DUI Lawyer Compton. If you're up against a DUI in Compton, it can feel overwhelming. Your ability to drive isn't the only thing at risk; you're also facing jail time, fines, and other penalties. If you declined to take an alcohol test, you can face separate charges, and by declining, you could face even harsher penalties. And it doesn't matter if it was alcohol, marijuana, or another substance affecting your ability to drive.
If you find yourself in this situation, you need someone in your corner. Trying to defeat the allegations is a fight that you need a team for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here to defend you.
If you wait too long to build a defense, it could become too late. Speak with one of our attorneys now at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start crafting your case's defense today.
Compton, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
You may be a careful driver who doesn't violate any traffic laws, but it's still important to know how to handle a traffic stop. Here are four tips from a Compton, CA, DUI Lawyer for you to use the next time a police officer stops you on the road:
Tip #1: Keep Your Documents Together
It's typical for an officer to request for your license, registration, and proof of insurance during a traffic stop. Many sober people will have trouble gathering up these documents under pressure. When you're already prepared to give them to the officer, you stop yourself from appearing inebriated.
Tip #2: Don't Talk If Alcohol Is Smelled
If there's a scent of alcohol on your person or in your vehicle, don't talk. You have Fifth Amendment protections during any form of questioning. Protect yourself by keeping quiet until your lawyer arrives.
Tip #3: Identify the Test Being Requested
A roadside exercise, a preliminary alcohol screening (PAS) breath test and a post-arrest chemical test are different requests. Age, DUI probation, the circumstances of the arrest and the test requested affect the applicable rules. The California DMV explains license consequences for refusing or failing to complete a required PAS or chemical test. Do not assume that declining one test lets you decline every other test without consequences. Tell counsel exactly what the officer requested and what warnings were given.
Tip #4: Don't Argue With the Officer
Acting belligerent and uncooperative won't help — it will make things worse. This doesn't just help you get through the traffic stop; it also benefits your defense: Any time you open your mouth, whether or not the police asked you a question, you are giving the police more evidence, which can be used against you.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Compton?
California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, or even if you don't undergo any tests at all. California allows the police to make a call about whether or not you were driving impaired regardless of your alcohol level, typically utilizing field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on their evaluation of you.
As soon as you're arrested, the CA legal system will proceed with both a license suspension and criminal charges. Here's the typical process for a DUI case to make its way through the system:
- Suspension: The officer may take your regular license and issue an order of suspension with a temporary license. For an otherwise valid California license that is not suspended or revoked for another reason, the temporary license permits driving for 30 days from the date the order was issued. Check the order and your current driving status. A license suspension proceeding is separate from the criminal case, and the DMV hearing request deadline is generally 10 days from receipt of the order.
- Arraignment: At this court hearing, the judge explains the charges and your rights, and you enter a plea. Some defendants attend after release; others remain in custody. If you are still in custody, the judge addresses bail or release conditions. Follow the date and location on your current court papers.
- DMV Hearing: Independant of the criminal charge process, 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 Compton DUI defense lawyer will laying the groundwork of your defense through motions to dismiss charges, and a "blood split" motion to retest your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: Alongside pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will speak with the Compton prosecutor to present you with plea deal offers that could protect your freedom. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be building a defense now.
- Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges 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 consequences. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, our record clearing attorneys can help you get a fresh start.
Our DUI legal experts can help you fight any allegation, on both the criminal defense and DMV side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!
Compton, CA, DUI Differences: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Compton, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the DMV case. Different CA organizations cover each of these aspects, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will help you with both.
Here are things to watch out for with both cases, and insights into how we protect your liberty and vehicular rights:
Compton, 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.
Most of the steps in a DUI criminal case are identical to that of another 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 present reasonable doubt and discredit the allegations. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, question the legitimacy of the officer's subjective observations, look for faults in laboratory examinations, and look for evidence that can present an alternate narrative.
If you're facing jail time in Compton, CA, our attorneys can help you avoid it. Often, we'll get the prosecutor to reduce the charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also work to give you an alternative to jail, in the form of probation.
Compton, CA, DUI License Suspension
While it might be tempting to focus exclusively on the criminal case, you also need to consider the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension is automatically applied, and to effectively fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest.
When you go through the DMV hearing, your criminal charges may not be a major focus. In fact, no matter what the court decision was, it won't automatically give you back your license. Instead, the hearing is to determine if you were legitimately arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused alcohol tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we'll argue over the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
Outside of that ten-day window, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license unsuspended. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Compton DUI defense lawyer promptly after an arrest.
Punishments After a DUI Conviction in Compton, CA
Compton, CA, DUI criminal penalties are intimidating – even for the ones considered misdemeanors, you're still facing a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
In this table, you can review the different penalties you could be up against, depending on what your charges are:
| 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 elevated insurance costs and impacts on your employment.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences depend on the charged offense, the conviction record, immigration status and the benefit or proceeding involved. Criminal charges, removal grounds and eligibility for citizenship require separate analysis. USCIS guidance says two or more DUI convictions during the relevant statutory period can create a rebuttable presumption of a lack of good moral character; that is not a universal rule of permanent ineligibility. H.R. 875 concerns proposed changes to DUI-related immigration grounds. Check current official legislative status and any enacted text rather than treating a proposal as an automatic outcome. Have qualified immigration counsel review a proposed plea and your individual record.
If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Compton, CA, immigration lawyers to get immediate help. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we know that you need someone who has knowledge of both immigration and criminal law. We have both: We'll explore diversion programs and plea deals that can keep a DUI off your record, defend you against efforts to expel you from the country, and offer expert advice as you apply for citizenship.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether you're found innocent or not, odds are, you'll want to leave it in the past and move forward with your life. It doesn't take long to realize, though, that your arrest and/or criminal record can cause some major issues for your life. Depending on your case outcome, it might be possible to either expunge or seal your records. A Compton, CA, DUI defense lawyer from the Law Offices of David S. Chesley can also assist with this process, and give you a path to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Compton: What You Need to Know
No matter what DUI allegations you've been charged with, it's critical to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the expertise, experience, and ties to find the best outcome for your case. The top Compton, CA, DUI defense attorneys will have all of the following:
- Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. You can get a hold of us 24/7.
- 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 California.
Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. We want you to be our next success story.
DUI Case Types We Take On in Compton
It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Compton, CA – our DUI defense attorneys are prepared stand by you against the charges.
Here is a list of the DUI case types 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
- Driving Without Insurance
- Drug DUI
- Drunk in Public
- DUI Alcohol
- DUI Accident Defense
- DUI and Professional Licenses in California
- DUI Blood Test Defense
- DUI Causing Injury
- DUI Checkpoint Defense Attorney
- DUI Defense Costs
- DUI Expungement in California
- DUI Immigration Consequences
- DUI in Construction Zones and School Zones
- DUI License Reinstatement
- DUI Probation Violation
- DUI Process – What to Expect
- DUI Marijuana
- DUI Prescription Drugs
- DUI Refusal Cases
- DUI Trial – Jury Trial Defense
- DUI Penalties
- DUI with Child Passenger
- 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
- Illegal Traffic Stop – Probable Cause Defense
- Medical Conditions as a Defense to DUI
- Misdemeanor vs Felony DUI Overview
- Mouth Alcohol Defense to DUI
- Out-of-State DUI
- Public Intoxication
- Reckless Driving
- Rising Blood Alcohol Defense
- Street Racing
- Second Time DUI
- Third DUI California
- Title 17 Violation of Breath and Blood Test Procedures Defense
- Underage DUI
- Watson Murder / DUI Murder
- Wet Reckless
DUI Defense Tactics in Compton, CA
When you work with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, your Compton, CA, DUI attorney will draw from years of experience with effective defense strategies. There are several defensive tactics available, but not every one will work for your case. Below are some of the most common ones we use.
Challenge the Legality of the Traffic Stop
If the police did not follow proper procedure while stopping and examining you, we can challenge the evidence, and even the legitimacy of the case itself. This defense is a good option if, for example, you were not read your Miranda rights before an interrogation, anything you said could be thrown out.
Flaws in Chemical Tests
Many DUI cases center around a blood-alcohol content test. Our team will look into any issues with how the equipment was stored or used, push for tests to be redone, and highlight any errors in the chain of custody.
Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'horizontal gaze nystagmus,' are a typical part of any traffic stop that turns into a DUI investigation. But you can still challenge them – they are not ironclad proof of guilt. We will examine the evidence and look for expert analysis that will show your performance in a more favorable light.
Explain BAC With Medical Conditions
While the police can make mistakes with breathalyzer tests, most of the time they perform them properly. This could be bad news if you were tested and your BAC was .08 or higher. This may sound bad, but our lawyers have more defense strategies we can pull from. We can examine your diet and medical conditions to find alternative explanations.
Get Immediate Help – Contact Our Compton DUI Defense Attorneys NOW
After a DUI arrest, it feels like there's no space to breathe. You can't drive anymore, there could be interrogations, you get a court date…it's easy to be stressed out. To fight through the allegations, your first step is to call a lawyer right away.
Don't let the state decide how your case will go. Don't lose your license because you missed the DMV hearing window. Don't wait and realize that it's suddenly too late. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to defend you.
We're experts at defending all Compton, CA DUI charges. We're standing by to answer your call immediately and will begin protecting your license and searching for positive outcomes as soon as you call. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your charges online for a no-obligation case review.
We also provide the following legal services in Compton, CA:
