DUI Lawyer Glendale. If you're up against a DUI in Glendale, it can feel overwhelming. This isn't just an administrative issue; 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 the consequences you face might be even worse than a DUI conviction. And DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.
If you find yourself in this situation, you don't want to be alone. Trying to stand up for yourself against the prosecution is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is available to protect you in Glendale.
We are California's top DUI defense lawyers and know the ins and outs of DUI defense strategies that work. When you choose us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to defend your rights in the Glendale, CA, legal system and will always be honest with you about the state of your case and the best path forward.
If you want to build an effective defense, you need to act now. Talk to a lawyer anytime, day or night, at (800) 755-5174 or tell us how we can help online to start constructing your case's defense today.
Glendale, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
We'd all love to drive without any risk of being pulled over, but knowing what to do if you are in a traffic stop can help you avoid an arrest. Here are four tips from a Glendale, CA, DUI Lawyer for you that will guide you through your next traffic stop:
Tip #1: Keep Your Documents Together
Your heart might start to pound as soon as the police officer asks for your ID, registration, and insurance. Dropping them or failing to find them could just be a result of stress, but it can give the impression that you're impaired. When you're already prepared to give them to the officer, you avoid that risk.
Tip #2: Don't Talk If Alcohol Is Smelled
You aren't required to answer any questions if the officer says that they smell alcohol. You have the right to remain silent both before and after an arrest. Trying to explain away the smell of alcohol will probably just get you in more trouble.
Tip #3: Refuse Voluntary Tests
The state of California only legally requires drivers to participate in field sobriety tests if they are either under the age of 21, or are on probation. The officer may not like it, but they can't compel you to participate. However, you can face consequences if you refuse a blood alcohol content test after you've been arrested.
Tip #4: Respect the Law Enforcement Officer
Acting belligerent and uncooperative won't help — it can end up making your case harder to defend. This doesn't just help you get through the traffic stop; it also helps your defense: By acting out or arguing, you are giving the police more evidence, and depending on what you do, it could make you appear intoxicated.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Glendale?
California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you regardless of your blood alcohol level, or even if you refuse to be tested at all. The police can use other methods to determine whether or not you were safe to drive, likely through field sobriety tests, then decide whether or not to arrest you based on that.
If you've been placed under arrest, the CA legal system will proceed with both a license suspension and criminal charges. Most DUI cases in Glendale, CA, follow this progression:
- Suspension: Your license suspension can begin as soon as you're arrested – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. In the meantime, the police are updating your records with the DMV to account for the arrest, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
- Arraignment: Before you are released, you will go to court, and a prosecutor will give you a formal notice of the charges you're facing.
- 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: It's possible to be held in jail before your trial, but that's not very likely in DUI cases. In the meantime, your Glendale DUI defense expert will laying the groundwork of your defense through motions to suppress unlawfully collected evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have another test run on your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: Inbetween pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will communicate with the Glendale district attorney to present you with plea deal offers that could protect your freedom. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be refining a defense strategy now.
- Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges go to trial, but at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we're prepared to fight for your freedom in front of a jury, no matter what .
- Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how you plea or are found, you may face consequences. 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 guidance for any charge, on both the criminal defense and license side. If you're facing a potential conviction, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!
Glendale DUI Allegations and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Glendale, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: 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 what our attorneys will do for your freedom and vehicular rights:
Glendale, CA, DUI Criminal Charges
Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges. To protect yourself against the allegations, you'll need to fight in the Glendale, CA, legal system.
The general court process is the same as any other criminal case – 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 listen to your side of the story and push back against the accusations. We'll examine the lawfulness of the traffic stop, display flaws in the officer's analysis, look for contaminations or errors in blood, breath, or urine tests, and search for other witnesses or evidence that can result in a not guilty plea.
We know what it takes to keep DUI defense clients out of jail in Glendale, CA. Often, we'll get the prosecutor to reduce the charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also work out probation over jail or prison time.
Glendale, CA, DUI License Suspension
While your Glendale criminal charges may be top of mind, don't forget about the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension is independent of the criminal case, and to effectively fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of being arrested.
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, this administrative hearing is focused on if you were lawfully 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 work to undermine the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
If the tenth day since the arrest has passed, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license back immediately. Outside of rare cases, you don't get another chance to schedule that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Glendale DUI defense attorney immediately after an arrest.
Potential Penalties for a DUI in Glendale
Glendale, 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.
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 Glendale court, you have to endure several collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and career setbacks.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences have the potential to be life-altering. The level of impact often depends on how many prior offenses are on your record. First-time alleged DUIs don't typically result in deportation. The bad news is that if certain circumstances apply, like DUIs causing injury or repeat offenses, 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 can indefinitely pause your efforts to become a citizen.
If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Glendale, CA, immigration lawyers to get immediate help. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, you can rest assured that our lawyers can guide you through both your criminal case and your citizenship process: We'll explore diversion programs and plea deals that can keep a DUI off your record, fight against removal proceedings, and assist you with the citizenship application process.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you're liking looking forward to putting this all behind you. Unfortunately, your arrest and/or criminal record doesn't go away easily. Depending on your case outcome, you could have an avenue to either expunge or seal your records. Our Glendale, CA, DUI defense team can also assist you with sealing/expunging records, and give you a path to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Glendale: What You Need to Know
No matter what DUI allegations you've been charged with, it's important to pick the right lawyer to take your case. Your team needs the expertise, practice, and relationships to provide the optimal outcome for your case. When evaluating DUI lawyers in Glendale, CA, you want to judge 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 law enforcement, totalling over five decades of experience handling cases.
- Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. We're available 24/7.
- Relationships: When your lawyer knows the district attorney you're up against, they'll use that to your advantage. Our team will leverage our connections with the prosecutors in Glendale and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: The best lawyers are often professionally recognized. We are proud of our reputation with former clients and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
- Track Record of Success: At the end of the day, results matter. And our results are great. 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 in Glendale
Whatever DUI charge you're up against in Glendale, CA – the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is prepared to battle against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI allegations we often 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 Accident Defense
- 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 in Construction Zones and School Zones
- DUI License Reinstatement
- DUI Probation Violation
- DUI Process – What to Expect
- DUI Marijuana
- DUI Prescription Drugs
- DUI Refusal Cases
- DUI Trial – Jury Trial Defense
- 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
- Illegal Traffic Stop – Probable Cause Defense
- Medical Conditions as a Defense to DUI
- Misdemeanor vs Felony DUI Overview
- Mouth Alcohol Defense to DUI
- Out-of-State DUI
- Public Intoxication
- Reckless Driving
- Rising Blood Alcohol Defense
- Street Racing
- Second Time DUI
- Third DUI California
- Title 17 Violation of Breath and Blood Test Procedures Defense
- Underage DUI
- Watson Murder / DUI Murder
- Wet Reckless
DUI Defense Tactics in Glendale, CA
Our Glendale, CA, DUI lawyers will examine your case and suggest a defensive strategy that will maximize your chances of a positive outcome. While there are many effective legal strategies available, picking the right one can make all the difference.
Contest the Legality of the Traffic Stop
If law enforcement made a mistake while conducting their investigation, we can challenge the evidence, and even the legitimacy of the case itself. This defense is effective if, for example, the police officer pulled you over without probable cause, the entire traffic stop could be made invalid.
Show Issues With BAC Tests
Fighting against chemical tests can be difficult, but a skilled DUI defense attorney will know how to look for flaws in them. Our team will investigate whether or not the procedure was followed when administering the tests, retest when possible, and highlight any errors in the chain of custody.
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 these tests are subjective. Your local DUI lawyer will inspect any records of the test and provide additional context for your performance, such as the stress of the situation.
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 .08 or higher. While this is can be difficult to overcome, our lawyers have more defense strategies we can pull from. If you have a medical condition like diabetes, we can use that to help provide an alternate explanation to elevated BAC levels.
Get Immediate Help – Speak With Our Glendale DUI Defense Attorneys RIGHT AWAY
If you've been arrested or accused of a DUI in Glendale, CA, it can feel like you barely have a chance to think. The police officer takes your license, you might be interrogated, you're given a court date…it's easy to be like there's no way forward. What you need to do is speak to a lawyer now.
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 sit idly by while everything collapses. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to defend you.
We're experts at defending all Glendale, CA DUI charges. We're ready to take on your case fast and will can fight for your license and your rights as soon as you call. Call us now at (800) 755-5174 or fill out our contact form online for a free, confidential consultation.
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