DUI News & Articles
California’s New DUI Laws: What Drivers Need to Know
On September 25, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed four bills that strengthen California’s response to repeat DUI offenses. AB 1546, SB 907, AB 1685 and AB 1687 address felony charging, warnings given during plea agreements, certain hit-and-run penalties and consequences for driving privileges. For drivers in Riverside County, San Bernardino County and throughout California, the timing matters: some changes begin January 1, 2027, while others become operative in 2031. AB 1546: A Third DUI May Become a Felony Beginning January 1, 2027, AB 1546 makes a third qualifying DUI offense within ten years a “wobbler”—an offense that may be prosecuted as either a misdemeanor or felony. A fourth qualifying offense remains a wobbler, while a fifth or subsequent qualifying offense becomes a straight felony. The felony sentencing range under these provisions is sixteen months, two years or three years under Penal Code section 1170(h), ordinarily served in county jail unless a statutory exclusion applies. A felony classification does not mean every defendant will receive the maximum sentence. Qualifying priors can include DUI, DUI causing injury and certain alcohol-related reckless driving convictions commonly called “wet reckless.” The relevant statutes [...]
I Got a DUI – What do I do Now?
First, get emotionally prepared Getting arrested for a DUI can be a traumatic experience for most people. Getting arrested for a DUI can leave the arrested person with deep and conflicting feelings that can range from humiliation, fear, shame, regret, and even anger; the arrested person can experience depression and even self-loathing. Feelings of desperation and simply not knowing what to do next are common. […]
DUI Defense Checklist
A DUI can happen to anyone. – A DUI arrest can happen to anyone. Thousands of people are arrested for DUI each month throughout the State of California. Although each DUI arrest is unique in its specific details and circumstances, the following is a typical DUI arrest scenario. Note that men and women are equally arrested for DUI every day. The use of the pronouns ‘he/him/his’ below are used for writing clarity, however they refer to all genders. […]
Twelve Tips to Avoid a DUI Conviction
The holiday season is upon us, and with it usually comes a lot of good cheer. Family and friends get together to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the season. Office parties are a plenty during this festive time of year. There always seems to be plenty of food and spirits available for everyone to enjoy. […]
What are My Rights During a Traffic Stop?
People often ask, “what are my rights if I get stopped by the police?” Provide Driver License, Car Registration, Proof of Insurance: First of all, the officer will likely ask to see your car registration, your driver license and proof of insurance. By law, you are obligated to provide those items to the officer. But other than that, you don’t have any obligations to answer the officer’s questions or to do anything else for that matter. […]
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your Body?
On average, the liver takes one hour to metabolize one ounce of alcohol. Matabolism is the process by which the body removes the alcohol from the blood system by way of the liver. The body follows a straightforward process when processing alcohol. The length of time alcohol stays in the system has more to do with how much a person drinks than any other factors. If you’ve ever had more than your “fair share” of drinks, you may recall a point where the “buzz” started to turn bad. […]
What is a DUI Conviction?
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. […]
What are the Penalties for A DUI in California?
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: […]
Do I need a DUI Lawyer?
First, you need to determine what your goal is. If your goal is to not get convicted of a DUI, then you better have an expert DUI lawyer defending you. Because having an unskilled lawyer representing you is akin to doing nothing at all to defend yourself. And if you do nothing, you can bet that you will be convicted of a DUI and your driver license will be suspended. […]
How do I get a DUI Dropped? You Fight it!
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. […]
