DUI Lawyer Redondo Beach. If convicted, a DUI can permanently change your life for the worse. You're not just facing the loss of your license; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. If you declined to take an alcohol test, you can face separate charges, and when you refuse, you can face the same penalties as a high blood-alcohol level DUI. And DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.
If the Redondo Beach, CA, district attorney is coming after you, you don't want to be alone. Trying to stand up for yourself against the prosecution is a problem you shouldn't have to solve without help, 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 work with us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to navigate the Redondo Beach, CA, judicial system and will always be honest with you about the state of your case and the best path forward.
Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Reach out as soon as possible at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your case online to start crafting your defense strategy today.
Redondo Beach, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
You may be a careful driver who doesn't violate any traffic laws, but to successfully get through the situation when it does happen, you need to be prepared. Below are four tips from a Redondo Beach, 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
After being pulled over, but before the police officer approaches your car, grab your license, vehicle registration, and insurance documentation. If you're struggling to locate them and keep hold of them, the officer may think you're intoxicated. But if you already have them ready, you avoid that risk.
Tip #2: Be Silent When 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 during any form of questioning. Call your DUI lawyer and stay quiet until they arrive.
Tip #3: Refuse Voluntary Tests
California does not require the majority of people to participate in field sobriety tests, and in fact, you can often refuse without penalty. The two main exceptions are if you are under the age of 21, and/or if you are on probation. This doesn't stop the officer from arresting you, but can decrease your chances of having this happen. However, you cannot legally refuse a BAC test once you are in custody, without losing your driving privileges.
Tip #4: Don't Argue With the Officer
Acting belligerent and uncooperative won't help — it can end up making your case harder to defend. This isn't just something you're doing out of courtesy, though; it also benefits 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 can be used against you.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Redondo Beach?
California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you blow below the legal limit, or even if you refuse to be tested at all. This is because the officer can make a subjective judgment about whether you are impaired or not, typically with field sobriety tests, then make judgements based on your performance.
Right after your arrest, the CA legal system will proceed with 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 start the minute the officer arrests you – right away, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and you will lose your regular license (at least for now). While you're processing this, they are contacting the DMV about your DUI arrest, officially suspending your license.
- 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.
- DMV Hearing: While all of the criminal proceedings are going on, you'll need to start fighting for your license right away. This starts with arranging a DMV hearing, which you need to do within 10 days.
- Pretrial Motions: Most people accused of DUIs in Redondo Beach, CA, are able to secure pretrial release, although they'll likely need to pay bail. In the meantime, your Redondo Beach DUI defense expert will laying the groundwork of your defense through 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 lawyer will communicate with the Redondo Beach prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be building a defense 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 sanctions. 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 administrative side. For advice on any stage with your charges, give us a call so that we can help!
Defending Against Redondo Beach DUIs: Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Redondo Beach, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: The criminal case and the license suspension. These will never be handled in the same hearing, but at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our DUI defense lawyers will fight both.
Here are things to watch out for with both cases, and ways we defend your freedom and ability to drive:
Redondo Beach, 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 Redondo Beach, CA, legal system.
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 provide expert defense and discredit the allegations. We'll deconstruct the traffic stop, question the legitimacy of the officer's subjective observations, look for faults in laboratory examinations, and look for evidence that can show you are not guilty.
If you're facing jail time in Redondo Beach, CA, our attorneys can help you avoid it. In many cases, we'll work out a plea for reduced charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also avoid jail time with a probation sentence.
Redondo Beach, CA, DUI License Suspension
While your Redondo Beach 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 successfully fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of being arrested.
It's typical for the criminal case to be, by and large, separate from the DMV hearing. In fact, even if you receive a "not guilty" verdict, you can still lose your license. 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 alcohol tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. These hearings have serious consequences that require an expert Redondo Beach, CA, DUI lawyer to navigate. At the hearing, we'll argue over the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
Outside of that ten-day window, though, you're out of options. Outside of rare cases, you don't get an extra chance to request that hearing. This is why it's crucial to contact a Redondo Beach DUI defense attorney without delay after being arrested.
Redondo Beach DUI Sentences and Consequences
Redondo Beach, CA, DUI criminal penalties are a lot to face – even for the ones considered misdemeanors, you could still be sentenced to 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 what your charges are:
| 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 |
In addition to any criminal sentence in Redondo Beach, CA, you're also facing collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and career setbacks.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences have the potential to be life-altering. If this is your first DUI, the good news is that you will likely be able to stay in the country. 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 individuals working on the naturalization process, even if you aren't deported, it can set your efforts back by several years.
If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Redondo Beach, CA, immigration lawyers to get immediate help. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, can provide assistance with all of your legal needs, not just against criminal accusations: 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 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 keeps coming up and getting in your way. Depending on your case outcome, it might be possible to either expunge or seal your records. Fortunately, if you're in Redondo Beach, CA, our DUI lawyers will also fight to protect you in this way, and give you a path to clean your record.
Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Redondo Beach: What You Need to Know
When you're facing DUI charges, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to fight for you. Your team needs the skills, history, and connections to provide the optimal outcome for your case. When looking for a DUI defense lawyer in Redondo Beach, CA, look for these signs:
- 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 over 50 years of experience with the law.
- Availability: You should be able to get help fast, whenever you need it. Our team is prepared to help you 24/7.
- Relationships: Relationships are key in negotiating strong plea bargains. Our team will leverage our connections with the prosecutors in Redondo Beach and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: The best lawyers are often professionally recognized. We are proud to be respected amongst our peers and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
- 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. With us, you can take advantage of a team that knows how to secure positive outcomes for our clients.
DUI Case Types We Defend in Redondo Beach
Administrative, criminal, or anything else related to DUIs in Redondo Beach, CA – all of our DUI defense attorneys are prepared to defend you against the charges.
Here is a list of the DUI allegations we frequently 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 Tactics in Redondo Beach, CA
Whatever type of charge you're facing, our Redondo Beach, CA, DUI attorneys can help you fight it. There is no one-size-fits-all defensive strategy against DUI allegations, but below, we've listed out some of the most effective ones.
Contest the Legitimacy of the Traffic Stop
If law enforcement made a mistake while conducting their investigation, we can argue for your case to be dismissed. This defense is effective if, for example, the police officer did not properly calibrate the breathalyzer before administering the test, that evidence is invalid.
Flaws in Chemical 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 highlight the ways that these tests can give false readings, retest when possible, and find any other mistakes law enforcement made that could exonerate you.
Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'one-leg stand,' are a widely-recognized way of evaluating somebody's level of impairment. But you can still challenge them – they are not ironclad proof of guilt. Our attorneys will review the footage and look for expert analysis that will show your performance in a more favorable light.
Explain BAC With Medical Conditions
It's easy to feel like you're out of options if you were tested and your BAC was over the legal limit. 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.
Get Immediate Help – Contact Our Redondo Beach DUI Defense Lawyers NOW
When you're up against Redondo Beach DUI charges, it can feel like you barely have a chance to think. You can't drive anymore, you might be interrogated, you're given a court date…it's easy to be overwhelmed. And that's why it's all the more important to call a lawyer immediately.
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 try to handle it on your own. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to fight for you.
We're experts at defending all Redondo Beach, CA DUI charges. We're standing by to answer your call immediately and will begin protecting your license and your liberty now. Speak with a lawyer now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a free, confidential case review.
We also provide the following legal services in Redondo Beach, CA:
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