Professional DUI Attorney Torrance
Did you get DUI for weed? Were you driving after partying at a friend's house? Even though the idea of you getting a DUI may seem farfetched, it is a reality for many people who drive impaired. If arrested, you need a top-rated DUI attorney to defend you in court and represent you with the DMV. I have a combined 35+ years of law enforcement and criminal defense experience and it is estimated I have handled over 1,000 DUI matters.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is a serious offense that could have permanent consequences on your life. You could serve jail time, your driving record and privileges will be negatively impacted, and you could have your license suspended for a year or more. You need an attorney with a thorough law enforcement and legal backgrounds to recognize when the police make mistakes in their reports, when administering chemical tests, and when they lack the probable cause for a traffic stop. The Law Office of Mark A. Velez is here to represent you and give you peace of mind. With over 30 years of law enforcement experience, we know how to analyze DUI arrests and spot mistakes made by law enforcement, which could mean a dismissal of your case.
California DUI Laws And Penalties
California DUI laws are some of the most stringent. The officer may signal you to stop, have you take field sobriety tests (FSTs) and ask you to blow into a handheld breathalyzer. If the officer believes you are over the 0.08%, limit, you will be arrested for drunk driving (DUI). Then you are required to submit to a chemical test. The California DUI penalties depend on whether it is your first, second, and third or subsequent DUI, if there are injuries, if there is an accident, etc.
When appearing at court we will review the police reports and look for loopholes and errors in the reports. We will fight to get your matter dismissed.
The first and second offenses are considered misdemeanors, while second and third offenses may be charged as felonies. Here is how each degree of offense gets you penalized:
1. The first offense is considered a misdemeanor, so long as you did not injure anyone. You may get $2,000 in fine, 48 hours in jail, several months of a suspended license, take a driver safety course, attend AA meetings, and be on probation for several years.
2. If you get into an accident and someone is injured, then you will be charged with a felony. As for the seriousness of penalties, you can get more jail time, pay more in fines, be required to take a longer driver safety class (9 or 18 months), AA meetings, and forced to take additional classes and programs.
The DMV Proceedings And License Suspension
What to do after you got a DUI? You must first contact the Law Office of Mark A. Velez for representation. We will contact the DMV within 10 days and start the fight for your license. We will contact the DMV and scheduled a hearing as soon as possible. We know the criminal process and the DMV administrative process well and will fight for you to keep your license.
We will walk you through what happens in the DMV hearings and the possible consequences. We will conduct the session for you, where you may not be asked to attend the hearing. Our goal is to defend your license suspension.
As per the California DUI laws, your case proceeds to DMV hearing if your DUI included alcohol. In case you have got a marijuana DUI, your case might not require a DMV hearing. However, if your license gets suspended, then driving without it counts as a crime and you might have to serve jail time, put on probation, and your license may be suspended.
How We Help You
A DUI arrest or conviction can have severe consequences, but that doesn't mean you have to be caught in it for long periods. Mark A. Velez is your high-profile DUI attorney Torrance who will guide you through the entire process with transparency and will use his expertise to rest the case in your favor. Given his vast exposure to law enforcement, Mark is quite familiar with the California DUI laws and can keenly detect the errors to get you free and stress-less.