DUI Lawyer Santa Monica, CA

DUI Lawyer Santa Monica. DUI law in Santa Monica is complex. You're not just facing the loss of your license; 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 DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.

When you're up against the CA legal system, you need someone in your corner. 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 Santa Monica.

We are CA's leading DUI defense lawyers and know the ins and outs of DUI defense strategies that work. When you work with us, you're getting a team of veteran defense attorneys who know how to defend your rights in the Santa Monica, CA, legal system and find the best result for your case.

Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Get a hold of us 24/7 at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start preparing your defense strategy today.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Santa Monica?

CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you blow below the legal limit, or if you aren't tested at all. This is because the officer can make a subjective judgment about whether you are impaired or not, probably using field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on your performance.

Once this happens, 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 start the minute the officer arrests you – on the spot, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and the police will take away your existing license. Meanwhile, the police are providing a record of the arrest to the CA DMV, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
Arraignment: After your arrest and before your release, you will be brought before a judge, and a prosecutor will inform you of the charges against you.
DMV Hearing: As soon as you're released from jail, 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 Santa Monica DUI defense lawyer will file pretrial potions, likely including some to suppress evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have an independent lab examine your blood sample.
Negotiations With the Prosecutor: In the midst of pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will contact the Santa Monica prosecutor to try and secure a favorable deal before a trial. But if the case goes to trial, your attorney should be building a defense now.
Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges go to trial, but just in case it does, our team always crafts a trial-ready defense.
Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case turns out, you may face penalties. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, we may be able to help you clean your record.

Our DUI legal experts can help you with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and license side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!

Defending Against Santa Monica DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

Santa Monica, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the administrative case. These are handled separately by the state, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will help you with both.

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

Santa Monica, 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 protect your rights and fight against the charges. We'll challenge the legitimacy of 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 exonerate you.

The vast majority of our DUI clients in Santa Monica 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 alsoavoid jail time with a probation sentence.

Santa Monica, CA, DUI License Suspension

On the other side of a Santa Monica DUI charge is the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension doesn't wait for your criminal case, and in order to fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest.

At the administrative hearing, you're not facing criminal charges. 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 alcohol tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we'll question 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 another chance to set up that hearing. This is why it's critical to contact a Santa Monica DUI defense attorney as soon as you can after being arrested.

DUI Punishments in Santa Monica

CA DUI criminal penalties can be harsh – while many are considered misdemeanors, it's possible to receive 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

You'll also be facing significant 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 want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. Unfortunately, your arrest and/or criminal record can stick with you. 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 a chance to clean your record.

Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Santa Monica: What You Need to Know

When you're facing DUI charges, it's key to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the expertise, experience, and connections to provide the optimal outcome for your case. Here are the main things to look for in your Santa Monica, CA, DUI defense lawyer:

Experience: Ideally from multiple sides of the legal system. 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: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. Our phones are ready for your call 24/7.
Relationships: You need connections to get a good plea deal. We have experience working with the prosecutors in Santa Monica 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: 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 want you to be our next success story.

Call our DUI Lawyers today for a free consult.

DUI Case Types We Defend in Santa Monica

Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in Santa Monica, CA – our DUI defense attorneys are prepared to defend you against the charges.

Here are some of the DUI charges we often defend:

Start Your Defense Today – Call Our Santa Monica DUI Defense Attorneys NOW

After a DUI arrest, it can be a whirlwind of legal processes. Your license disappears, 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 contact a lawyer right away.

Don't give the state a chance to put you behind bars. Don't lose your license because you missed the DMV hearing window. 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 Santa Monica, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense today and will work on a strategy to defend your license and your rights immediately. Talk with one of us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free, confidential consultation.

We also provide the following legal services in Santa Monica, 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.