DUI Lawyer San Pedro. San Pedro DUI charges are very serious. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. 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.
When you're up against the CA legal system, you need someone in your corner. Trying to fight against the prosecution is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is available to protect you in San Pedro.
We are CA's top DUI defense lawyers and have successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to navigate the San Pedro, CA, legal system and find the best result for your case.
Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start preparing your defense strategy today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in San Pedro?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, or if you don't blow at all. This is because the officer can make a subjective judgment about whether you are impaired or not, often via field sobriety tests, then make arrests based on your performance.
Right after your arrest, the CA legal system automatically begins the process for 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 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: At some point when you're in jail, 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. In the meantime, your San Pedro DUI defense attorney will be filing motions, including motions to suppress evidence, and a "blood split" motion to get a second test for your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: Inbetween pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will work directly with the San Pedro prosecutor to try and secure a favorable deal before a trial. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be building a defense 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 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 help you out, no matter where you are in the process, on both the criminal defense and license side. For advice on any stage with your charges, call now and we'll be happy to assist!
Defending Against San Pedro DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
San Pedro, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: The criminal case and the DMV case. Different CA organizations cover each of these aspects, but when you hire the right attorney, they can defend you in both cases.
Here are some things you need to know about both, and ways we defend your liberty and driving privileges:
San Pedro, CA, DUI Criminal Charges
Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges. To fight them, you'll have to go through CA courts.
Criminal cases, including DUIs, all follow the same basic process – arrest, arraignment, pretrial activity, and possibly trial.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we provide expert defense and fight against the allegations. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, argue against he officer's observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and search for other witnesses or evidence that can tell a different story.
With our defense strategies, we are almost always successful at protecting our clients from jail time. 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 alsoargue for probation to maintain your freedom.
San Pedro, CA, DUI License Suspension
On the other side of a San Pedro DUI charge is 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.
When you go through the DMV hearing, your criminal charges may not be a major focus. In fact, even if you receive a "not guilty" verdict, you can still lose your license. 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 alcohol tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you hire us, 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 luck. 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 San Pedro DUI defense attorney immediately after an arrest.
Potential Penalties for a DUI in San Pedro
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 up against, 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 |
Beyond the San Pedro, CA legal sentence collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and roadblocks when applying for professional licenses.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
After the case, regardless of the outcome, odds are, you'll want to leave it in the past and move forward with your life. 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 attorney can help you out here, too, and give you a chance to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in San Pedro: What You Need to Know
Up against DUI charges? It's crucial to pick the right lawyer to fight for you. Your team needs the expertise, experience, and connections to find the best outcome for your case. The top San Pedro, 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: So that you can get help right away when you need it. Our phones are ready for your call 24/7.
- Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in San Pedro and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: Not just with clients and friends, but also amongst their peers. 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: 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're ready to add you to our list of success stories.
DUI Case Types We Defend in San Pedro
Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in San Pedro, CA – our DUI defense lawyers are prepared to battle against the charges.
Here are some of the DUI charges we often 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 – Call Our San Pedro DUI Defense Lawyers RIGHT AWAY
After a DUI arrest, it can be a whirlwind of legal processes. Your license is suspended, there could be interrogations, you're informed of a court date…it's easy to be out of control. And that's why it's all the more important to hire a lawyer immediately.
Don't give the state a chance to put you behind bars. Don't let your license go without a fight. 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 San Pedro, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense today and will begin protecting your license and your rights right away. Call us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a confidential consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in San Pedro, CA:
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