Orange County DUI Lawyer Blog

A 31 year old man drove through the front window of a workout studio in Costa Mesa, going through the glass and into the opposite wall of the business. Luckily, it was after hours and no one was injured. Officers arrived on the scene to find the man wandering around the studio, stumbling and showing signs of intoxication. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Someone who is arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or DWI, will either be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor. First, second and third offenses are usually filed as misdemeanors. If, however, the driver is involved in an accident, kills or injures a person, or is arrested for a fourth DUI, the offense will be charged as a felony.

The penalties for misdemeanor DUI and felony DUI vary greatly. Someone being charged with a felony DUI faces a far greater punishment than someone being charged with a misdemeanor DUI.

An experienced Orange County drunk driving defense attorney will first try to determine whether, based on the facts, the charges will be filed as a misdemeanor or felony. If felony charges are filed, a good criminal defense attorney specializing in DUI, will try to get the charges reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. If the defendant agrees to plead guilty to the lesser charge, the punishment is far less harsh.

Continue reading " Costa Mesa Man Arrested for DUI After Crashing Into Workout Studio " »

Recent statistics have shown that there are approximately 13,000 DUI arrests in Orange County alone, out of nearly 200,000 in the State of California. In some years, more than 90 percent of Orange County DUI arrests refult in conviction.

A conviction of DUI carries severe and long lasting effects on a person's life. An experienced DUI defense attorney can help to minimize the consequences of being arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

DUI, or driving under the influence, charges are typically charged as misdemeanors. However, some DUI's can be charged as felonies. A DUI that is charged as a Felony DUI, usually involves DUI manslaughter; DUI causing serious injury; 3rd DUI conviction within 10 years; and 4th DUI conviction at any time. Drunk drivers who cause injury, or DUI with injury is sometimes referred to as a "wobbler" charge, which means that it can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor. However, prosecutors typically pursue the charge that carries the most punishment. An experienced criminal defense attorney, or DUI defense attorney, will have the knowledge and experience that is necessary to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor. A conviction of felony DUI carries a much more serious punishment than a misdemeanor DUI. A misdemeanor first offense DUI can be punishable by up to six months in the county jail, whereas a felony DUI can carry a year or more in state prison sentence.

Most individuals arrested for DUI or Drunk Driving are employed and have families that depend on them. If convicted of Driving Under the Influence and sentenced to serve time in jail, this can be an enormous burden on one's family and can jeopardize the job that provides the income for the family. For this reason, alternative sentencing is something that should be considered.

If you have been convicted of a DUI in Orange County, there are options for alternative sentencing. Some of these include:

Community Service: An experienced DUI attorney in Orange County should attempt to work with the DA and the Judge to lower the charges in exchange for doing community service.

CalTrans Work Program: The CalTrans Work Program is another option, generally set as a condition of probation. The CalTrans Work Program involves cleaning up litter along the roadways, clearing brush and cleaning graffiti where needed.

Sober Living Programs: As an alternative to jail, a good DUI Attorney will suggest a sober living program rather than jail. These programs provide housing, alcohol and drug counseling, education and employment assistance.

House Arrest with Electronic Monitoring: House arrest or home confinement allows an individual to continue their regular activities, such as going to work, attending school and caring for children or other family members.

Private Jail or Work Furlough: There are a few private jails in Orange County that often allow work furlough privileges and are a nicer alternative to county jail. These facilities can be expensive but much less disruptive to one's life.

Continue reading " Orange County California DUI Statistics " »

Tustin Police Department will be conducting a DUI checkpoint Friday from the hours of 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. Police Officers conducting the checkpoints will be looking for drivers who are driving without a valid California Driver's License and driving under the influence.

DUI Checkpoints, also known as, Sobriety Checkpoints, are roadblocks, set up temporarily on public streets, to catch drunk drivers and to cite others for Vehicle Code violations. The police departments conducting these checkpoints must adhere to strict guidelines, which have been established by the Courts. Anyone who is arrested for DUI, at a sobriety checkpoint, should contact an experienced Orange County California DUI attorney to determine whether the checkpoint was conducted according to the guidelines. If the police department conducting the checkpoint did not follow the guidelines properly, the checkpoint is determined to be unlawful and any evidence obtained during the arrest may not be admissible in Court.

The guidelines for conducting a DUI Checkpoint are as follows: 1) The establishment and location of the checkpoints must be decided by supervisory police officers, not officers in the field; 2) Police must use a neutral mathematical formula, such as every driver or every third, fifth, or tenth driver to determine who to stop; 3) Proper lighting, warning signs and signals, and clearly identifiable official vehicles are required; 4) The location chosen must be most effective in actually stopping drunk drivers, such as roads which have a high incidence of alcohol-related accidents and arrests; 5) The time and duration of sobriety checkpoints are also important; 6) High visibility is required so that the drivers can easily see the nature of the roadblock; 7) Each motorist stopped should be detained only long enough for the officer to question the driver briefly and to look for signs of intoxication; and 8) Sobriety checkpoints must be announced to the public in advance.

The Supreme Court has also stated that motorists who want to avoid a roadblock may do so and not be subjected to being detained merely because they attempted to avoid the roadblock. The motorist must have committed a vehicle code violation or displayed obvious signs of intoxication for there to be probable cause to pull the motorist over.

Anyone who is arrested at a DUI checkpoint in Orange County should contact an experienced Orange County DUI Criminal Defense Attorney to determine whether or not their Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures, were violated.

Continue reading " Tustin DUI Checkpoints Scheduled For Friday " »

A 23-year-old Costa Mesa man has been charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly sped through a red light in Santa Ana and struck a car in which a 20-year-old woman was a passenger. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crime of Felony DUI falls into three categories: vehicular homicide, manslaughter or second-degree murder. Vehicular homicide is charged when, as a result of ordinary negligence, a death occurs. Manslaughter with gross negligence is charged when the death is the result of criminal negligence. Criminal negligence, as it relates to drunk driving basically means that the individual had the knowledge that their actions were likely to result in death. Second-degree murder can be charged when there is a death and the person who was drinking and driving acted with "implied malice" or a conscious disregard for life. Second-degree murder is not usually charged in a DUI / DWI case because it is difficult to establish implied malice.

However, if the person has prior DUI convictions, the prosecution can use this to establish that the defendant knew the dangers of drunk driving. In Orange County, when a person pleads guilty to DUI, they must admit in court or in writing, that they understand the dangers of drunk driving, this is known as a "Watson Warning". The prosecution can use this as evidence if they decide to prosecute for second-degree murder.

Vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, with gross negligence can result in the following penalties: UP to 1 year in county jail, or 4,6, or 10 years in state prison. However, with one or more priors, it can be 15 years to life in state prison.

Vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, without gross negligence caries the penalties of up to 1 year in county jail, or 16 months, 2 or 4 years in state prison.

Fortunately, there are defenses to Felony DUI, or Vehicular Manslaughter While Intoxicated. In this situation, a good Orange County DUI Attorney should look at the possible defenses to vehicular manslaughter. Challenging the validity of the breath or blood test results, as well as challenging police procedures and/or misconduct must always be looked at. Some other defenses to Vehicular Manslaughter while Intoxicated include: Rather than gross negligence, that the defendant acted with regular negligence; that the negligence what not what caused the death. That the acts of another person or forces beyond your control such as road conditions or weather were the cause of the accident and/or death. Accident Reconstruction Experts are often used when this type of defense is being offered.

A conviction for Felony DUI can carry long lasting effects on a person’s life and for that reason, it is important for anyone facing this type of conviction, to have experienced legal representation. A good Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney, who has expertise in DUI arrests, will make every effort to have the charges reduced. A key factor in choosing a DUI attorney in Orange County, is to look for an attorney who is familiar with the Court in which the case is pending, as well as the other Courts in Orange County. A good relationship with the Judges, District Attorneys, Court Clerks and other personnel can influence a positive outcome and ensure that you get the best possible result.

Anyone who has been arrested for Felony DUI, Driving Under the Influence or Drunk Driving, needs an attorney who is skilled and will gather the appropriate evidence, know how to use it intelligently and efficiently, and render the best possible outcome for their client.

Continue reading " Costa Mesa Man Charged With 2nd Degree Murder For DUI Death " »

Driving Under the Influence or DUI is considered a serious offense in California and the Prosecution pursues the penalties and punishments seriously. Recent statistics have shown that there are approximately 13,000 DUI arrests in Orange County alone.


A conviction for DUI can carry long lasting effects on a person’s life and for that reason, it is important for anyone facing a DUI conviction, to have experienced legal representation. A good Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney, who has expertise in DUI arrests, will make every effort to have the charges reduced and/or dismissed. A key factor in choosing an attorney is to look for an attorney who is familiar with the Court in which the case is pending, as well as the other Courts in Orange County. A good relationship with the Judges, District Attorneys, Court Clerks and other personnel can influence a positive outcome and ensure that you get the best possible result.

DUI, or driving under the influence, charges are typically charged as misdemeanors. However, some DUI's can be charged as felonies. A DUI that is charged as a Felony DUI, usually involves DUI manslaughter; DUI causing serious injury; 3rd DUI conviction within 10 years; and 4th DUI conviction at any time. Drunk drivers who cause injury, or DUI with injury is sometimes referred to as a "wobbler" charge, which means that it can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor. However, prosecutors typically pursue the charge that carries the most punishment. An experienced criminal defense attorney, or DUI defense attorney, will have the knowledge and experience that is necessary to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor. A conviction of felony DUI carries a much more serious punishment than a misdemeanor DUI. A misdemeanor first offense DUI can be punishable by up to six months in the county jail, whereas a felony DUI can carry a year or more in state prison sentence.

An experienced DUI Defense Attorney will look closely at the police report and at the conduct of the investigating officers. Specifically, any misconduct or violation of rights must be taken into consideration. Further, if a field sobriety test was performed, and this is what the arrest was based on, it should be challenged due to the fact that field sobriety tests are subjective, basically the opinion of the officer performing the test. If a roadside Breathalyzer is used, this must also be looked at carefully as the results are unreliable and there are too many ways to skew the results. The law does require that anyone being arrested for suspicion of DUI must take a chemical test. Blood or breath, at the police station, are the two choices. However, there is no legal obligation for anyone to perform a field sobriety test. If a breath test was used at the police station, the maintenance logs of the breath machine need to be examined. If blood was taken, the attorney may want to employ the services of an expert to perform a “Blood Split”, which can help determine the blood alcohol level at the time of the stop rather than at the time the blood was taken. This can sometimes result in a lower blood alcohol level.

Anyone who has been arrested for DUI, Driving Under the Influence or Drunk Driving, needs an attorney who is skilled and will gather the appropriate evidence, know how to use it intelligently and efficiently, and render the best possible outcome for their client.

Continue reading " Defending a DUI Charge in Orange County, California " »

DUI, or driving under the influence, charges are typically charged as misdemeanors. However, some DUI's can be charged as felonies. A DUI that is charged as a Felony DUI, usually involves DUI manslaughter; DUI causing serious injury; 3rd DUI conviction within 10 years; and 4th DUI conviction at any time. Drunk drivers who cause injury, or DUI with injury is sometimes referred to as a "wobbler" charge, which means that it can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor. However, prosecutors typically pursue the charge that carries the most punishment. An experienced drunk driving defense attorney, or DUI defense attorney, will have the knowledge and experience that is necessary to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor.

A conviction of felony DUI carries a much more serious punishment than a misdemeanor DUI. A misdemeanor first offense DUI can be punishable by up to six months in the county jail, whereas a felony DUI can carry a year or more in state prison sentence.

In Orange County California, being under 21 and driving with a blood alcool of 0.01% or greater subjects you to the penalties under California's "Zero Tolerance Law". This means that even if you have only one drink, you may be found guilty of the offense. You do not need to be found to be "under the influence", only that you consumed some measure of alcohol. Penalties for a minor being convicted of DUI vary according to the circumstances. Violating California Vehicle Code 23140 is an infraction and therefore not filed as a misdemeanor or felony. However, certain circumstances can cause the punishment to be more severe. Possible sentences include three to five years of informal probation; $390.00 to $1,000.00 in fines; up to one year in county jail; mandatory court-appointed alcohol class; and a six month driver's license suspension.

The Department of Motor Vehicles has it's own punishments/consequences for minor's drinking and driving. If a minor violates the Zero Tolerance Law he or she will lose their driver's license for one year, be required to attend and complete a minimum three month alcohol program; and possibly be ordered to participate in a "Youthful Drunk Driving Violation Program". Participation in this program includes a visit to an E.R., the coroner's office or a chemical dependency recovery center.

Anyone charged with misdemeanor DUI or Felony DUI, should seek to hire an experienced DUI Defense Attorney, specializing in Drunk Driving Defense. An experienced Orange County, CA DUI defense lawyer should aggressively pursue and develope a strategy to defend your felony (or misdemeanor) DUI case and work to minimize all the negative consequences.

Continue reading " Felony DUI and Under Age DUI " »

Orange County law enforcement agencies conducted a campaign to crack down on drivers driving under the influence over the Memorial Day holiday. The campaign was carried out by the multiagency anti-DUI task force known as "Avoid the 38," which includes the Sheriff's Department, local police departments, and the California Highway Patrol.

148 people were arrested on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence through checkpoints and saturation patrols conducted in Irvine, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Tustin and other Orange County cities, These checkpoints were conducted from Friday through Monday evening. During last year's enforcement period, 139 DUI arrests were made.

DUI Roving Saturation Patrols and DUI Checkpoints have become new tools in the Orange County Sheriff's Department's efforts to crack down on drunk drivers. However, law enforcement officials believe that roving patrols are more effective than DUI checkpoints because the deputies working the roving patrols are trained specifically to identify impaired or intoxicated drivers and look specifically for signs of impairment. The California Office of Traffic Safety funds these roving patrols.

There are many organizations however that believe that the sobriety checkpoints and special patrols are becoming profitable operations for local police departments. The DUI checkpoints specifically are more likely to seize cars from unlicensed motorists than catch drunk drivers. According to the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley with California Watch, impounds at checkpoints in 2009 generated an estimated $40 million in towing fees and police fines, money that cities divide with the towing firms. In addition, the officers working the DUI checkpoints received about $30 million in overtime pay.

Whether it is a DUI checkpoint or a roving patrol, there is no doubt that arresting officers constantly make mistakes. Breathalyzers and field sobriety tests are unreliable in that the breathalyzers results are easily manipulated and the field sobriety tests are strictly subjective. Although the officers who conduct the roving saturation patrols are "trained to look for signs of impairment", they are not experts; they are human beings capable of making mistakes and misjudging.

Anyone who has been arrested for a DUI at a sobriety checkpoint or as a result of a roving saturation patrol should contact an experienced DUI Defense Attorney. A good Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney, specializing in DUI's will examine the stop, the tests administered and the details surrounding the arrest to determine whether or not the arresting agency followed proper procedures.