California DUI Defense Lawyer

Facing DUI Charges in California? What You Need to Know

Finding yourself faced with a DUI arrest can be a scary and confusing time. While you’ll need the services of a specialized California DUI defense lawyer for an effective defense, there are some things you should know now.

A crucial point that you need to be aware of is that you have only 10 days from the date of your arrest to file for a hearing. After the arrest, the officer will send your confiscated license, a copy of the suspension or revocation notice, and a sworn report to the DMV. The DMV will then review these items, and decide whether to endorse the suspension or to set aside the charges. If they find in favor of the suspension, and you filed for a hearing within the allotted 10 day time frame, you can then argue your case before a judge.

After your arrest, the arresting officer may have issued you with a Temporary License. This license allows you to continue driving for 30 days after your arrest while you await the outcome of the DMV’s decision. However, this Temporary License is only valid if your Drivers License was valid at the time of your arrest, meaning it was not already suspended, or hadn’t expired.

There are certainly sentencing guidelines for DUI convictions in California. A driver of legal age convicted for a first offense can get a four-month suspension. Subsequent offenses carry a one-year suspension. If, at the time of arrest, you refused to submit to a chemical test, stiffer penalties are called for: one year for a first offense, two years for the second, and third and subsequent offenses call for a three-year suspension. A California DUI defense lawyer can explain this to you in more detail, and can often successfully argue for lighter sentencing, depending on various circumstances.

You probably have even more questions about your situation. A qualified, knowledgeable California DUI defense lawyer can answer these questions in detail, based on the particulars of your situation. Having a better idea of what might happen and where you stand can help make a difficult time a bit easier, and help you know what to expect.

Call (949) 497-1729 for a free consultation.