DUI Lawyer Ventura. DUI law in Ventura is complex. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. CA law also prohibits you from refusing to take a DUI test, and in some cases, refusing can give you even worse penalties. And DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.
When you're up against the CA legal system, you don't want to be alone. Trying to defend yourself against the charges is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here to defend you.
We are CA's leading DUI defense lawyers and have extensive experience defending against all types of DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of veteran defense attorneys who know how to protect you in the Ventura, CA, court system and get you the best outcome possible.
Don't wait and let your chance slip away. Get in touch today at (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to start preparing your defense strategy today.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Ventura?
CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you without a BAC level over the limit, 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, likely via field sobriety tests, then make arrests 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 starts right away, when you're arrested – on the spot, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. While you're proceeding through the system, they are contacting the DMV about your DUI arrest, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
- Arraignment: While under arrest, you will be brought before a judge, and a prosecutor will announce what charges you're up against.
- DMV Hearing: As soon as you're released from jail, you'll have 10 days after the arrest to contact the DMV for a hearing.
- 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 Ventura DUI defense attorney will file motions to strengthen your defense, such as ones to suppress evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have an independent lab examine your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: While filing pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will communicate with the Ventura 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 building a defense 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 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 with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and administrative side. Whatever stage in the process you're at, give us a call so that we can help!
Defending Against Ventura DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Ventura, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the administrative case. These are handled separately by the state, but when you hire the right attorney, they can defend you in both cases.
Here are things to watch out for with both cases, and how we fight to protect your freedom and ability to drive:
Ventura, 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 build your defense and attack the charges. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, 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 tell a different story.
With our defense strategies, we are almost always successful at protecting our clients from jail time. 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.
Ventura, CA, DUI License Suspension
While your Ventura criminal charges may be top of mind, don't forget about the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension goes into effect automatically, and 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, you can lose your license regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. 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. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we'll fight the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
After ten days, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license unsuspended. Outside of rare cases, you don't get another chance to set up that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Ventura DUI defense lawyer as soon as you can after being arrested.
Potential Penalties for a DUI in Ventura
CA DUI criminal penalties can be harsh – even for the ones considered 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 facing, depending on the nature of the allegations:
| 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 Ventura court, you have to endure several collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and potential punitive actions from professional licensing organizations.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whatever happens in the court case, 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, it might be possible 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 Ventura: What You Need to Know
When you're facing DUI charges, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the expertise, history, and relationships to provide the optimal outcome for your case. The top Ventura, CA, DUI defense attorneys will have all of the following:
- Experience: If it's both for and against the state, even better. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, several of our members are former judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, totalling over 50 years of experience.
- Availability: Because alleged DUIs can happen outside of the 9-to-5. Our team is prepared to help you 24/7.
- Relationships: Part of getting a positive plea deal is knowing the right people. We're familiar with the prosecutors in Ventura 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're ready to add you to our list of success stories.
DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Ventura
Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in Ventura, CA – our DUI defense team is prepared to defend you against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI case types we commonly 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
Start Your Defense Today – Call Our Ventura DUI Defense Attorneys RIGHT AWAY
When you're up against Ventura DUI charges, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. The police officer takes your license, you might be interrogated, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to feel out of control. And that's why it's all the more important to contact a DUI defense attorney immediately.
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 wait and realize that it's suddenly too late. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.
We're experts at defending all Ventura, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense now and will start safeguarding your license and keep you out of jail right away. Talk with one of us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in Ventura, CA:
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