DUI Lawyer Redwood City. If convicted, a DUI can permanently change your life for the worse. You're being accused of a crime; you're also facing jail time, fines, and other penalties. If you declined to take an alcohol test, you can face separate charges, and by declining, you could face even harsher penalties. And while the same CA law covers DUIs involving alcohol and other drugs, the defense strategies can be wildly different.
If you find yourself in this situation, you shouldn't need to do this without help. Trying to navigate the laws and the courts is a fight that you need a team for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is just a call away in Redwood City, CA.
We are California's top DUI defense lawyers and have successfully fought countless DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of accomplished defense attorneys who know how to fight for you in the Redwood City, CA, justice system and get you the best outcome possible.
If you want to build an effective defense, you need to act now. Speak with one of our attorneys as soon as possible at (800) 755-5174 or tell us about your charges online to start crafting your defense today.
Redwood City, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
Traffic police are just a part of driving. It's not exciting, but knowing what to do if you are in a traffic stop can help you avoid an arrest. Here are four tips from a Redwood City, CA, DUI Lawyer for you which can protect you from arrests and charges:
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. If police see you fumbling as you try to gather these documents, they could think that you've been drinking. When you're already prepared to give them to the officer, you stop yourself from appearing inebriated.
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. Even just saying "I only had two drinks" can work against you.
Tip #3: Don't Participate in Field Sobriety Tests, Unless Required
In California, field sobriety tests are voluntary unless you are under the age of 21 or are 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: Treat the Officer Respectfully
Acting belligerent and uncooperative won't help — it will come back to bite you. This is about more than just avoiding an arrest in the short term; it also benefits your defense: If you try to talk back or argue with the officer, you are giving the police more evidence, which can be used against you.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Redwood City?
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. The police can use other methods to determine whether or not you were safe to drive, probably using field sobriety tests, then make judgements based on that.
Once you've been arrested, 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:
- Suspension: Your license suspension can go into effect at the time of the arrest – when arrested, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. In the meantime, they are providing a record of the arrest to the Redwood City, CA, DMV, which updates their records to show your license as suspended.
- Arraignment: At some point when you're in jail, you will be summoned to a court hearing, and a prosecutor will tell you the exact laws you're charged with breaking.
- DMV Hearing: Even though you might feel overwhelmed by the criminal charges, you'll have just 10 days to begin the process of protecting your license.
- Pretrial Motions: You'll likely be given bail or released on your own recognizance. In the meantime, your Redwood City DUI defense attorney will file pretrial motions, likely including some to suppress evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have an independent lab examine your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: While working through pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will bargain with the Redwood City prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if you end up on trial in front of a judge, your attorney should be preparing now.
- Criminal Trial: Your case probably will not 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 turns out, 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 driver's license side. If you're facing a potential conviction, you can start with a call to our offices!
Redwood City DUI Allegations and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Redwood City, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: The criminal case and the administrative case. These will never be handled in the same hearing, but when you hire the right attorney, they can defend you in both cases.
Here are some things you need to know about both, and how we fight to protect your liberty and right to drive:
Redwood City, 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.
Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – after being formally told what crime you're being charged with, you'll likely be given terms of release and undergo pretrial procedures such as filing motions. As we mentioned above, trials are rare in DUI cases, but it is possible for them to reach that stage.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we provide expert defense and push back against the supposed wrongdoing. We'll argue whether the police had the justification needed to pull you over, display flaws in the officer's analysis, look for faults in laboratory examinations, and search for other witnesses or evidence that can present an alternate narrative.
If you're facing jail time in Redwood City, CA, our attorneys can help you avoid it. Often, we'll contact the district attorney on their behalf and negotiate a charge reduction, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also argue for probation to maintain your freedom.
Redwood City, 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 is automatically applied, and to successfully fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of being arrested.
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 entire DMV hearing is about whether or not you were legitimately arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused 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.
Outside of that ten-day window, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license back immediately. Outside of rare cases, you don't get an extra chance to request that hearing. This is why it's important to contact a Redwood City DUI defense attorney without delay after the traffic stop.
Redwood City DUI Sentences and Consequences
Redwood City, CA, DUI criminal penalties can permanently affect your life – while some are 'just' misdemeanors, you're still facing 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:
| Formal DUI 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 |
You'll also be facing significant collateral consequences, such as more expenses on your insurance and impacts on your employment.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences can turn your world upside down. 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 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 will be put on the same level as serious felonies when it comes to immigration consequenceses. For individuals working on the naturalization process, even if you aren't deported, it can set your efforts back by several years.
If you're a United States immigrant facing a DUI, you need to stay in the country and contact a Redwood City, CA, immigration lawyer immediately. 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 to keep you in the country, and offer expert advice as you apply for citizenship.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether your case ends in a conviction or an acquittal, you'll want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. You'll find, though, that your arrest and/or criminal record won't go away on its own. Depending on your case outcome, you may be eligible to either expunge or seal your records. Fortunately, if you're in Redwood City, CA, our DUI lawyers will also fight to protect you in this way, and give you an opportunity to clean your record.
How to Pick the Right DUI Defense Lawyer
Up against DUI charges? It's imperative to pick the right lawyer to defend your innocence. Your team needs the proficiency, history, and ties to give you opportunities for a positive outcome for your case. When looking for a DUI defense lawyer in Redwood City, CA, look for these signs:
- 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 police, totalling over five decades of experience with the law.
- Availability: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. Our lines are never off, and you can contact us 24/7.
- Relationships: You need connections to get a good plea deal. Our team will leverage our connections with the prosecutors in Redwood City 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 California.
- 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. 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 Redwood City
Criminal and administrative, whatever type of DUI charges you're fighting in Redwood City, CA – our DUI defense attorneys are prepared stand by you against the charges.
Below are some of the DUI case types 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 Strategies in Redwood City, CA
When you work with the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, your Redwood City, CA, DUI attorney will draw from years of experience with effective defense strategies. When fighting cases, here are some of the possible defenses we'll use.
Challenge the Legality of the Arrest
If law enforcement made a mistake while conducting their investigation, you might be able to secure a dismissal of the charges. This defense is relevant if, for example, the police officer did not properly calibrate the breathalyzer before administering the test, that evidence is invalid.
Flaws in BAC Tests
Many DUI cases center around a blood-alcohol content test. We will investigate whether or not the procedure was followed when administering the tests, push for tests to be redone, and advocate for you during the discovery process to identify flaws in the state's evidence.
Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'walk-and-turn,' are standard practice for police officers to use. 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
Perhaps the officer properly conducted a breathalyzer test, 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.
Get Immediate Help – Talk To Our Redwood City DUI Defense Attorneys AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
After a DUI arrest, it can feel like you barely have a chance to think. Your license is suspended, you might be interrogated, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to feel like there's no way forward. What you need to do is hire aRedwood City, CA, DUI lawyer immediately.
Don't give up and let the district attorney win. 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 Redwood City, CA DUI charges. We're standing by to answer your call right now and will work on a strategy to defend your license and your liberty now. Talk to one of our team members now at (800) 755-5174 or fill out our contact form online for a confidential case review.
We also provide the following legal services in Redwood City, CA:
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