DUI Lawyer Beverly Hills. If you're up against a DUI in Beverly Hills, it can feel overwhelming. Your ability to drive isn't the only thing at risk; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. CA law also prohibits you from refusing to take a DUI test, and in some cases, refusing can give you even worse penalties. And there are differences in DUI alcohol versus DUI marijuana cases, or other drugs.
If you find yourself in this situation, you don't want to be alone. Trying to navigate the laws and the courts is a battle you need a team behind you for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is prepared to defend your freedom.
We are CA's top DUI defense lawyers and have successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you work with us, you're getting a team of legal experts who know how to protect you in the Beverly Hills, CA, court system and get you the best outcome possible.
Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Call right away at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online to start preparing your defense today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Beverly Hills?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you without a BAC level over the limit, or if you aren't tested at all. Police officers can do this because they when they rely on other methods to tell if you are impaired, often utilizing 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. You can expect the following steps to play out in your case:
- 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. While you're proceeding through the system, the police are providing a record of the arrest to the CA DMV, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
- Arraignment: At some point when you're in jail, you will go to court, and a prosecutor will inform you of the charges against you.
- DMV Hearing: As soon as you're released from jail, you'll have 10 days after the arrest to contact the DMV for a hearing.
- Pretrial Motions: In most DUI cases, you'll be released in some capacity pending a trial. Meanwhile, your Beverly Hills DUI defense attorney will be filing motions, including motions to suppress unlawfully collected evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have an independent lab examine your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: At the same time as pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will communicate with the Beverly Hills prosecutor to find a plea deal that minimizes penalties for you. But if the case goes to trial, your attorney should be crafting a strategy now.
- Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges go to trial, but if it reaches that point, we'll have a staunch defense ready for you.
- Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case turns out, 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 license side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, our team has the knowledge to guide you forward!
Defending Against Beverly Hills DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Beverly Hills, CA, DUI charges can be twice as complicated as some other charges, because of their two-sided nature: The criminal case and the DMV case. In CA, these are always two separate processes, but when you hire the right attorney, they can defend you in both cases.
Here are the key things to be aware of for each, and ways we defend your freedom and ability to drive:
Beverly Hills, 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 – 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 provide expert defense and attack the charges. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, question the legitimacy of the officer's subjective observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and see if there's anything the police missed that can show you are not guilty.
We have an extremely strong track record of clients who have avoided jail time. 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 alsoavoid jail time with a probation sentence.
Beverly Hills, CA, DUI License Suspension
Meanwhile, you need to worry 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, your license can still be suspended even if you do not receive a criminal conviction. Instead, the outcome of the DMV hearing hinges on whether or not you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to BAC tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you work with us, we'll challenge the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
If it's been more than ten days after your arrest, though, you'll likely have to endure the suspension. Outside of rare cases, you don't get another chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's important to contact a Beverly Hills DUI defense lawyer as soon as you can after an arrest.
Potential Penalties for a DUI in Beverly Hills
CA DUI criminal penalties can be harsh – even for the ones considered misdemeanors, you could still end up with a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
Here's an outline of 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 Beverly Hills 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
Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you'll probably be looking to move on as soon as possible. Unfortunately, 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 lawyer can help you with these processes, and give you an opportunity to clean your record.
How to Pick the Right DUI Defense Lawyer
When you're facing DUI charges, it's crucial to pick the right lawyer to fight for you. Your team needs the expertise, practice, and connections to secure a positive outcome for your case. The top Beverly Hills, CA, DUI defense attorneys will have all of the following:
- 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 over 50 years of experience.
- Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. Our team is prepared to help you 24/7.
- Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in Beverly Hills 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: At the end of the day, results matter. And our results are great. In fact, 95% of our DUI cases result in no jail time.
Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. We're ready to add you to our list of success stories.

DUI Case Types We Defend in Beverly Hills
It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Beverly Hills, CA – the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is prepared to battle against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI charges we typically 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
Timing is Critical – Call Our Beverly Hills DUI Defense Lawyers RIGHT AWAY
DUI allegations are no joke. After you've been charged, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. The police officer takes your license, there could be interrogations, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to be out of control. In order to find a way out of all that, you need to call a DUI defense lawyer right away.
Don't sit by and watch the evidence mount against you. Don't miss your chance for a DMV administrative hearing to protect your license. 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 Beverly Hills, CA DUI charges. We're ready to take on your case right now and will start safeguarding your license and keep you out of jail immediately. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free consultation.
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