DUI Lawyer Manteca, CA

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DUI Lawyer Manteca. The consequences of a DUI can be devastating. You're not just facing the loss of your license; you're up against thousand dollar fines, years in jail, and more. If you declined to take an alcohol test, you can face separate charges, and that can even result in tougher penalties. And while the same CA law covers DUIs involving alcohol and other drugs, the defense strategies can be wildly different.

If you've been accused of a DUI in Manteca, CA, you shouldn't need to do this without help. Trying to stand up for yourself against the prosecution is a challenge nobody should have to face on their own, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is available to protect you in Manteca.

We are California's leading DUI defense lawyers and have extensive experience defending against all types of DUI charges. When you retain us, you're getting a team of accomplished defense attorneys who know how to navigate the Manteca, CA, justice system and get you the best outcome possible.

While you're hesitating, the odds are stacking up against you. Get a hold of us right away at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online to start building your case's defense today.

Manteca, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:

Most people don't plan to be pulled over, but knowing how to handle the situation is important for all Manteca, CA, residents. Below are four tips from a Manteca, CA, DUI Lawyer for you to use the next time a police officer stops you on the road:

Tip #1: Be Prepared With Your Documents
Keep your license, insurance card, and vehicle registration together and easily accessible. With an officer staring you down, asking for documents you may not have had to touch in months, it's easy to get flustered. But if you don't need to search for them, you avoid that risk.

Tip #2: If You or the Officer Smells Alcohol, Don't Speak
If law enforcement asks how much you've had to drink tonight, you don't need to give them an answer. You have the right to remain silent during the entirety of your interactions with the law. Trying to explain away the smell of alcohol will probably just get you in more trouble.

Tip #3: Don't Automatically Consent to Tests
Participation in field sobriety tests is not required for people over the age of 21 who aren't on probation. Refusing won't force the officer to let you go, but on its own, there aren't any penalties for refusing. 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: Be Polite and Don't Argue
Refusing to cooperate with 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 benefits your defense: When you resist or act disrespectfully, you are giving the police more evidence, which could contribute to their probable cause to arrest you.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Manteca?

California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you without a BAC level over the limit, or even if you don't blow at all. The police can use other methods to determine whether or not you were safe to drive, probably with field sobriety tests, then make judgements based on the results.

If you've been placed under arrest, the CA legal system starts moving towards both a license suspension and criminal charges. In most DUI cases, here's how things will progress:

1. Suspension: Your license suspension can go into effect at the time of the arrest – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your actual license will be taken. Meanwhile, they are ensuring that the arrest is added to your DMV record, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
2. Arraignment: Sometime after arriving at the police station, you will be brought before a judge, and a prosecutor will list out the laws you're accused of breaking.
3. 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.
4. Pretrial Motions: Often, at the same time as your arraignment, the court will set conditions for your release, pending a trial. While you're waiting for the trial, your Manteca DUI defense attorney will file motions to strengthen your defense, such as ones to review the arrest footage, and a "blood split" motion to have an independent lab examine your blood sample.
5. Negotiations With the Prosecutor: At the same time as pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will communicate with the Manteca district attorney to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if the case goes to trial, your attorney should be building a defense now.
6. Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges go to trial, but just in case it does, our team always crafts a trial-ready defense.
7. Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on the outcome of your case, 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 help you fight any allegation, on both the criminal defense and driver's license side. No matter where you are in your case, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!

Manteca DUI: Fighting Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

Manteca, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the DMV case. These are handled separately by the state, but at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our DUI defense lawyers will fight both.

Here are important factors for both case types, and ways we defend your freedom and ability to drive:

Manteca, 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.

Criminal cases, including DUIs, all follow the same basic process – charges are formally filed against you, you'll probably be given bail and/or conditions of release, then your attorney will proceed with pretrial motions and negotiations. It's unlikely (but possible) that you'll reach a trial at some stage.

At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we defend your freedom and discredit the supposed wrongdoing. We'll challenge the legitimacy of the traffic stop, display flaws in the officer's analysis, look for faults in laboratory examinations, and look for evidence that can exonerate you.

The vast majority of our DUI clients in Manteca do not receive any jail sentence. Commonly, we'll work out a plea for reduced charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also work out probation over jail or prison time.

Manteca, 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 successfully 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, even if you receive a "not guilty" verdict, you can still lose your license. Instead, the hearing is to determine if you were lawfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to participate in tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you hire us, we'll work to undermine the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.

If you waited too long and it's past the deadline to request a hearing, though, you're out of luck. Outside of rare cases, you don't get any more chances to set up that hearing. This is why it's vital to contact a Manteca DUI defense lawyer without delay after the traffic stop.

Manteca DUI Sentences and Consequences

Manteca, CA, DUI criminal penalties can permanently affect your life – while some are 'just' misdemeanors, you could still be sentenced to a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.

Here's an outline of the different penalties you could be trying to avoid, depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense:

In addition to any criminal sentence in Manteca, CA, you're also facing collateral consequences, such as increased insurance premiums 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 will be put on the same level as serious felonies when it comes to immigration consequenceses. For immigrants seeking citizenship, even if you aren't deported, it can set your efforts back by several years.

These accusations can be intimidating, but they are not the end. Your Manteca, CA, immigration lawyer can give you practical advice on what comes next. 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 with alternatives to criminal sentencing, fight to keep you in the country, and act as your guide through the citizenship application process.

After the Case: Expungement/Sealing

Whether your case ends in a conviction or an acquittal, you're liking looking forward to putting this all behind you. Unfortunately, your arrest and/or criminal record can stick with you. Depending on your case outcome, there's a chance you're eligible to either expunge or seal your records. A Manteca, CA, DUI defense attorney can help you out here, too, and give you an opportunity to clean your record.

Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Manteca: What You Need to Know

No matter what DUI allegations you've been charged with, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the abilities, experience, and relationships to find the best outcome for your case. When evaluating DUI lawyers in Manteca, CA, you want to judge the following:

1. Experience: Experience gives your attorney knowledge on how to win these cases. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, several of our members are former judges, district attorneys, and police, totalling over five decades of experience with the law.
2. Availability: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. You can get a hold of us 24/7.
3. Relationships: Part of getting a positive plea deal is knowing the right people. We're familiar with the prosecutors in Manteca and all throughout CA.
4. Reputation: Both in the community and in the legal sphere. We are proud of our reputation with former clients and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
5. Track Record of Success: You want to work with an attorney who has successfully fought DUI charges in the past. We have. 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 Fight in Manteca

Administrative, criminal, or anything else related to DUIs in Manteca, CA – our DUI defense attorneys are prepared to battle against the charges.

Below, you can review a list of the DUI charges we often defend:

DUI Defense Strategies in Manteca, CA

Whatever type of charge you're facing, our Manteca, CA, DUI attorneys can help you fight it. While there are many effective legal strategies available, picking the right one can make all the difference.

Challenge the Legality of the Arrest
If the officer didn't have probable cause to pull you over, or made an error when interviewing you, we can challenge the evidence, and even the legitimacy of the case itself. 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.

Flaws in BAC Tests
If your case is centered on a BAC test that put you over the legal limit, that can sound impossible to overcome. But it isn't. We will look into any potential procedural errors, introduce alternative evidence when possible, and look for any issues in how the evidence was handled.

Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'walk-and-turn,' are a normal part of the process when police are evaluating if someone is driving intoxicated or not. But there are several other factors that can affect your performance besides whether or not alcohol was in your system. Our attorneys will review the footage and provide alternate explanations for your performance.

Explain BAC With Medical Conditions
In most cases, law enforcement will follow proper procedure when testing your blood alcohol level. Let's say that this is true for your stop, and your BAC was .08 or higher. Even though this is harder to fight, our lawyers have more defense strategies we can pull from. We can examine your diet and medical conditions to find alternative explanations.

Start Your Defense Today – Contact Our Manteca DUI Defense Attorneys RIGHT AWAY

Manteca, CA, DUI accusations are serious. After an arrest, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. You lose your license, you could find yourself in an interrogation room, you get a court date…it's easy to be like there's no way forward. What you need to do is 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 just hope it will all just go away. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to represent you.

We're experts at defending all Manteca, CA DUI charges. We're standing by to answer your call now and will can fight for your license and your rights immediately. Speak with a lawyer now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a confidential consultation.

We also provide the following legal services in Manteca, CA:

• Criminal Defense Lawyer