DUI Arrests In California

Pulled Over For Drunk Driving In California?

You are heading home after a date or catching a game with friends when you see a police checkpoint ahead, or lights start to flash in your rearview mirror. What happens next may determine if you are arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or allowed to head home.

The consequences for a DUI conviction can be severe and life-changing, so it is vital that you take steps at each stage of the process to minimize the chances of an arrest, and more importantly, of a conviction.

Dos During A DUI Stop

• Pull over as soon as it is safe and keep both hands visible,
• Be polite with officers and stay calm,
• Give them your license, registration, and insurance information if requested,
• Answer basic factual questions (your name, address, etc),
• Comply with a request for a breath or blood test. These are required by law; refusing will result in an automatic suspension of your license.
• Call (888) 486-7486 to speak to a DUI lawyer if you are unsure of your rights. Ask to call a lawyer and get advice about what questions you can and cannot answer.

Don’ts During DUI Stops

• Don’t become defensive, angry, or combative (they will use this as evidence against you).
• Don’t chat, make conversation, or answer questions unrelated to the stop; these may be designed to trick you into incriminating yourself. Simply decline politely; it is your right.
• Do not provide extra information, especially about your alcohol or drug consumption; simply state you would prefer not to answer. This may be more likely to lead to an arrest, but it reduces the likelihood of a conviction.
• Do not complete any field sobriety tests; they are not mandatory in California, and you have a right to refuse these tricky tests that are often used to gather evidence for an arrest.

Remember, the most important thing is not avoiding an arrest, but avoiding a DUI conviction. If the state doesn’t have the evidence to charge or successfully prosecute you, it will be that much easier to clear your name or get them to drop the case entirely. Especially if you have a Top Gun DUI defense lawyer on your side.

Top Gun DUI Defense Attorney Myles L. Berman: Decades Of Successful DUI Defense

“Friends don’t let friends plead guilty” is just one of DUI defense attorney Myles Berman’s many mottos. Having spent the better part of four decades perfecting the art of DUI defense and building his team and law firm, he has become one of Southern California’s most respected and successful dedicated DUI lawyers.

The impressive list of his DUI victories includes:

• First Time DUIs
• Second, Third or even Fourth offense DUI charges
• Commercial Driver’s License DUI cases
• Under 21 DUI charges
• Car accident DUI charges
• Over .15% Blood Alcohol Level cases
• Drug-related DUI charges
• Cases where defendants refused to take breath or blood chemical tests

In the vast majority of these cases, Myles Berman or his associates were able to get the DUI charges dropped or dismissed, sometimes even preventing any license suspension during the DMV hearing. In some cases, however, Top Gun DUI Lawyers had to go to trial to secure a dismissal or Not Guilty verdict by mounting strong defenses based on the arresting circumstances, officer behavior, test results or technical details.

These outcomes are not just victories for our firm; each one represents a Californian who stood firm against the justice system and was able to drive free as a result. Remember, avoiding a conviction is not just important to escape the legal penalties; it also protects you from increasingly severe consequences for future convictions.

What Are The Penalties And Consequences Of A CA DUI Conviction

If you are arrested for drunk driving in California, your license will be automatically suspended by the DMV, though you will have 10 days in which to request a hearing to challenge that suspension or obtain a restricted license or interlock device. So it is important to act fast, even before you are formally charged, and contact a DUI lawyer who can handle both the civil (DMV) and legal system.

If you are convicted, this temporary suspension will be confirmed, and the duration of the suspension will depend on the number of prior DUI convictions, with each subsequent offense within 10 years carrying steeper and steeper suspensions and other legal penalties.

Other legal penalties for a DUI conviction can include:

• Jail time, with or without probation.
• Hefty fines, which increase dramatically with repeated DUI offenses.
• Mandatory Drug or Alcohol education programs.
• Ignition Interlock Installation (depending on county and charge)
• Prison time (for extreme or frequent repeated DUI offenses)

Each of these penalties becomes longer and more extreme on your second, third, or fourth offense within less than 10 years. This means that every conviction you can avoid is both a short-term and long-term victory. This is why you need a Top Gun DUI defense attorney to help you avoid the conviction and all the penalties that accompany it.

Your First Phone Call: Top Gun DUI Defense Attorney Myles L. Berman

If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Southern California, you now have a better idea of what is at stake and what you can do to prevent a conviction. Starting with a phone call to one of the top DUI lawyers in the state, Myles L Berman at Top Gun DUI defense attorneys.

Call (888) 486-7486 if you or someone you love has been arrested for drunk driving, and we will fight and explore every option to avoid a conviction, reduce the charges, or minimize the consequences of the DUI charges.

More Information

• CA DUI Penalties
• A Comprehensive List of California DUI Penalties
• Information on California DUI Laws
• DUI And Professional License
• Out Of State DUI Charges
• Under 21 Years Of Age DUI Convictions Or Charges
• What Happens After A DUI Arrest In Los Angeles, CA.?
• Drug-Related DUI Prosecutions In California
• The Future Of DUI Prosecutions In California: What Trump’s Current Term Could Mean For You
• Marijuana-Related DUI Charges In California
• Protocol For Non-Alcohol-Related DUI Arrests
• Prosecution Of Marijuana-Related DUI Arrests
• Ignition Interlock Devices In California