Advice from a Los Angeles DUI Defense Lawyer
Imagine traveling on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles, when you get stopped by a police officer. The officer suspects you may have had one too many and asks you to perform a field sobriety test and take a breathalyzer test. One wrong answer or one bad result and you could have your life turned upside down. If you refuse to take a breathalyzer test, you are exposing yourself to even more severe penalties, like a year-long suspension of your driver’s license.
Say Hello to a Citation and Goodbye to Your License
If you are charged with a DUI, you will be arrested and taken to the local police station for booking. For a misdemeanor DUI arrest, you will likely be released within a few hours and given a citation to appear in court and a pink temporary license. Your California driver’s license will likely be confiscated and mailed to the DMV (please note: if you are visiting California from out of state and are charged with a DUI, police cannot take your driver’s license).
Clock is Ticking: The 10-Day DMV Rule
You are required to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of your arrest to request a hearing. If you do not request a hearing, your license will be suspended after 30 days. As you can see, taking action quickly to combat the DUI is critically important to minimize disruption in your life.
Why Hiring a Los Angeles DUI Defense Lawyer is So Important
Getting charged with a DUI can be a traumatic experience. You have to worry about your job, your auto insurance, etc. Worrying about arguing to get your driver’s license back is something you should not add to your plate. That is why it makes sense to retain a Los Angeles DUI attorney. They can request a hearing on your behalf.
Please note that DMV hearings only address DUI charges involving alcohol. The hearing is meant to determine whether you drove with a .08 or higher blood alcohol content. If you were arrested for a DUI based on a drug charge, including DUI of marijuana, there is no hearing.
Typically, your Los Angeles DUI attorney conducts the hearing and represents you. You may not even be asked to attend the hearing, depending on the facts of your case. The objective is to convince the DMV not to suspend your driver’s license. Nevertheless, your DUI attorney can also use this hearing as an opportunity to gather additional evidence that could help you in court.
The Law Offices of Peter Berlin
When you hire The Law Offices of Peter Berlin, you will have a tireless advocate on your side. We will immediately subpoena the maintenance and calibration logs of the breathalyzer used when you were pulled over. We can also subpoena the officer who pulled you over to testify at the DMV hearing and determine whether the officer had insufficient DUI training and/or made mistakes when conducting the sobriety test. Our legal team handles many different areas of criminal defense in addition to DUI; we have the experience it takes to assess what we need to provide in a given case in order to serve our clients. Contact our office today at 310-289-5418.
The Law Office of Peter Berlin – Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
16130 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 570, Los Angeles, CA 91436
(310) 289-5418
(310) 289-5418
https://losangelescrimelawyer.com