DUI Lawyer Los Angeles

If you have been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

• Did you know that the DMV will automatically suspend your license for 120 days?
• Did you know that you CANNOT get a restricted license to drive to and from work or school for the entire 120 days? Did you know you will NOT be able to drive for a minimum of 30 days? Did you know there are NO exceptions?
• Did you know you only have 10 days from your arrest to contact DMV to either temporarily extend your driving privilege, request a hearing, or forever give up your right to fight your license suspension?
• Did you know that if you are caught driving on a suspended license because of a DUI you will AUTOMATICALLY serve 10 days in jail for the first offense and 30 days for a second time…..NO EXCEPTIONS?
• If you are under 21, the DMV will automatically suspend your license for a full year unless you have a critical need to drive.

You need to immediately call Attorney Todd Melnik to protect your rights.
A criminal case will be filed against you in addition to what the DMV does to your license.

Important things to know about DUI cases if convicted:

Your insurance rates will skyrocket or your insurance may drop you.
The DMV and Court will make you attend an alcohol education program.
Your court fines will run a minimum of $1500 – $3500 depending on the county
The higher your blood alcohol level the higher the penalties – lawyers can help!
You may have to go to the morgue as a condition of probation!
You will be placed on probation from a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of 5 years.
If you violate your probation, you could go to jail, especially if you are driving on a suspended license.
A DUI stays on your record for 10 years.
A second DUI will cause you to lose your license for 18 months.
A third DUI in ten years is a minimum 120 days in jail.

ISSUES in DUI cases:

Did the Officer have true probable cause to pull you over and initiate a traffic stop?
Were the alcohol devices working properly?
Were the alcohol devices calibrated properly?
Did you pass the field sobriety tests but “fail” the breathalyzer?
Did the officer wait the required amount of time between arrest and blowing into the Breathalyzer?
Was the blood sample taken with an alcohol swab or non-alcohol swab to clean the injection site?
Was the chain of custody preserved with the blood sample?
Why will I be charged with 2 charges?
Can I get a “wet reckless”?

Here in California, DUI defendants are usually charged with violating two different statutes: California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a), and also Vehicle Code Section 23152 (b). The first section, known to DUI attorneys as the “A” count, pertains to driving while a person’s physical or mental faculties are impaired by alcohol (or drugs) to the extent that they are “unable to drive their car with the same caution and characteristics of a sober person, of ordinary prudence, under the same or similar circumstances.” The second charge of “B” count charges you with having a blood alcohol reading of .08% or more of alcohol in your blood stream.

DUI’s are charged this way for a specific reason. Some people are impaired with very low alcohol levels, and the “A” count allows prosecutors to convict them without having a high blood alcohol level. The “B” count allows people who can handle their alcohol and may not necessarily be impaired on Field Sobriety tests, to be found guilty if they have a blood alcohol level of .08 even if they don’t show any signs of intoxication.

Drunk-driving convictions are eligible for post-conviction expungements.

When to Call a Los Angeles DUI Defense Attorney

The day after your arrest is a good place to start. There are certain time limits with the DMV, and hearings need to be set and stays of suspension granted and discovery requested. Sound confusing? Not for Mr. Melnik. Call him to preserve your rights and to defend you aggressively against the DMV and in court.

If you’re arrested for a DUI, you will be given a date to show up in court. You will also have your driver’s license confiscated and be given a temporary driving permit. DUI defense attorneys can file the necessary paperwork that will help you keep your privileges. A DUI defense attorney will also appear with you in the courtroom and may have the ability to help keep you out of jail.

A DUI defense attorney will analyze all the reports, including police and accident reports, breath test reports, and medical reports, if needed. DUI defense attorneys understand the complex laws and regulations relating to this offense, but they also know how to beat some of these cases. DUI defense lawyers may be able to get some of the evidence thrown out if it was obtained illegally.

A DUI defense attorney will speak for you against these charges, in addition to any others that might have developed out of this case. If you have had a DUI in the past, your DUI defense lawyer may have a more difficult time attempting to save your driving rights.

Your DUI attorney is unquestionably one of the most important calls you’ll make after your arrest. Do not hold off until you show up in court. Call today for one of the finest DUI defense attorneys you could find.
Arrested for DUI in Los Angeles?

Police officers repeatedly make mistakes, and machines can breakdown, and technical errors do occur. We uncover these errors and discrepancies and use them to cast reasonable doubt on your guilt. We challenge every aspect of the prosecution’s case, including:

•   The police officer’s reason for the traffic stop
•   The officer’s training on field sobriety tests
•   Probable cause for the arrest
•   Accuracy of the breathalyzer test
•   Accuracy of blood alcohol content (BAC) tests

This data is used in negotiations with the prosecutor or at trial. As a result of our preparation and determination, we frequently have the ability to have drunk driving charges reduced or dismissed.

At your cost-free and confidential consultation, you will learn about all of your legal alternatives, defenses and just how we will work to skillfully ready your defense and effectively solve your legal problem.