DUI Lawyer Beaumont. Beaumont DUI charges are very serious. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; you're also facing jail time, fines, and other penalties. You can face DUI charges even for just refusing to take the tests, and in some cases, refusing can give you even worse penalties. And while the same CA law covers DUIs involving alcohol and other drugs, the defense strategies can be wildly different.
If you're facing these types of charges in CA, you need someone in your corner. Trying to fight against the prosecution is a battle you need a team behind you for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is available to protect you in Beaumont.
We are CA's best DUI defense lawyers and have extensive experience defending against all types of DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to navigate the Beaumont, CA, court system and get you the best outcome possible.
Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Get a hold of us anytime, day or night, at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start preparing your defense today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Beaumont?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you blow below the legal limit, or if you don't blow at all. Police officers can do this because they when they rely on other methods to tell if you are impaired, often using field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on that.
Once this happens, the CA legal system starts moving towards both a license suspension and criminal charges. Here's the typical process for a DUI case to make its way through the system:
- Suspension: Your license suspension starts right away, when you're arrested – on the spot, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. Meanwhile, they are informing the DMV about the arrest, beginning the formal suspension.
- Arraignment: After your arrest and before your release, you will go to court, and a prosecutor will give you a formal notice of the charges you're facing.
- DMV Hearing: While all of the criminal proceedings are going on, you'll need to set up an administrative hearing with the DMV within 10 days to fight the suspension.
- Pretrial Motions: Often, at the same time as your arraignment, the court will set conditions for your release, pending a trial. Meanwhile, your Beaumont DUI defense lawyer will file motions to strengthen your defense, such as ones to suppress unlawfully collected evidence, and a "blood split" motion to retest your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: While filing pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will negotiate with the Beaumont prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be preparing now.
- Criminal Trial: It's unlikely that your DUI case will go to trial, but we're prepared to defend your license and freedom if it does.
- Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case turns out, you may face some form of sentence. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, you may be eligible to have your record sealed.
Our DUI legal experts can provide you with advice on the best way to move forward, on both the criminal defense and license side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, give us a call so that we can help!
Beaumont DUI Allegations and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Beaumont, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the DMV case. In CA, these are always two separate processes, but both cases can be fought by the same DUI defense lawyer.
Here are the key things to be aware of for each, and ways we defend your liberty and driving privileges:
Beaumont, CA, DUI Criminal Charges
Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges, which will involve legal proceedings in CA court.
The general court process is the same as any other criminal case – first, you're arrested. Second, you're informed of the charges at an arraignment. Third, you go through pre-trial motions and negotiations. And finally, if it comes to it, a trial.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we protect your rights and fight against the charges. We'll question whether or not the traffic stop was legitimate, question the legitimacy of the officer's subjective observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and look for evidence that can show you are not guilty.
The vast majority of our DUI clients in Beaumont do not receive any jail sentence. Often, we'll negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges, frequently to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll alsoavoid jail time with a probation sentence.
Beaumont, CA, DUI License Suspension
On the other side of a Beaumont DUI charge is the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension goes into effect automatically, and to fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest.
At the administrative hearing, you're not facing criminal charges. In fact, you can lose your license regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. Instead, the focus of this hearing is whether or not you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to alcohol tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you hire us, we'll question the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
If you miss that ten-day deadline, though, you're out of options. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's critical to contact a Beaumont DUI defense lawyer immediately after being arrested.
DUI Punishments in Beaumont
CA DUI criminal penalties can be harsh – even though some are misdemeanors, it's possible to receive a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
In this table, you can review the different penalties you could be facing, depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense:
| Alleged DUI Offense | Jail/Prison Time | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| First Time DUI | 48 Hours to 6 Months | Up to $1,000 |
| Second Time DUI | 96 Hours to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| Third Time DUI | 120 Days to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| Fourth Time DUI (Felony) | 16 Months to 3 Years | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Injury (Misdemeanor) | Up to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Injury (Felony) | Up to 4 Years | Up to $5,000 |
| DUI Manslaughter (Misdemeanor) | Up to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Manslaughter (Felony) | 4, 6 or 10 Years | Up to $10,000 |
You'll also be facing significant collateral consequences, such as more expenses on your insurance and roadblocks when applying for professional licenses.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, odds are, you'll want to leave it in the past and move forward with your life. You'll find, though, that your arrest and/or criminal record doesn't go away easily. Depending on your case outcome, you may be eligible to either expunge or seal your records. A DUI defense attorney can help you out here, too, and give you an opportunity to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Beaumont: What You Need to Know
No matter what DUI alleges you've been charged with, it's important to pick the right lawyer to defend you. Your team needs the skills, practice, and ties to provide the optimal outcome for your case. When looking for a DUI defense lawyer in Beaumont, CA, look for these signs:
- Experience: Ideally from multiple sides of the legal system. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our team includes former judges, prosecutors, and police, totalling more than 50 years of experience.
- Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. Our phones are ready for your call 24/7.
- Relationships: Part of getting a positive plea deal is knowing the right people. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in Beaumont and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: The best lawyers are often professionally recognized. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley is proud to have received top ratings from several legal evaluators and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in CA.
- Track Record of Success: Regardless of all of the points above, you want someone who knows how to get a positive outcome for your case. And we have a history of doing just that. In fact, 95% of our DUI cases result in no jail time.
Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. And we'd be proud to represent you as well.
DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Beaumont
It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Beaumont, CA – our DUI defense team is prepared to defend you against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI charges we frequently defend:
- Boating Under the Influence
- Breathalyzer Test
- Commercial Driver CDL DUI
- Disorderly Conduct
- Disturbing the Peace
- DMV Hearing Defense
- Driving with a Suspended License
- Driving Without a License
- Drug DUI
- Drunk in Public
- DUI Alcohol
- DUI and Professional Licenses in California
- DUI Causing Injury
- DUI Checkpoint Defense Attorney
- DUI Defense Costs
- DUI Expungement in California
- DUI Immigration Consequences
- DUI Probation Violation
- DUI Marijuana
- DUI Prescription Drugs
- DUI Refusal Cases
- DUI Penalties
- Evasion
- Exhibition of Speed
- Felony DUI
- Field Sobriety Tests
- First-Time DUI
- Fourth DUI Felony Escalation
- Hit and Run
- Hit and Run DUI
- Hit and Run with Injury or Death
- Ignition Interlock Device Violations
- Out-of-State DUI
- Public Intoxication
- Reckless Driving
- Street Racing
- Second Time DUI
- Third DUI California
- Underage DUI
- Watson Murder / DUI Murder
- Wet Reckless
Don't Wait – Contact Our Beaumont DUI Defense Lawyers NOW
After a DUI arrest, it can be a whirlwind of legal processes. Your license is suspended, you might be interrogated, you're informed of a court date…it's easy to be stressed out. In order to find a way out of all that, you need to call an attorney right away.
Don't wait for the prosecution to build a case against you. Don't let your license go without a fight. Don't just hope it will all just go away. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.
We're experts at defending all Beaumont, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense today and will work on a strategy to defend your license and keep you out of jail immediately. Call us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free, confidential consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in Beaumont, CA:
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