DUI Lawyer Bellflower. DUI law in Bellflower is complex. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; you're also facing jail time, fines, and other penalties. Declining a breathalyzer or blood test on its own can result in charges, and that can even result in tougher penalties. And there are differences in DUI alcohol versus DUI marijuana cases, or other drugs.
If you're facing these types of charges in CA, you need help from a DUI defense expert. Trying to navigate the laws and the courts is a challenge nobody should have to face on their own, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is available to protect you in Bellflower.
We are CA's leading DUI defense lawyers and have successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of accomplished defense attorneys who know how to navigate the Bellflower, CA, court system and find the best result for your case.
Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Get in touch today at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start constructing your defense today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Bellflower?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, or if you aren't tested at all. Officers are able to arrest you this way because CA allows them to make subjective judgements, likely via field sobriety tests, then make arrests based on that.
As soon as you're arrested, the CA legal system automatically begins the process for both a license suspension and criminal charges. In most DUI cases, here's how things will progress:
- Suspension: Your license suspension can begin as soon as you're arrested – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. In the meantime, the police are contacting the DMV about your DUI arrest, beginning the formal suspension.
- Arraignment: While under arrest, you will go to court, and a prosecutor will inform you of the charges against you.
- DMV Hearing: Separate from the criminal charges, you'll want to set up a DMV hearing within 10 days to protect your license.
- Pretrial Motions: You'll likely be given bail or released on your own recognizance. Meanwhile, your Bellflower DUI defense attorney 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: In the midst of pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will contact the Bellflower prosecutor to try and secure a favorable deal before a trial. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be crafting a strategy now.
- Criminal Trial: It's rare that a 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 proceeds, you may face sanctions. 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 administrative side. For advice on any stage with your charges, call now and we'll be happy to assist!
Bellflower DUI: Fighting Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Bellflower, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: The criminal case and the administrative case. Different CA organizations cover each of these aspects, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will help you with both.
Here are the key things to be aware of for each, and ways we defend your liberty and license:
Bellflower, CA, DUI Criminal Charges
Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges, for which you will need to go through the CA legal system.
Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – after an arrest, you're formally charged in an arraignment, go through pretrial motions/negotiations, and can eventually go to trial.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we defend your freedom and push back against the supposed wrongdoing. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, poke holes in the subjective analysis of the officer, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and see if there's anything the police missed that can show you are not guilty.
The vast majority of our DUI clients in Bellflower do not receive any jail sentence. Frequently, we'll negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges, frequently to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll alsoargue for probation to maintain your freedom.
Bellflower, CA, DUI License Suspension
While your Bellflower criminal charges may be top of mind, don't forget about the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension doesn't wait for your criminal case, and if you want to fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest.
The criminal charges are not always relevant in the DMV hearing. In fact, you can lose your license regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. Instead, the hearing is to determine if you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to blow, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we'll fight 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 another chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Bellflower DUI defense lawyer as soon as you can after being arrested.
Potential Penalties for a DUI in Bellflower
CA DUI criminal penalties are intimidating – even though some are misdemeanors, they can still result in up to a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
In this table, you can review the different penalties you could be trying to avoid, depending on how exactly your charged and your history:
| 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 |
On top of whatever sentence you receive in Bellflower court, you have to endure several collateral consequences, such as more expenses on your insurance and barriers between you and professional licenses.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whatever happens in the court case, you'll want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. However, your arrest and/or criminal record keeps coming up and getting in your way. Depending on your case outcome, it might be possible to either expunge or seal your records. A DUI defense lawyer can help you with these processes, and give you a chance to clean your record.
How to Pick the Right DUI Defense Lawyer
No matter what DUI alleges you've been charged with, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the abilities, experience, and ties to find the best outcome for your case. The top Bellflower, CA, DUI defense attorneys will have all of the following:
- Experience: As defense attorneys, and also prosecutors. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, several of our members are former judges, prosecutors, and police, totalling more than 50 years of experience.
- Availability: Because alleged DUIs can happen outside of the 9-to-5. We're available 24/7.
- Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in Bellflower and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: The best lawyers are often professionally recognized. We're proud to have received numerous accolades and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in CA.
- Track Record of Success: Winners win. It's as simple as that. And we win, a lot. In fact, 95% of our DUI cases result in no jail time.
Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. We want you to be our next success story.
DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Bellflower
It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Bellflower, CA – our DUI defense lawyers are prepared to defend you against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI allegations we regularly 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 Bellflower DUI Defense Lawyers TODAY
When you're up against Bellflower DUI charges, it feels like there's no space to breathe. Your license is suspended, there could be interrogations, you're given a court date…it's easy to feel stressed out. And that's why it's all the more important to call an attorney immediately.
Don't give the state a chance to put you behind bars. Don't miss your chance for a DMV administrative hearing to protect your license. Don't just sit idly by while everything collapses. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.
We're experts at defending all Bellflower, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense today and will start safeguarding your license and keep you out of jail immediately. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or get in touch online for a confidential consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in Bellflower, CA:
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