DUI Lawyer Bellflower. The consequences of a DUI can be devastating. This isn't just an administrative issue; you're up against thousand dollar fines, years in jail, and more. California law also prohibits you from refusing to take a DUI test, and that can even result in tougher 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 don't want to be alone. Trying to defeat the allegations is a fight that you need a team for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is ready to defend you.
We are California's best DUI defense lawyers and have over 50 years of combined courtroom experience. When you hire us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to fight for you in the Bellflower, CA, legal system and find the best result for your case.
Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Reach out now at (800) 755-5174 or tell us how we can help online to start crafting your case's defense today.
Bellflower, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
We'd all love to drive without any risk of being pulled over, but it's still important to know how to handle a traffic stop. Below are four tips from a Bellflower, CA, DUI Lawyer for you that will guide you through your next traffic stop:
Tip #1: Be Prepared With Your Documents
Your heart might start to pound as soon as the police officer asks for your ID, registration, and insurance. If police see you fumbling as you try to gather these documents, they could think that you've been drinking. When you're already prepared to give them to the officer, you stop yourself from appearing inebriated.
Tip #2: Don't Talk If Alcohol Is Smelled
If there's a scent of alcohol on your person or in your vehicle, don't talk. You have the right to remain silent during any form of questioning. Trying to explain away the smell of alcohol will probably just get you in more trouble.
Tip #3: Don't Participate in Field Sobriety Tests, Unless Required
In California, field sobriety tests are voluntary unless you are under the age of 21 or are on probation. You can still be arrested if the officer believes you've broken the law, but you're giving them less evidence this way. However, California does require individuals to participate in in blood and breath tests after they've been arrested, and refusing in these circumstances will lead to an automatic license suspension.
Tip #4: Treat the Officer Respectfully
Resisting the police won't improve your case — it can end up making your case harder to defend. You should be respectful for more than its own sake, though; it also helps your defense: Any time you open your mouth, whether or not the police asked you a question, you are giving the police more evidence, which may help justify an arrest.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Bellflower?
California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, or even if you aren't tested at all. The police can use other methods to determine whether or not you were safe to drive, often with field sobriety tests, then decide whether or not to arrest you based on how you do.
Once you've been arrested, the CA legal system starts moving towards 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 go into effect at the time of the arrest – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and you will lose your regular license (at least for now). Meanwhile, the police are contacting the DMV about your DUI arrest, which means your license is officially suspended.
- Arraignment: At some point when you're in jail, you will be brought before a judge, and a prosecutor will read out the allegations that you are formally being charged with.
- DMV Hearing: Separate from the criminal charges, 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 interim, your Bellflower DUI defense attorney will laying the groundwork of your defense through motions to throw out illegal evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have another test run on your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: At the same time as pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will speak with the Bellflower prosecutor to try and secure a favorable deal before a trial. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be refining a defense strategy now.
- Criminal Trial: Your case probably will not go to trial, but we're prepared to defend your license and freedom if it does.
- Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on the result of your case, you may face sanctions. 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 out, no matter where you are in the process, on both the criminal defense and DMV side. If you need help today, give us a call so that we can help!
DUIs in Bellflower, CA and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Bellflower, CA, DUI charges require particular expertise because there are two sides that each need to be defended: 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 our process for defending your freedom and license:
Bellflower, 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 – arrest, arraignment, pretrial activity, and possibly trial.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we build your defense and discredit the supposed wrongdoing. We'll challenge the legitimacy of the traffic stop, display flaws in the officer's analysis, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and see if there's anything the police missed that can show you are not guilty.
The vast majority of our DUI clients in Bellflower do not receive any jail sentence. For many clients, we'll plea bargain for a reduction of the charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also avoid jail time with a probation sentence.
Bellflower, CA, DUI License Suspension
Even though the criminal charges may sound like the more serious matter, don't neglect the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension goes into effect regardless of where you're at in the criminal process, and to fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of being arrested.
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 entire DMV hearing is about whether or not you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to blow, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you work with us, we'll challenge the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
Outside of that ten-day window, though, the suspension is probably hear to stay. Outside of rare cases, you don't get any more chances to set up that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Bellflower DUI defense attorney right away after the traffic stop.
Bellflower DUI Sentences and Consequences
Bellflower, CA, DUI criminal penalties can permanently affect your life – even though some are misdemeanors, you could still end up with a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
On this table, you can review the different penalties you could be up against, depending on how exactly your charged and your history:
| DUI Criminal Charge | 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 any sentence that a judge in Bellflower, CA, sentences you to, you also need to worry about collateral consequences, such as elevated insurance costs and potential punitive actions from professional licensing organizations.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences can turn your world upside down. If this is the first time you've been accused of driving under the influence, you probably won't face removal proceedings. The bad news is that if something made this allegation more serious, like an injured bystander, you can qualify for deportation. What's worse, if H.R.875 passes, any DUI conviction will qualify an immigrant for deportation. For immigrants seeking citizenship, even if you aren't deported, it will hurt your application chances, especially for repeat or aggravated offenses.
If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Bellflower, CA, immigration lawyers to get immediate help. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we don't stop at just defending you against the criminal charge: We'll explore diversion programs that will protect you from the harshest outcomes, fight against removal proceedings, and offer expert advice as you apply for citizenship.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether you're found innocent or not, odds are, you'll want to leave it in the past and move forward with your life. Unfortunately, your arrest and/or criminal record can stick with you. Depending on your case outcome, it might be possible to either expunge or seal your records. Our Bellflower, CA, DUI defense team can also assist you with sealing/expunging records, and give you a chance to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Bellflower: What You Need to Know
When you're facing DUI charges, it's important to pick the right lawyer to defend your innocence. Your team needs the abilities, experience, and ties to secure a positive outcome for your case. The top Bellflower, 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 DUI lawyers have previous experience as judges, prosecutors, and police, totalling more than 50 years of experience with the law.
- Availability: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. Our lines are never off, and you can contact us 24/7.
- Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. We know how to connect with the prosecutors in Bellflower and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: If your lawyer is known for successfully fighting DUI charges, that is a major positive. We're proud to have received numerous accolades and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
- Track Record of Success: You don't want to trust your case to someone who doesn't know how to win it. Our attorneys do. 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.
DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Bellflower
Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in Bellflower, CA – your DUI defense lawyer from our team prepared to defend you against the charges.
This is a list of the DUI cases 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
- Driving Without Insurance
- Drug DUI
- Drunk in Public
- DUI Alcohol
- DUI and Professional Licenses in California
- DUI Blood Test Defense
- DUI Causing Injury
- DUI Checkpoint Defense Attorney
- DUI Defense Costs
- DUI Expungement in California
- DUI Immigration Consequences
- DUI License Reinstatement
- DUI Probation Violation
- DUI Marijuana
- DUI Prescription Drugs
- DUI Refusal Cases
- DUI Penalties
- DUI with Child Passenger
- 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
DUI Defense Strategies in Bellflower, CA
Every DUI case needs a defensive strategy, and our Bellflower, CA DUI defense lawyers are here to help you find the right one. When fighting cases, here are some of the possible defenses we'll use.
Contest the Legitimacy of the Arrest
The police need to follow rules when initiating a traffic stop and investigating a potential DUI. If they broke those rules, then the evidence arising from that traffic stop could be invalid. This defense is relevant if, for example, the officer did not observe you for the full 15-minute period required before asking you to take a breath test.
Show Issues With BAC Tests
If you were arrested and given a breathalyzer, blood, or urine test, that can be the center of the prosecution's case. Our team will look into any potential procedural errors, retest in some cases, using a "blood-split" motion, and analyze the state's case to see if there was an error made in how your evidence was processed.
Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'horizontal gaze nystagmus,' are a typical part of any traffic stop that turns into a DUI investigation. But field sobriety tests are not objective measures of whether you're safe to drive or not. An experienced Bellflower, CA, DUI attorney will know how to dissect any records and provide alternate explanations for your performance.
Explain BAC With Medical Conditions
While the police can make mistakes with breathalyzer tests, most of the time they perform them properly. This could be bad news if you were tested and your BAC was over the legal limit. Even though this is harder to fight, we won't give up yet. We can examine your diet and medical conditions to find alternative explanations.
Don't Wait – Contact Our Bellflower DUI Defense Attorneys RIGHT AWAY
When you're up against Bellflower DUI charges, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. You lose your license, law enforcement might try to do additional tests, you're given a court date…it's easy to feel like there's no way forward. In order to find a way out of all that, you need to get in touch with aBellflower, CA, DUI attorney immediately.
Don't wait for the prosecution to build a case against you. Don't wait too long and lose your driving privileges. Don't hesitate and lose your freedom. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to defend you.
We're experts at defending all Bellflower, CA DUI charges. We're equipped with the tools to build your case now and will start protecting your driving privileges and your liberty as soon as you call. Call us now at (800) 755-5174 or get in touch online for a free consultation.
We also provide the following legal services in Bellflower, CA:
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