DUI Lawyer Garden Grove, CA

DUI Lawyer Garden Grove. Garden Grove DUI charges are very serious. You're not just facing the loss of your license; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. CA law also prohibits you from refusing to take a DUI test, and by declining, you could face even harsher penalties. And there are differences in DUI alcohol versus DUI marijuana cases, or other drugs.

If you're facing these types of charges in CA, you don't want to be alone. Trying to defend yourself against the charges is a battle you need a team behind you 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 successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of legal experts who know how to protect you in the Garden Grove, CA, court system and get you the best outcome possible.

Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Reach out today at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online to start preparing your defense today.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Garden Grove?

CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, 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, often utilizing field sobriety tests, then arrest you based on that.

Right after your arrest, the CA legal system automatically begins the process for both a license suspension and criminal charges. You can expect the following steps to play out in your case:

Suspension: Your license suspension can start the minute the officer arrests you – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. In the meantime, they are contacting the DMV about your DUI arrest, 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 announce what charges you're up against.
DMV Hearing: While all of the criminal proceedings are going on, you'll want to set up a DMV hearing within 10 days to protect your license.
Pretrial Motions: In most DUI cases, you'll be released in some capacity pending a trial. In the interim, your Garden Grove DUI defense attorney will be filing motions, including motions to suppress unlawfully collected evidence, and a "blood split" motion to get a second test for your blood sample.
Negotiations With the Prosecutor: At the same time as pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will negotiate with the Garden Grove prosecutor to find a plea deal that minimizes penalties for you. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be building a defense now.
Criminal Trial: It's unlikely that your DUI case will go to trial, but if it reaches that point, we'll have a staunch defense ready for you.
Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case proceeds, you may face penalties. 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 help you with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and license side. No matter where you are in your case, call now and we'll be happy to assist!

Defending Against Garden Grove DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

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

Here are things to watch out for with both cases, and ways we defend your freedom and license:

Garden Grove, 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 – after an arrest, you're formally charged in an arraignment, go through pretrial motions/negotiations, and can eventually go to trial.

At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we defend your freedom and fight against the charges. We'll question whether or not the traffic stop was legitimate, argue against he officer's observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and search for other witnesses or evidence that can exonerate you.

We have an extremely strong track record of clients who have avoided jail time. 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 alsoargue for probation to maintain your freedom.

Garden Grove, CA, DUI License Suspension

On the other side of a Garden Grove 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, even if you receive a "not guilty" verdict, you can still lose your license. Instead, the outcome of the DMV hearing hinges on 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. When you hire us, we'll fight the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.

If it's been more than ten days after your arrest, though, you're out of luck. Outside of rare cases, you don't get another chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's important to contact a Garden Grove DUI defense lawyer immediately after being arrested.

Potential Penalties for a DUI in Garden Grove

CA DUI criminal penalties are a lot to face – even though some are misdemeanors, you could still end up with 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

Beyond the Garden Grove, CA legal sentence collateral consequences, such as increased insurance premiums and potential punitive actions from professional licensing organizations.

After the Case: Expungement/Sealing

Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you'll probably be looking to move on as soon as possible. You'll find, though, that 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.

How to Pick the Right DUI Defense Lawyer

When you're facing DUI charges, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the skills, experience, and relationships to find the best outcome for your case. The top Garden Grove, 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, you get a team that has former judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, totalling more than 50 years of experience.
Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. We're available 24/7.
Relationships: Part of getting a positive plea deal is knowing the right people. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in Garden Grove 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. And we'd be proud to represent you as well.

Call our DUI Lawyers today for a free consult.

DUI Case Types We Defend Against in Garden Grove

It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Garden Grove, CA – the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is prepared for the charges.

Here is a list of the DUI charges we regularly defend:

Start Your Defense Today – Call Our Garden Grove DUI Defense Lawyers RIGHT AWAY

When you're up against Garden Grove DUI charges, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. Your license disappears, they might try to do additional tests, you're informed of a court date…it's easy to be out of control. In order to find a way out of all that, you need to call an attorney right away.

Don't sit by and watch the evidence mount against you. Don't lose your license because you missed the DMV hearing window. 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 Garden Grove, CA DUI charges. We're ready to take on your case now and will begin protecting your license and your rights right away. Call us now at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online for a free, confidential consultation.

We also provide the following legal services in Garden Grove, 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 Bernardino County / Riverside County(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 victim's 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!

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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 was 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 brother’s case, and right away, I liked their service. My brother’s charges were eventually dismissed after the attorney got him into a program, now he can 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, and 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 of 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 his successful results and his low fees. David is very smart, and his professional legal advice was honest & much appreciated during these stressful times. 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 judge’s 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 dismissed. 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 phrase “it’s 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 recognizance 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 with, 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 charge, check them out; they are awesome. Santiago L.