Free DUI Lawyer In California

Reader’s Question:

I’m afraid I’ll lose my license after being charged with DUI here in Downey. How can I avoid losing my license and driving privileges after getting a DUI?

Darren

Downey, CA

A DUI charge in Downey, California would have serious consequences and the penalties if convicted often include losing your driver’s license. The state of California would take away your license on the spot after failing the blood alcohol test during a DUI stop or refusing to submit to it. Whatever the situation is in your DUI case, you will need to find good legal representation. A DUI defense lawyer would the law and your rights.

You have to decide what and your DUI lawyer would argue regarding your need to have your license. Depending on the number of prior DUI convictions, a limited or restricted driver’s permit could be issued. This would allow you to drive to and from work, and sometimes to appointments that are absolutely necessary. You would have to confer with your DUI lawyer as to your best approach. You can also ask the lawyer how you could minimize the effect of a DUI conviction so that your future finances and employment will be affected as little as possible. The DUI lawyer can also give you tips on how to deal with your auto insurance after being charged with DUI and especially if you get convicted.

Reader’s Question:

I got two DUI conviction this year and last year. What will happen if I get pulled over by a law enforcement officer and I have no proof that I am driving for work in Alameda?? I live in Alameda CA.

Richard

Alameda, CA

In California a restricted license granter after a 2nd DUI conviction has guidelines that you need to abide. The California law states that the restriction of the driving privilege shall be limited to the hours needed for

• driving to and from the place of employment,
• driving during the course of employment, and
• driving to and from activities required in the driving-under-the-influence program.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles states that they may suspend or revoke the drivers license,once they receive satisfactory proof of any conviction of the restrictions of a driver’s license .

Therefore if you get caught driving outside your restrictions your driving privileges may be taken away again. The CA DMV should be able to give you information if there will be additional fines and penalties given to you by the judge or courts if you are stopped in Alameda and cannot prove you are driving within your restrictions.

Reader’s Question:

I’m doing a little online search for SR22 auto insurance because of my DUI charge here in California and I kinda need a little help. Aside from the price, what are the factors that I need to consider when purchasing SR22 auto insurance?

Harvey

San Francisco, CA

Because of your DUI charge in California, you are required to maintain a high risk auto insurance policy that is referred to as the SR22 auto insurance. This form is being filed through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and it can be filed on your behalf by your insurance company either online or in person. If you would want to get your high risk insurance policy established quickly in order to restore your driving privileges, then you might want to file the SR22 auto insurance form online since you are already doing an online search for SR22 auto insurance.

When choosing your high risk auto insurance provider, you might want to look at different factors aside from the price of the insurance policy. The important factors to consider are the availability of policies in your geographical area, the type of insurance company you’re dealing with, cancellation and suspension guidelines and coverage offered for the SR22 auto insurance. Get a free online rate quote now from a great insurance company for your SR22 auto insurance needs.

Reader’s Question:

I was told that after being arrested for DUI in Anaheim, California, I would also have a civil case. What is this civil case and what does it have to do with my arrest for DUI?

BJ

Anaheim, CA

Aside from the criminal court trial in your DUI case in California, there would also be a civil case. This would be the administrative law case and it would be heard before the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The administrative hearing has something to do with your driver’s license as this hearing before a DMV officer would determine whether you can keep your driving privileges or not. You should request for this hearing with the DMV within 10 days of the arrest.

You might be confused right now and you probably don’t understand that these are separate cases. It would be possible to win the administrative case with the DMV and loose the DUI criminal court case and on the other hand, it would also be possible to win the DUI criminal case and loose the administrative case with the DMV. But at times, the evidence collected for the administrative hearing could be used to get a reduction of charges in the criminal case.

Reader’s Question:

I have been driving for a long time and this is the first time that I was charged with a criminal traffic offense that’s why a DUI charge is very new to me. What do you think is the first thing that I would so after being arrested for DUI in California?

Daisy

El Monte, CA

One of the fundamental rules that you should do after being arrested for DUI in  California is to request for an administrative hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days upon your arrest. If you miss to request for the DMV hearing, you could lose your driver’s license for four months or so after 30 days. What’s even worse news is that the DMV hearing is entirely different from the criminal court trial. There would be no prosecutor at a DMV hearing and it is more often easier to “win” the defense at the DMV hearing than at the court trial.

With the knowledgeable guidance of a highly experienced DUI defense lawyer, you would be taken through the complicated process of a DUI case step by step. I tell you that you would not miss the deadline by which you must request the DMV hearing wherein you could risk losing your driving privileges for a certain period of time. Also, you would actually know when, where and how to file the required SR22 form from your insurance company.

Reader’s Question:

My cousin from Nevada was charged with DUI here in Berkeley, California and his out-of-state license was confiscated by the police officer. Is there a different DUI case process for out-of-state drivers? How can he get his home state license and will Nevada know if he will be convicted for DUI?

Valentin

Berkeley, CA

For people or drivers who are out of state visiting the state of California, DUI laws remain the same. If an out of state driver is arrested for DUI, that person will go through a similar criminal DUI process just like an in-state driver does. The process began when your cousin was arrested and the police officer confiscated his driver’s license. Since his license was confiscated, he was issued a temporary license that is valid for 30 days. He must schedule an Administrative hearing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of his arrest. If he fails to schedule a meeting with the DMV, it could result to automatic suspension of his California driving privileges.

If your cousin will be convicted for his DUI charge in Berkeley, California, the state of Nevada will know about this. There is an Interstate Driver’s License Compact (IDLC) which is an agreement between 45 states to communicate about driving-related crimes which include DUI crimes. The states of California and Nevada are part of this agreement so California will notify your cousin’s home state of his non-residential DUI conviction.

Reader’s Question:

I have never been charged with DUI because I actually don’t drink and drive. My boyfriend usually does that when he is out with his friends. What are the risks of being charged of DUI here in California?

Jamie

Anaheim, CA

DUI is a criminal offense that we all should take seriously. Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors and Judges are not looking out for an individual’s best interests when he/she is charged with DUI. They are actually under tremendous pressure from their superiors to make more arrests, get more convictions and hand out stiffer penalties.

If someone is charged with DUI, or convicted, there are a lot of things that could be at risk. A DUI conviction may mean jail time, a criminal record, loss of driver’s license, possible loss of job, hefty fines, increased insurance rates, required dependency treatment, points against driver’s license, surcharges, etc.

In the state of California, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances is against the law. This means that if someone is caught driving under the influence, he/she will face criminal charges that have serious consequences. In worse case scenarios like if the individual has an extreme blood alcohol level or if he/she has prior convictions for this type of offense, the penalties will increase substantially. Because DUI may take away an individual’s freedom, his/her driving privileges, and his/her good reputation, if your boyfriend will be charged with DUI, he needs to contact a California DUI lawyer immediately after the arrest.

Reader’s Question:

What does it cost to hire a lawyer for a DUI in Santa Barbara California?

Ben

Santa Barbara CA

Thank you for asking Ben

Fees may differ depending on the law firm or attorney, the facts and seriousness of the case and if the case is settled or tried. But, for a first offense DUI without aggravating factors, fees will generally range from as little as $1000.00 (typically charged by a lawyer with limited experience and no expertise in drunk driving defense (DUI)), to over $5,000.00 (for DUI defense lawyer with extensive experience and a practice devoted exclusively to the defense of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) cases). However, other than considering the cost for DUI lawyers, practitioners dedicated to the art and science of California DUI defense must also be considered and that it is the quality, not the cost, of your legal representation that should be of your greatest concern when retaining a lawyer. Make sure that the decision you make today in choosing Santa Barbara DUI defense lawyers will affect your rights, driving privileges and lifestyle for years to come, in that a Court conviction and DMV suspension due to California Drunk Driving will remain on your Court and DMV records for the next ten years.

MariCAR