DUI Lawyer Napa, CA

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DUI Lawyer Napa. The consequences of a DUI can be devastating. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; depending on your history, you could go to prison. Declining a breathalyzer or blood test on its own can result in charges, and the consequences you face might be even worse than a DUI conviction. And while the same CA law covers DUIs involving alcohol and other drugs, the defense strategies can be wildly different.

If the Napa, CA, district attorney is coming after you, you need someone in your corner. Trying to fight against the prosecution is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here to defend you.

We are California's leading DUI defense lawyers and have successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you choose us, you're getting a team of experienced, high-quality lawyers who know how to protect you in the Napa, CA, court 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 24/7 at (800) 755-5174 or tell us how we can help online to start putting together your case's defense today.

Napa, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:

Nobody gets excited when they see red and blue flashing lights behind them, but to successfully get through the situation when it does happen, you need to be prepared. Here are four tips from a Napa, CA, DUI Lawyer for you that will guide you through your next traffic stop:

Tip #1: Keep Your Documents Together
After being pulled over, but before the police officer approaches your car, grab your license, vehicle registration, and insurance documentation. 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 already have them ready, you stop yourself from appearing inebriated.

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. Even just saying "I only had two drinks" can work against you.

Tip #3: Refuse Voluntary Tests
In California, field sobriety tests are voluntary unless you are 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: Treat the Officer Respectfully
Being rude 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 aids 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 Napa?

California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you regardless of your blood alcohol level, or even if you don't undergo any tests at all. Police officers can do this because they when they rely on other methods to tell if you are impaired, probably utilizing field sobriety tests, then make judgements based on how you do.

Right after your arrest, 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:

1. Suspension: Your license suspension starts right away, when you're arrested – at that time, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and you will lose your regular license (at least for now). In the meantime, they are informing the DMV about the arrest, beginning the formal suspension.
2. Arraignment: Sometime after arriving at the police station, you will attend a hearing, 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: You'll likely be given bail or released on your own recognizance. While you're waiting for the trial, your Napa DUI defense attorney will file motions to strengthen your defense, such as ones to suppress unlawfully collected evidence, and a "blood split" motion to reexamine your blood sample.
5. Negotiations With the Prosecutor: While working through pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will work directly with the Napa district attorney to find a positive outcome for you that avoids a trial through a plea deal. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be refining a defense strategy now.
6. Criminal Trial: It's unlikely that your DUI case will go to trial, but just in case it does, our team always crafts a trial-ready defense.
7. Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case turns out, you may face consequences. 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 provide guidance for any charge, on both the criminal defense and driver's license side. If you need help today, our team has the knowledge to guide you forward!

DUIs in Napa, CA and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

Napa, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: 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 things to watch out for with both cases, and insights into how we protect your justice and license:

Napa, 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 Napa, CA, legal system.

Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – 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 dissect the criminal accusations. We'll examine the lawfulness of the traffic stop, poke holes in the subjective analysis of the officer, look for contaminations or errors in blood, breath, or urine tests, and look for witness testimony and other proof that can result in a not guilty plea.

The vast majority of our DUI clients in Napa do not receive any jail sentence. For many clients, 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.

Napa, CA, DUI License Suspension

While it might be tempting to focus exclusively on the criminal case, you also need to consider the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension goes into effect automatically, and in order to 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, even if you secure a plea deal for a reduced charge, that won't (directly) affect your license suspension. 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 participate in tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you work with a Napa, CA, DUI lawyer from our firm, we'll question the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.

After ten days, though, you'll likely have to endure the suspension. Outside of rare cases, you don't get any more chances to arrange for that hearing. This is why it's critical to contact a Napa DUI defense attorney promptly after the arrest.

Sentence You Could Face for a DUI in Napa, CA

Napa, 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 up against, depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense:

Beyond any sentence that a judge in Napa, CA, sentences you to, you also need to worry about collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and impacts on your employment.

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 you have faced DUI charges before, you can qualify for deportation. What's worse, if H.R.875 passes, any DUI can result in removal from the country. For individuals working on the naturalization process, even if you aren't deported, it can count against your "good moral character," which you need to establish before becoming a citizen.

If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Napa, 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 that can protect you from a conviction, represent you at deportation hearings, and guide you through your citizenship application.

After the Case: Expungement/Sealing

Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you're liking looking forward to putting this all behind you. However, your arrest and/or criminal record can cause some major issues for your life. Depending on your case outcome, you may be eligible to either expunge or seal your records. A Napa, CA, DUI defense lawyer from the Law Offices of David S. Chesley can also assist with this process, and give you an opportunity to clean your record.

How to Pick the Right DUI Defense Lawyer

Up against DUI charges? It's crucial to pick the right lawyer to take your case. Your team needs the expertise, experience, and connections to find the best outcome for your case. Here are the main things to look for in your Napa, CA, DUI defense lawyer:

1. 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 more than 50 years of experience with the law.
2. Availability: So that you can get help right away when you need it. You can speak with one of our team members 24/7.
3. Relationships: Part of getting a positive plea deal is knowing the right people. Our firm has experience working with the prosecutors in Napa and all throughout CA.
4. Reputation: Both in the community and in the legal sphere. We're proud to have received numerous accolades and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
5. 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.

DUI Case Types We Defend in Napa

It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Napa, CA – our DUI defense lawyers are prepared help you navigate the charges.

Here are some of the DUI charges we often defend:

DUI Defense Strategies in Napa, CA

If you want to craft an effective defense strategy, our Napa, CA, DUI lawyers are here to help. When fighting cases, here are some of the possible defenses we'll use.

Contest the Legitimacy of the Traffic Stop
If the police did not follow proper procedure while stopping and examining you, we can argue for your case to be dismissed. This defense is effective if, for example, the police officer pulled you over without probable cause, the entire traffic stop could be made invalid.

Flaws in Blood, Breath, and/or Urine 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 highlight the ways that these tests can give false readings, push for tests to be redone, and find any other mistakes law enforcement made that could exonerate you.

Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'walk-and-turn,' are often used by officers to evaluate whether someone is impaired or not. But field sobriety tests are not objective measures of whether you're safe to drive or not. Our attorneys will review the footage and point out situations where law enforcement unfairly failed our clients on these tests.

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 over the legal limit. While this is can be difficult to overcome, you do still have viable defense strategies. If you have a medical condition like diabetes, we can use that to help provide an alternate explanation to elevated BAC levels.

Timing is Critical – Contact Our Napa DUI Defense Lawyers RIGHT AWAY

When you're up against Napa DUI charges, it can feel like you don't even have time to think. You lose your right to drive, you could find yourself in an interrogation room, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to be overwhelmed. Your path forward begins when you hire a DUI defense attorney right away.

Don't let the state decide how your case will go. Don't lose your ability to drive without a fight. Don't just sit idly by while everything collapses. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.

We're experts at defending all Napa, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense today and will start protecting your driving privileges and your freedom now. Reach out to us now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free, confidential consultation.

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

• Criminal Defense Lawyer