please have them contact the Law Office of Barry T. Simons at: 949-497-1729 or visit our website at: www.duilawyerorangecounty.com.

According to news reports, Matt Keough, one of the husbands featured on ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’ was arrested last month for allegedly driving under the influence in Orange County.  According to news reports, Mr. Keough reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign, (commonly referred to as a “California Stop”) in Coto de Caza and then refused to stop until he arrived at his home.  Mr. Keough allegedly registered a breath-alcohol contentration three times the legal limit.

The purpose of this blog entry is not to advertise the arrest of Mr. Keough for DUI, but rather to highlight the fact that because Mr. Keough was convicted of felony DUI in 2005, in which he reportedly hit and injured a pedestrian, he will automatically be charged with a felony in this matter even if this new offense was actually only a misdemeanor (Vehicle Code § 23550.5(a)(1)).  This is because any prior felony will result in any new DUI charge being filed as a felony, regardless of whether the new conduct would have only resulted in a misdemeanor filing absent the prior felony conviction.  Moreover, because Mr. Keough is still on probation for the prior felony case, he will also have a felony probation violation with which to deal.  This is made more serious in this case as Mr. Keough had a prior probation violation in January of 2008 for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail. 

As with anyone in this type of situation, it is important to seek the assistance of an experienced DUI Attorney who knows the Orange County Court system and how to deal with felony DUI cases, particularly those that are only filed as felonies as a result of a prior felony DUI conviction.

Anti-Drunk Driving Awards Ceremonies & Officer Manipulation of Field Sobriety Test Evaluations

In light of an article in the Orange County Register regarding the recent awards ceremony sponsored by the Orange County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the story of two Chicago police officers who were caught misrepresenting DUI suspects’ performance on field sobriety tests comes to mind.  Like many of the Orange County law enforcement officers listed below, Officer Parker and Officer Haleas, both Chicago police officers, received awards for having more DUI arrests than almost any other officer in the Chicago area from a local anti-drunk driving organization: the Schaumburg-based Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists.

As nearly any DUI defense lawyer will tell you, there are two major reasons why police officers might cut corners or even lie to boost their DUI arrest numbers: First, they stand to profit from the resulting overtime for going to court on the cases, and second, there are numerous accolades and awards to be had.

While the practice of misrepresenting a DUI suspect’s performance on the field sobriety tests is not necessarily uncommon, finding actual proof of the misrepresentation is.  This is particularly so when many prosecutors and judges look the other way and excuse the discrepancies as being something that just cannot be seen from the angle of the video camera in the patrol vehicle.  In this case though, the proof came by way of same type of video camera found in most patrol vehicles across Orange County.

According to the article in the Chicago Sun Times, when prosecutors viewed the video of Officer Joe D. Parker’s July 2008 sobriety test of Raymond L. Bell, they realized that the video did not comport with what the officer wrote in his police report.  After reviewing the evidence, the prosecutors decided to dismiss the driving under the influence (DUI) charges against Mr. Bell.

According to the article in the Chicago Sun Times, Officer Parker wrote in his police report that Mr. Bell lost his balance and used his arms to steady himself during the field sobriety tests.  The patrol video from Officer Parker’s patrol unit, however, showed a different story.  Officer Parker’s patrol video, which was obtained and viewed by the Chicago Sun Times, showed that when Officer Parker activated his overhead lights to pull Bell over, Bell immediately slowed down but continued to drive for about 40 seconds until he was able to safely exit at the first off-ramp; however, Officer Parker wrote in his arrest report that: “Due to speed, operator refused to stop.”

Officer Parker also wrote in his arrest report that Bell’s eyes were bloodshot and that he had a strong odor of alcohol when he stepped out of the car.  He further stated that Bell “staggered” and that his gait was “unsteady” as he was exiting his vehicle, all of which was contradicted by the patrol video.

Officer Parker first had Mr. Bell perform the Walk-and-Turn test, in which he had to put one foot on a line, with his arms at his sides, then take nine steps heel-to-toe, turn and walk back with nine more steps.  The patrol video showed Mr. Bell appearing to be perfectly balanced while he performed the sobriety test.  According to Officer Parker’s arrest report, though, Bell performed the test unsatisfactorily.

Officer Parker next had Mr. Bell perform the One-Leg Stand test, in which he would need to raise one foot about six inches off the ground and count to 30.  Mr. Bell initially put his foot down when Officer Parker told him to keep looking at his foot, but thereafter, Mr. Bell stood almost still with his foot off the ground as he counted past 30.  In his report, though, Officer Parker marked Mr. Bell down for lowering his foot and also for hopping, using his arms for balance, and swaying.  None of which was supported by the patrol video.

After the field sobriety tests, Bell requested to take a Breathalyzer, but Officer Parker said that he did not have the device in his patrol vehicle, and thus could not administer the test.  Later, Bell refused to take the test at the station.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, dozens of DUI arrests by Officer Parker are currently under review.  A review of Officer Haleas’s arrests for similar types of misconduct has already led to 156 cases being dismissed.  According to the Chicago Sun Times, Officer Parker could not be reached for comment.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has an Orange County Chapter that also provides awards ceremonies for local law enforcement officers who have accumulated mass numbers of DUI arrests.  According to the Orange County Register, at the most recent Orange County awards ceremony, about 350 uniformed Orange County law enforcement officers dined as 24 of their fellow officers were given the 2009 Century Award for making 100 or more arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence during 2008.  Additionally, a dozen prosecutors received the 2009 Diligent Prosecution Award for their work in DUI convictions and drunk driving deaths.

At the Orange County Mothers Against Drunk Driving Awards Ceremony, Officers with more than 100 arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence received a Century Award.  Motorcycle officer Tai Huynh of the Huntington Beach Police Department received the quadruple Century Award for making 445 DUI arrests in one year.  It is noteworthy to point out, though, that the awards were given out for arrests for suspicion of driving under the influence, not convictions. 

What follows is a list from the Orange County Register article of the recipients of the 2009 Century Awards, including the recipients of the Double, Triple and Quadruple Century Awards.  With most officers working only three-to-four days per week, and only 365 days in a year minus vacation time, some officers appear to have averaged more than four arrests per shift.

 

2009 Century Award Recipients

The following officers were honored for making 100 or more arrests:

Officer Weston Hadley

Santa Ana Police Department

101 arrests

Officer Kevin Plog

Orange Police Department

101 arrests

Officer Allen Rieckhof

Costa Mesa Police Department

102 arrests

Deputy Peter Mach

Orange County Sheriff’s Department

Stanton Police Services

103 arrests

Officer Brad Miller

Newport Beach Police Department

103 arrests

Officer Chris Wren

Fullerton Police Department

104 arrests

Sgt. Dale Shields

Huntington Beach Police Department

105 arrests

Officer Jeff McCann

Costa Mesa Police Department

105 arrests

Officer Scott Dibble

Costa Mesa Police Department

106 arrests

Officer Erik Rosado

Costa Mesa Police Department

107 arrests

Officer Rick Cummings

Costa Mesa Police Department

108 arrests

Officer Tony Reitz

Costa Mesa Police Department

109 arrests

Officer Kenny Edgar

Fullerton Police Department

111 arrests

Officer Eric Little

Newport Beach Police Department

112 arrests

Patrol Officer Wade Wilson

Huntington Beach Police Department

125 arrests

Patrol Officer Roman Altenbach

Huntington Beach Police Department

135 arrests

Patrol Officer Doug Demetre

Huntington Beach Police Department

141 arrests

Officer James Rice

Buena Park Police Department

142 arrests

Motor Officer Mark Van Meter

Huntington Beach Police Department

142 arrests

Corporal Mark Bell

Santa Ana Police Department

153 arrests

 

Double Century, 200 or more arrests

Officer Michael Kuplast

Santa Ana Police Department

202 arrests

 

Triple Century, 300 or more arrests

Officer Kirk Salmon

Orange Police Department

307 arrests

Officer Justin McGowan

Orange Police Department

314 arrests

 

Quadruple Century, 400 or more arrests

Motor Officer Tai Huynh

Huntington Beach Police Department

445 arrests

 

For Orange County Register Article:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/driving-drunk-award-2333526-officers-received

 

For Chicago Sun Time Article:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1470350,CST-NWS-duivideo11.article#

 

A Brief Message About This California Drunk Driving Law Blog

Welcome.  This blog is meant to assist both lawyers and non-lawyers alike in understanding California Drunk Driving Laws.  As authors of the treatise: “California Drunk Driving Law“, which is recognized by thousands of California attorneys and Judges as “The Bible of Drunk Driving Defense“™, the main purpose of the blog is to keep the general public informed of the law as it relates to DUI.

This blog is focused, at least primarily, on recent developments in California Drunk Driving Law.  Some of it contains Legalese (legal writing that is oftentimes difficult to read and understand); but let’s face it, DUI laws, and cases analyzing them, are oftentimes complicated and confusing.  This is why it is important to retain a DUI Specialist to defend a person charged with driving under the influence.  It could potentially stand between that person suffering a conviction for driving under the influence or avoiding it.

What makes us experts on DUI defense?  Barry T. Simons has been defending those accused of driving under the influence for over 35 years.  The lawyers at the Law Office of Barry T. Simons are trained and educated in the unique aspects of DUI defense and have presented cases and lectured at seminars all over the country, including the highly specialized intensive program presented by the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and the California DUI Lawyers Association (CDLA).   

Barry T. Simons

Barry is a nationally recognized expert in DUI Defense.  He was the Assistant Dean and Dean of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and one of its Founding Members.  Mr. Simons currently serves on that organization’s 12-member Board of Regents.  He is one of only 5 attorneys in the State of California to hold Board Certification in DUI Defense.

In 2001, Mr. Simons was selected to serve as Vice-Chair of the DUI Advocacy Committee of the National Assn. of Criminal Defense Attorneys.  He is currently on the Board of Directors of the California Association of DUI Lawyers and has qualified as a Specialist Member.  Mr. Simons is rated “Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected to “Who’s Who In American Law“.  Mr. Simons is also the co-author of California Drunk Driving Law, considered the Bible of DUI Defense.

In addition to being the Assistant Dean and Dean of the National College for DUI Defense (2007-2009), Mr. Simons has lectured extensively on the following DUI subjects over the last ten years: 

• “The Jury Insight Project-A Scientific Investigation Into Juror Attitudes In DUI Cases” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (October, 2007)
• “Techniques for Opening and Closing Arguments” California State Bar Conference—Criminal Law Section (Anaheim, September 2007)
• “We The Jury Seminar” (March 24, 2007)
• “Handling Administrative Per Se Proceedings: Excessive BAC (.08) & Refusals” Deuce-A-Rama: How to Defend DUI Cases 79^th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California-Criminal Law Section (Monterey, October 7, 2006)
• “How to Become the Ace of the Deuce” California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Rules of The Road Seminar (September 29, 2006)
• “Latest Law Changes & Sentencing Update” California DUI Lawyers Association (San Francisco, May 20, 2006)
• “The Defense Perspective” International Assoc. for Chemical Testing (Anaheim, April 25, 2006)
• “Final Argument” California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (Rancho Mirage, September 24, 2005)
• “Deuce-A-Rama: How to Defend DUI Cases” California State Bar Conference—Criminal Law Section (San Diego, September 10, 2005)
• “Opening Statements” National College For DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School, July 2005)
• “Taking on the DMV in 2005″ California DUI Lawyers Association (April 2005)
• “Jury Summation According to the Code of the West” California State Bar Conference—Criminal Law Section (Monterey, October 7, 2004)
• “Breath Testing Challenges to the Alco-Sensor IV” California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (Palm Springs, September 11, 2004)
• “Using Technology in Closing Arguments” National College for DUI Defense Breakout Session (Conducted at Harvard Law School, 2004)
• “Persuasive Narrative Techniques for Opening and Closing Arguments” National College for DUI Defense-Breakout Session (Conducted at Harvard Law School, July, 2004)
• “Bring Your Own File Workshop – Interesting Cases And Creative Solutions” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Las Vegas, October 16, 2003)
• “Alco Sensor IV XL Point of Arrest, Title 17 Compliant Breath Testing: The Defense’s New Best Friend” California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (Palm Springs, September 20, 2003)
• “Deuce-A-Rama: Steering Clear in DUI Representations and Practices” California State Bar Conference-Criminal Law Section (Anaheim, September 6, 2003)
• “Making Mountains Out of Molehills” National College For DUI Defense (San Antonio, Texas, January 24, 2003)
• “Attacking Faulty Science With Creative Motions” California State Bar Conference – Criminal Law Section ( Monterey, California, October 13, 2002)
• “Cross-Examination of The Arresting Officer Workshop” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers ( Las Vegas, Nevada, October 4, 2002)
• “Dealing With PAS Tests After People v. Williams” California Attorneys For Criminal Justice (Palm Springs, Sept. 29, 2002)
• “Cross-Examination of the Arresting Officer” Symposium Moderator, National College of DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School July 24, 2002)
• “21st Century Technology For The Defense of DUI Cases: Use of Computer Animation and Power Point To Get To The Point” South Orange County Bar Association (May 14, 2002)
• “Interstate License Issues” National College For DUI Defense (February 15, 2002)
• “Using Technology In Closing Arguments” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Las Vegas, October 4, 2001)
• “Medical Issues In DUI Cases: Turn Your Client Into A Patient and Win” South Carolina Bar Association (September, 2001)
• “Science and Innovative Motions for DUI Cases” State Bar of California 2001 Convention (September 8, 2001)
• “Attacking The Prosecutions Scientific Evidence Through Creative Motions” National College For DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School, July 25, 2001)
• “Science And Its Application To DUI Motion Practice” Criminal Law Section of the California State Bar Assn. (San Francisco, June 23, 2001)
• “How I Would Change The DMV Hearing Process and Why” Department of Motor Vehicles of the State of California Driver Safety Conference (April 5, 2001) (DMV Hearing Officer Training)
• “Creative Attacks At The DMV: How To Save Your Client’s License” West Orange County Bar Association (December 5, 2000)
• “Medical Issues In DUI Defense: Turn Your Client Into a Patient” Difficult DUI’s and Tragic Consequences, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Las Vegas, September 21-23, 2000)
• “Fascinating Insights In: Driving Under the Influence and DMV Proceedings By Recognized Experts” State Bar of California Criminal Law Section, 2000 Annual Meeting of the State Bar (September 17, 2000)
• “Forensic Alcohol Supervisors Course” (Instructor) California Criminalists Institute, California Department of Justice (September 14, 2000)
• “Tools For The DUI Law Office” National College For DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School, July 29, 2000)
• “DMV Writs and Appeals An Orange County View” Assn. of California Deuce Defenders (Los Angeles, March 16, 2000)
• “Winning Strategies At The DMV” Association of California Deuce Defenders (Orange, California, January 19, 2000)
• “The Implications of Nelson v City of Irvine” ( Atlanta, Georgia, December 10, 1999)
• “Handcuffing the Prosecution In Closing Argument-Avoiding Prosecutorial Misconduct” National College of DUI Defense ( Kansas City, Kansas, December 3, 1999)
• “Writs and Half Wits-Appeals of DMV Hearings, State Bar of California (San Francisco, 1999)
• “Refusals and Medical Twists” National College For DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School, 1999)
• “Strategies in Handling DUI Cases in California” (San Diego, 1999)
• “Unlicensing the Datamaster in Orange County”, South Orange County Bar Association (Laguna Beach, 1999) (4700 Breath Tests Invalidated In Orange County)
• “Multiple Aspects of Driving Under the Influence” The State Bar of California (Long Beach, October 2, 1999)
• “Rules of the Road II: Trial of a DUI Case, Motions: Win It At The Starting Gate” California Attorneys For Criminal Justice ( Los Angeles, September, 1999)
• “Forensic Alcohol Supervisors Course” (Instructor) Hosted by California Department of Justice And Orange County Sheriff’s Forensic Science Services (1998)
• “Pre-Trial Motion Practice in DUI Cases” California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Seminar (Berkeley, 1998)
• “Motions-What, How to and When” DUI Defense Seminar (Los Angeles, 1998)
• “Interstate Implications of DUI’s, National College of DUI Defense (Boston, 1998)
• “Multiple Aspects of Driving Under the Influences Cases” State Bar of California (Monterey, 1998)
• “Case Scenarios” Mastering Scientific Evidence in DUI/DWI Cases (New Orleans, 1997)

Alan Castillo

Alan Castillo is a 2002 Summer Session Graduate; 2003 Summer Session Graduate; 2004 Summer Session Graduate; and 2007 Winter Session Graduate of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and a member of the California DUI Lawyers Association (CDLA).

Mr. Castillo has also participated in legal writings before the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, he has participated in Federal Civil cases before the U.S. District Court in the City of Los Angeles.  Mr. Castillo has also written extensively in the area of California Drunk Driving Law as an Editor to the treatise: California Drunk Driving Law.

Alan Castillo has lectured on the following DUI subjects: 

• “The In-Person Approach To DMV Hearings” California DUI Lawyers Association (San Francisco, May 20, 2006)
• “Out-Of-State Licensee Issues” Georgia State Bar (Atlanta, February 16, 2006)  
• “Taking on the DMV in 2005″ California DUI Lawyers Association (Los Angeles, April 23, 2005)
• “Writ Procedures/Briefs & Government Code § 800 Attorney Fees” Deuce Defenders/California DUI Lawyers Association ( San Francisco, August 24, 2002)

Ronald L. Moore

Ronald Moore is a 2008 Winter Session Graduate and 2008 Summer Session graduate of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and a member of the California DUI Lawyers Association (CDLA). 

Mr. Moore is the former supervisor of the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner, Forensic Science Services, the forensic alcohol laboratory for the government.  Mr. Moore spent over 18 years with the Orange County Crime Laboratory specializing in: (1) Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases, (2) the identification of controlled substances, firearms and toolmark examination, and (4) homicide/OIS field investigations (CSI).

Mr. Moore is also the former chair of the International Association for Chemical Testing committee on accreditation and individual certification.  Before leaving the Orange County Crime Laboratory, Mr. Moore was a member of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board’s ad-hoc committee on ISO standards for breath testing instrument calibration laboratories. Mr. Moore also participated in many of the meetings of the Forensic Alcohol Review Committee revising the California regulations governing blood and breath alcohol testing in California pursuant to Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

Ronald L. Moore has lectured on the following DUI subjects:

• “Cross-Examination of the State’s Expert” California DUI Lawyers Association (Irvine, January, 2008)
• “Cross-Examination of the State’s Expert” The Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association & National College of DUI Defense’s Mastering In Scientific Evidence Seminar (March, 2008)
• “Cross-Examination of the State’s Expert” California DUI Lawyers Association (San Francisco, April, 2008)
• “Persuasive Direct & Cross-Examinations of Experts” National College of DUI Defense (Conducted at Harvard Law School, July, 2008)

Mr. Moore has also written extensively in the area of California Drunk Driving Law as a contributor to the treatise: California Drunk Driving Law.

Peter F. Iocona

Peter F. Iocona is a 2007 Winter Session Graduate; 2007 Summer Session Graduate; and 2008 Summer Session Graduate of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) and a member of the California DUI Lawyers Association (CDLA).  Mr. Iocona has lectured on the following DUI subjects:

• “Effectively Handling DMV APS Hearings” California DUI Lawyers Association (Irvine, February 6, 2008)
• “Effectively Handling DMV APS Hearings” California DUI Lawyers Association (Oakland, June 5, 2008)
• “What Is Administrative Law?” Orange County Bar Association (Santa Ana, California, July 12, 2008)

Mr. Iocona has handled hundreds of Administrative Per Se Hearings and successfully argued numerous writs of erroneous DMV decisions.  Mr. Iocona has also written extensively in the area of California Drunk Driving Law as a contributor to the treatise: California Drunk Driving Law.

Marlo Cordero

Marlo Cordero has handled hundreds of Administrative Per Se Hearings and successfully argued numerous writs of erroneous DMV decisions.  She has also successfully argued several motions to suppress on insufficient probable cause and unlawful entries into people’s homes.  Ms. Cordero has also written extensively in the area of California Drunk Driving Law as a contributor to the treatise: California Drunk Driving Law.  

DISCLAIMER: This website and blog are intended for use by those seeking general information relating to California drunk driving law.  The reader should be aware of the fact that California DUI laws and legal procedures such as those presented in this website are constantly changing.  Consequently, any statute, law, or procedure discussed herein may have been changed as a result of drunk driving laws, judicial court decisions, or California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) license suspension rules, regulations, policies or procedures enacted since similar information was posted on this website.

Moreover, the information provided here is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied upon as such because there is no substitute for consulting with a qualified DUI Specialist.  Accordingly, the reader is strongly advised to consult with a DUI Specialist and anyone with a legal problem should immediately obtain legal representation and advice from an attorney with extensive experience handling California DUI Defense cases. 

The Law Office of Barry T. Simons assumes no liability whatsoever for any use of this website or blog as it is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice from this office or from any attorney working for this firm.  Rather, the information contained in this website and blog are intended to initiate further, subsequent discussions between the reader having a specific legal problem and a qualified DUI attorney.  All readers are informed that no attorney-client relationship is intended nor formed by any use of this website or blog and all readers are advised, in line with the Rules of the State Bar of California, that the only way to form an attorney-client relationship with The Law Office of Barry T. Simons is to execute a binding retainer agreement.