DUI Lawyer Laguna Niguel, CA

DUI Lawyer Laguna Niguel. If you're up against a DUI in Laguna Niguel, it can feel overwhelming. Your ability to drive isn't the only thing at risk; you're up against thousand dollar fines, years in jail, and more. You can face DUI charges even for just refusing to take the tests, and by declining, you could face even harsher penalties. And there are differences in DUI alcohol versus DUI marijuana cases, or other drugs.

If you find yourself in this situation, you need help from a DUI defense expert. Trying to navigate the laws and the courts is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here to fight for your rights.

We are CA's leading 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 defend your rights in the Laguna Niguel, CA, court system and get you the best outcome possible.

Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Get a hold of us right away at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online to start building your defense today.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Laguna Niguel?

CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you without a BAC level over the limit, or if you aren't tested at all. Officers are able to arrest you this way because CA allows them to make subjective judgements, often using field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on that.

As soon as you're arrested, the CA legal system starts moving towards 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 the police will take away your existing license. 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: Often, at the same time as your arraignment, the court will set conditions for your release, pending a trial. In the interim, your Laguna Niguel DUI defense attorney will file pretrial potions, likely including some to dismiss charges, and a "blood split" motion to get a second test for your blood sample.
Negotiations With the Prosecutor: While filing pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will contact the Laguna Niguel prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be crafting a strategy now.
Criminal Trial: Your case probably will not go to trial, but just in case it does, our team always crafts a trial-ready defense.
Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on the outcome of your case, 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 help you with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and DMV side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, call now and we'll be happy to assist!

Laguna Niguel DUI Allegations and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

Laguna Niguel, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the license suspension. In CA, these are always two separate processes, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will help you with both.

Here are some things you need to know about both, and how we fight to protect your freedom and license:

Laguna Niguel, CA, DUI Criminal Charges

Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges, which will involve legal proceedings in CA court.

Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – 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 provide expert defense and push back against the supposed wrongdoing. 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 see if there's anything the police missed that can exonerate you.

With our defense strategies, we are almost always successful at protecting our clients from 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.

Laguna Niguel, CA, DUI License Suspension

While your Laguna Niguel criminal charges may be top of mind, don't forget about the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension is automatically applied, 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 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 BAC 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 it's been more than ten days after your arrest, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license unsuspended. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to set up that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Laguna Niguel DUI defense attorney right away after an arrest.

Potential Penalties for a DUI in Laguna Niguel

CA DUI criminal penalties are a lot to face – 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 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 potential punitive actions from professional licensing organizations.

After the Case: Expungement/Sealing

After the case, regardless of the outcome, you'll want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. Unfortunately, your arrest and/or criminal record keeps coming up and getting in your way. 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

No matter what DUI alleges you've been charged with, it's important to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the expertise, experience, and relationships to find the best outcome for your case. The top Laguna Niguel, 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 law enforcement, totalling over 50 years of experience.
Availability: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. Our phones are ready for your call 24/7.
Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. We have experience working with the prosecutors in Laguna Niguel and all throughout CA.
Reputation: Not just with clients and friends, but also amongst their peers. We're proud to have received numerous accolades 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. We're ready to add you to our list of success stories.

Call our DUI Lawyers today for a free consult.

DUI Case Types We Defend in Laguna Niguel

It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Laguna Niguel, CA – our DUI defense team is prepared to battle against the charges.

Below are some of the DUI charges we commonly defend:

Start Your Defense Today – Contact Our Laguna Niguel DUI Defense Attorneys RIGHT AWAY

After a DUI arrest, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. The police officer takes your license, they might try to do additional tests, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to be stressed out. And that's why it's all the more important to call a lawyer right away.

Don't sit by and watch the evidence mount against you. Don't let your license go without a fight. 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 Laguna Niguel, CA DUI charges. We're ready to take on your case now and will start safeguarding your license and your freedom immediately. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online for a confidential consultation.

We also provide the following legal services in Laguna Niguel, CA:

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Los Angeles County(213) 341-4427
Sacramento / Sonoma(916) 248-4717
Orange County(714) 442-2601
Alameda / San Joaquin(510) 403-8809
San Bern / Riverside(909) 748-5272
Ventura County(805) 248-7408
San Diego County(619) 752-2235
Fresno / Santa Clara(559) 365-7055
Kern / Santa Barbara(661) 473-0422
Northern California(530) 427-4167

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Areas We Serve

Los Angeles County(213) 341-4427
Orange County(714) 442-2601
San Diego County(619) 752-2235
Ventura County(805) 248-7408
San Bernardino County(909) 748-5272
Riverside County(951) 329-9499
Alameda / San Joaquin(510) 403-8809
Santa Barbara(805) 791-2162
Sacramento / Sonoma(916) 248-4717
South L.A. / Long Beach(562) 786-8383
City of L.A. / East L.A.(310) 882-6466
Fresno / Santa Clara(559) 365-7055
San Fernando Valley(818) 614-9567
OC Coastal Cities(949) 891-0102
Bakersfield / Kern(661) 473-0422
San Francisco(510) 403-8809

Recent Results

Our client faced multiple serious charges in Los Angeles County, including Penal Code § 211 (Robbery), § 245(a)(1) (Assault with a Deadly Weapon), and § 245(a)(4) (Assault with Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury). Unlike a co-defendant represented by another firm who pled to a felony conviction with a "strike," our legal team pursued a different strategy. Through the submission of a comprehensive mitigation package to the District Attorney, we successfully negotiated a complete dismissal of all charges.
Our client faced serious charges under Penal Code section 211 for alleged felony robbery involving force and fear in Riverside County (Murrieta Court) . The prosecution argued that probation was not appropriate due to our client’s prior felony convictions in San Bernardino County, including a previous robbery in April 2021 and grand theft in November 2019. Despite the severity of these allegations, our legal team successfully demonstrated insufficient evidence during the preliminary hearing. As a result, all charges were dismissed. This outcome allowed our client to move forward without the burden of a new conviction.
Multiple defendants each facing 7 years charged with smuggling prescription drugs into California from Mexico our client was the only defendant who received NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 5 years for possession of deadly weapon we negotiated a plea for NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 3 life terms for multiple felony counts of Child Molestation and Sodomy with child we proved the charges were fabricated by victims mother DISMISSAL of all charges at preliminary hearing!
Strike case: Client charged with possession of methamphetamine facing 25 years we filed a Romero Motion which was granted case REDUCED TO MISDEMEANOR!
Client's estranged girlfriend alleged Client broke into her room and choked her facing 14 years in State Prison we won at trial JURY ACQUITTAL.
Police allegedly discovered 3 bags of marijuana in client's glove box faced 6 years we filed a 1538.5 motion to suppress resulting in DISMISSAL of all charges!

Awards and Certifications

What our clients say Client Testimonials

I am truly pleased with my experience with the Law Offices Of David S Chesley. They answered all my questions and provided me with great advice and legal services. My case resolved quickly. Thank you! Rodrigo L.

I left court yesterday with my last case being wrapped up. Two court appearances and that’s it. He represented me in a couple of different cases and was impressive to say the least. Always a phone call or text message away. Confident and aggressive when he needed to be. Calming and thorough when meeting with me. Attorney Chesley did exactly what he said he would and I got the results I needed. He seemed to know all the right people at the Temple Street courthouse. You can always get in contact with him quickly and he is a great lawyer. I highly recommend his legal services. Ricardo Esteves

My brother was given a very caring attorney that was assigned to his case and we had very helpful case managers throughout the process. I strongly recommend David Chesley to anyone who is in trouble. I called in to get help on my brothers case and right away I liked their service. My brothers charges were eventually dismissed after the attorney got him into a program, now he could go on without the trouble of having anything on his record Erica Geller

I retained Mr. Chesley and his firm and from the beginning they were extremely professional both in communicating the status of my case to me, explaining the situation as a whole, and just downright taking care of business. It was money well spent for a job well done. Thanks again to David and Melissa others that worked on my case. I recommend this firm to anyone in need of legal representation. Don’t just accept things the courts force on you, call this firm and protect yourself. Elizabeth F.

I contacted Mr. Chesley and his firm because some unfortunate events had left me in a jam. Detectives were demanding I testify or be prosecuted for a crime I didn’t commit. (I wasn’t involved or even at the scene of the alleged crime when it supposedly took place.) Mr. Chesley explained to me that he had been through similar situations with his clients before and understood exactly what was going on. His response to what took place was nothing short of amazing. No matter how small my concern, Mr. Chesley addressed it in a timely manner. He advocated for what is right and empathized with me in dealing with the Court system. After meeting with the supervising D.A. and providing alibi evidence he was able to get me out the situation. I’m very grateful to have found him. Leon Hanley

I hired David Chesley for my criminal defense in 2012. he was recommended to us for is success results and his low fees. David is very smart and his professional legal advice was honest & much appreciated during these stressful time. David’s knowledge, advice, and communication about what we were to expect was reassuring and beneficial to me. He charged me a reasonable flat rate and didn’t charge me any surprise fees. In my case David Chesley was able to negotiate with the prosecution attorney for the best result I could hope for. He had success at getting my criminal charges dismissed with the judges approval. You will not be disappointed if you hire The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Britanny Givens

David is very professional, yet very casual. Although it is typically not easy to speak straight up with an attorney, he is very easy to talk to. He replied to my questions quickly and was available all hours. Not only did he get my case resolved with a dismissal, he went above and beyond and got me an expungement without me even requesting it. He never beats around the bush and tells you like it is. At the same time is willing to work overtime to get the results you request. I would use David’s services again in the future. Andrew A.

very satisfied being a client with the Law Offices of David Chesley.. Negin represented both my husband and I and got both our cases dis issued… Negin was on top of our cases she really cares and did everything she said she would do!!! thanks a lot Negin Rita K.

I don’t write many reviews, however this time I had to share my admiration and appreciation for this firm. Attorney Negin Akhavan is definitely a person you want representing you in any criminal legal battle. She is the clear definition of the frace “is not what you know, but who you know ” she is not only knowledgeable, she also has the relationships with the right people. I couldn’t be happier with the results she was able to provide. Thank you Negin. Gabriel V.

An old felony charge came up, so I hired David and his team in June, and he got me a release on my own cognition on a felony charge in July which has never happened to me, and got it dismissed in October. He was responsive when I called and always kept me updated. Got my case dismissed, was easy to work and handled everything for me. He did an excellent job. I highly recommend David Chesley for any criminal defense. Jason Corona

They really helped me out in a timely manner. I had a drug charge from 16 years ago and they dealt with it quickly. I can’t recommend them enough. If you have a criminal charges check them out they are awesome. Santiago L.