A DUI conviction means that you’ve been found guilty of either (1) driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or you’ve been found guilty of driving with a .08% or more blood alcohol concentration.

To be convicted, you either plead guilty at the Arraignment stage of the case, or you plead guilty during the pre-trial stage of the case, or a jury found you guilty after a Trial, meaning that the jurors determined that the government had proved their case against you beyond a reasonable doubt.  Continue reading “What is a DUI Conviction?” →

People often ask “what are the penalties for a DUI?

First, you need to know that the term ‘DUI’ is a generic term for ‘driving under the influence’.  In California, a DUI is broken down into the following charges, and a conviction of either of them is a DUI conviction: Continue reading “What are the Penalties for A DUI in California?” →

Getting arrested does not necessarily mean you are Guilty. The fact that you got arrested for a DUI can’t be changed; however, the goal now should be to do whatever you can to not get convicted of a DUI.

Continue reading “How do I get a DUI Dropped? You Fight it!” →

When you are arrested for an alcohol related DUI (VC23152(b)), there are two separate and independent proceedings that are going to happen.  First, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Driver Safety Office will take action against your driving privilege by trying to suspend your driver license.  You have 10 days from the date of arrest to request a hearing with the DMV to contest the suspension.  Note that if you are arrested for a drug related DUI (VC23152(f)) (no alcohol) the DMV will take no immediate action against your driving privilege. But if you are convicted of the drug related DUI, the DMV will suspend your license based on the conviction. Continue reading “What Happens in Court When Arrested for DUI?” →

Two Proceedings:

There are two separate and distinct proceedings that occur with every alcohol related DUI arrest.  First, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will take action against your driving privilege by trying to suspend your license.  Second, the District Attorney/City Attorney will try to punish you for breaking the law by filing criminal charges against you in Court. The following is a summary of each proceeding.

Keep in mind that even though both the DMV and Court proceedings arise from the same DUI arrest, each proceeding is independent from the other and each is handled differently. Continue reading “What happens when you get a DUI in California?” →