If you have had too much to drink without realizing it, you can be pulled over for a DUI and be in serious trouble. A DUI conviction can devastate your reputation, professional licensing, career, driver’s license, and freedom.
If you are facing charges for driving under the influence, you need the assistance of a highly skilled DUI attorney in West Hollywood. Do not try to fight the State of California alone. Contact Simmrin Law Group for a free consultation.
California DUI Laws
Whether or not regular drinking and driving rise to the level of a DUI is based on your level of blood alcohol concentration (“BAC”) at the time of the arrest. BAC is the percentage of your blood that is made up of alcohol. Your BAC can be determined by a breath test which is administered using a breathalyzer machine.
Having one drink and then driving a reasonable time after that drink likely will not land you in the hot seat of the law. It becomes unlawful when you drink to the point of intoxication. Whether or not you have reached this point is based on your BAC.
For people who are legally old enough to drink, you are legally intoxicated when your BAC reaches 0.08%, but if you are not legally old enough to drink, you are intoxicated when your BAC reaches just 0.01%. If you are already on DUI on DUI probation, the limit is also 0.01%. If you are operating a vehicle that requires a commercial driver’s license or driving passengers who paid you, like for Uber or a taxi, you are intoxicated if your BAC is 0.04% or higher.
For a free legal consultation with a Criminal Defense lawyer serving West Hollywood, call (310) 896-2723
Why Hiring a Lawyer Is Important
You have a Constitutional right to a lawyer under the 6th Amendment to the Constitution. It is important that you take full advantage of this right because DUI cases can be complicated and intimidating. Skilled and experienced DUI attorneys will already know defenses or strategies that can be used to help you.
Rather than doing a lot of extra research to determine these for yourself, allowing a legal professional to act on your behalf is wise. Further, even if you did research these legal issues, you might not be able to understand them. The law is very convoluted and is based on the constitution, laws passed by the state legislature, and court cases.
There is no centralized place to read the entire law, which is why a whole profession exists around practicing it. It is also true that there is a lot of bad advice and bad legal takes on the internet. Instead of falling into a trap, let a skilled attorney advocate for you.
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Possible Defenses to a DUI case
There are several defenses that you can raise in a DUI case. Most of these defenses are based on the police violating your rights, so it is important that you have a skilled attorney who can fight for your rights.
For example, you might raise the defense that the traffic stop that led to your arrest was unreasonable, as traffic stops must be based on probable cause that you have committed a crime. Similarly, some defenses might be based on improper police conduct, such as giving you a breathalyzer test when you do not show outward signs of drunkenness. It might also be possible to contest the accuracy of the breathalyzer machine itself.
Your DUI lawyer in West Hollywood will fight hard to defend your rights and ensure that any violation of your rights does not go unanswered. Contact a skilled and professional West Hollywood criminal defense lawyer to ensure your rights are not violated.
At every step during this process, your West Hollywood DUI attorney will assist you in making the best decisions for yourself and your case. At every step during this process, important decisions must be made. While you must ultimately make these decisions, you need the assistance of a West Hollywood DUI lawyer to help you make the right decisions.
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How the Police Catch Drunk Drivers
Most of the time, DUI arrests are made during traffic stops. This means that the police will probably suspect you of drunk driving before they make the stop. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified a list of “cues” for police to look out for. These cues include:
- Weaving, swerving, or drifting around in your lane;
- Stopping too quickly, or not in time, speeding up or slowing down at random, or even driving too slowly;
- Following other cars too closely;
- Making improper or unsafe lane changes, illegal or improper turns
- Failing to stay on the roadway, or slamming on the brakes in response to seeing a police officer
If an officer witnesses these cues, they might have probable cause to pull you over and give you a breathalyzer test. The breathalyzer is technically optional, but if you refuse to take it, you will be immediately arrested, and your driver’s license will immediately be suspended.
This is because California law is written so that you are automatically assumed to consent to the breathalyzer test. If you refuse to take it, you have violated the law, and the penalty for this violation is the immediate suspension of your driver’s license.
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Contact a DUI Lawyer in West Hollywood
Being convicted of a DUI can be devastating. It can be embarrassing, costly, robbing you of your driving privileges, or even landing in jail. Accidents happen, and you deserve fantastic representation.
When you need someone in your corner, you need the assistance of a highly skilled West Hollywood DUI attorney. If you are arrested for driving under the influence, contact Simmrin Law Group for a free consultation. Don’t fight the State of California all alone – let skilled attorneys fight hard for you.
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form