DUI Lawyer Simi Valley. Simi Valley DUI charges are very serious. 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 that can even result in tougher penalties. And DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.
If you're facing these types of charges in CA, 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 ready to stand by your side.
We are CA's top DUI defense lawyers and have extensive experience defending against all types of DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to protect you in the Simi Valley, CA, legal system and find the best result for your case.
Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Call now at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start preparing your defense strategy today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Simi Valley?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you blow below the legal limit, or if you don't blow at all. Police officers can do this because they when they rely on other methods to tell if you are impaired, likely utilizing field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on your performance.
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 starts right away, when you're arrested – at that time, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, while the officer will keep your regular 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 go to court, and a prosecutor will tell you the exact laws you're charged with breaking.
- 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: You'll likely be given bail or released on your own recognizance. In the interim, your Simi Valley DUI defense attorney will file motions to strengthen your defense, such as ones to suppress unlawfully collected 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 Simi Valley prosecutor to find a plea deal that minimizes penalties for you. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be preparing 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 some form of sentence. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, it's possible that your record will be eligible for sealing.
Our DUI legal experts can provide you with advice on the best way to move forward, on both the criminal defense and license side. No matter where you are in your case, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!
Simi Valley DUI: Fighting Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Simi Valley, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the administrative case. In CA, these are always two separate processes, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will help you with both.
Here are the key things to be aware of for each, and insights into how we protect your freedom and driving privileges:
Simi Valley, 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.
Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – arrest, arraignment, pretrial activity, and possibly trial.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we protect your rights and attack the supposed wrongdoing. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, question the legitimacy of the officer's subjective observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and look for evidence that can result in a not guilty plea.
The vast majority of our DUI clients in Simi Valley do not receive any jail sentence. For several cases, we'll negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges, frequently to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll alsowork out probation over jail or prison time.
Simi Valley, CA, DUI License Suspension
On the other side of a Simi Valley DUI charge is the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension is automatically applied, and in order 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, 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. When you hire us, we'll challenge the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
After ten days, though, you're out of options. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Simi Valley DUI defense attorney right away after being arrested.
Simi Valley DUI Sentences and Consequences
CA DUI criminal penalties are intimidating – even though some are 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 up against, 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 Simi Valley court, you have to endure several collateral consequences, such as more expenses on your insurance 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. You'll find, though, that 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 attorney can help you out here, too, 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 essential to pick the right lawyer to defend you. Your team needs the abilities, practice, and connections to find the best outcome for your case. The top Simi Valley, 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, you get a team that has former judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, totalling over 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: You need connections to get a good plea deal. We have experience working with the prosecutors in Simi Valley 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: 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. And we'd be proud to represent you as well.
DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Simi Valley
Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in Simi Valley, CA – our DUI defense team is prepared to battle against the charges.
Here is a list 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
Don't Wait – Contact Our Simi Valley DUI Defense Lawyers NOW
DUI allegations are no joke. After you've been charged, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. You lose your license, you might be interrogated, you're informed of a court date…it's easy to feel out of control. And that's why it's all the more important to hire an attorney 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 Simi Valley, CA DUI charges. We're ready to take on your case now and will begin protecting your license and your rights right away. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or get in touch online for a free, confidential consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in Simi Valley, CA:
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