DUI Lawyer Paramount. DUI law in Paramount is complex. This isn't just an administrative issue; criminal charges can result in prison, fines, and additional harsh penalties. You can face DUI charges even for just refusing to take the tests, and by declining, you could face even harsher penalties. And while the same CA law covers DUIs involving alcohol and other drugs, the defense strategies can be wildly different.
If you find yourself in this situation, you need someone in your corner. Trying to defend yourself against the charges is a battle you need a team behind you for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here to fight for your rights.
We are California's best DUI defense lawyers and have over 50 years of combined courtroom experience. When you retain us, you're getting a team of experienced, high-quality lawyers who know how to operate the Paramount, CA, judicial system and find the best result for your case.
While you're hesitating, the odds are stacking up against you. Speak with one of our attorneys as soon as possible at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online to start putting together your defense today.
Paramount, CA, DUI Lawyer Traffic Stop Tips:
Nobody gets excited when they see red and blue flashing lights behind them, but knowing how to handle the situation is important for all Paramount, CA, residents. Below are four tips from a Paramount, CA, DUI Lawyer for you which can protect you from arrests and charges:
Tip #1: Be Prepared With Your Documents
After being pulled over, but before the police officer approaches your car, grab your license, vehicle registration, and insurance documentation. Dropping them or failing to find them could just be a result of stress, but it can give the impression that you're impaired. By keeping these documents on hand, you avoid that risk.
Tip #2: Be Silent When Alcohol Is Smelled
You never need to answer a question that might incriminate you. You have Fifth Amendment protections during the entirety of your interactions with the law. Protect yourself by keeping quiet until your lawyer arrives.
Tip #3: Refuse Voluntary Tests
California does not require the majority of people to participate in field sobriety tests, and in fact, you can often refuse without penalty. The two main exceptions are if you are under the age of 21, and/or if you are on probation. Refusing won't force the officer to let you go, but on its own, there aren't any penalties for refusing. However, you cannot legally refuse a BAC test once you are in custody, without losing your driving privileges.
Tip #4: Respect the Law Enforcement Officer
Refusing to cooperate with the police won't improve your case — it will increase your chances of getting in trouble. This is about more than just avoiding an arrest in the short term; it also benefits your defense: Any time you open your mouth, whether or not the police asked you a question, you are giving the police more evidence, which can be used against you.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Paramount?
California DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you independant of your blood alcohol concentration, or even if you aren't tested at all. This is because the officer can make a subjective judgment about whether you are impaired or not, likely via field sobriety tests, then decide whether or not to arrest you based on that.
As soon as you're arrested, the CA legal system automatically begins the process for both a license suspension and criminal charges. You can expect the following steps to play out in your case:
- Suspension: Your license suspension can start the minute the officer arrests you – at that time, you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and you will lose your regular license (at least for now). While you're processing this, the police are ensuring that the arrest is added to your DMV record, which means your license is officially suspended.
- Arraignment: At some point when you're in jail, you will attend a hearing, and a prosecutor will inform you of the charges against you.
- DMV Hearing: Even though you might feel overwhelmed by the criminal charges, you'll want to set up a DMV hearing within 10 days to protect your license.
- Pretrial Motions: Often, at the same time as your arraignment, the court will set conditions for your release, pending a trial. Meanwhile, your Paramount DUI defense expert will be filing motions, including motions to suppress evidence, and a "blood split" motion to have another test run on your blood sample.
- Negotiations With the Prosecutor: Alongside pretrial motions, your DUI defense lawyer will bargain with the Paramount prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if it does go to trial, your attorney should be refining a defense strategy now.
- Criminal Trial: It's unlikely that your DUI case will go to trial, but at the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we're prepared to fight for your freedom in front of a jury, no matter what .
- Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how you plea or are found, you may face a punishment. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, our record clearing attorneys can help you get a fresh start.
Our DUI legal experts can help you with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and administrative side. No matter where you are in your case, you can start with a call to our offices!
Paramount DUI: Fighting Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings
Paramount, CA, DUI charges include two separate fights: The criminal case and the DMV case. These are handled separately by the state, but both cases can be fought by the same DUI defense lawyer.
Here are important factors for both case types, and what our attorneys will do for your freedom and driving privileges:
Paramount, CA, DUI Criminal Charges
Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges. And that means you'll have to go to Paramount, CA, court.
If you're familiar with the process of other criminal charges, DUI cases follow the same format – after being formally told what crime you're being charged with, you'll likely be given terms of release and undergo pretrial procedures such as filing motions. As we mentioned above, trials are rare in DUI cases, but it is possible for them to reach that stage.
At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we protect your rights and dissect the accusations. We'll debate the legality of the traffic stop, display flaws in the officer's analysis, look for contaminations or errors in blood, breath, or urine tests, and hunt for other evidence that can show the events in a more favorable light.
We have an extremely strong track record of clients who have avoided jail time in Paramount, CA. Often, we'll plea bargain for a reduction of the charges, typically to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll also work to give you an alternative to jail, in the form of probation.
Paramount, CA, DUI License Suspension
While it might be tempting to focus exclusively on the criminal case, you also need to consider the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension is independent of the criminal case, and to effectively fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of being arrested.
In many cases, the status of your criminal case doesn't have a huge impact on the DMV hearing. In fact, no matter what the court decision was, it won't automatically give you back your license. Instead, the focus of this hearing is whether or not you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to blow, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you hire us, we'll question the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.
Outside of that ten-day window, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license back immediately. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to request that hearing. This is why it's essential to contact a Paramount DUI defense lawyer immediately after being arrested.
DUI Punishments in Paramount
Paramount, CA, DUI criminal penalties can be harsh – while many are considered misdemeanors, you could still be sentenced to a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.
In this table, you can review the different penalties you could be fighting against, depending on the nature of the allegations:
| Formal DUI Charge | Jail/Prison Time | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| First Time DUI | 48 Hours to 6 Months | Up to $1,000 |
| Second Time DUI | 96 Hours to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| Third Time DUI | 120 Days to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| Fourth Time DUI (Felony) | 16 Months to 3 Years | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Injury (Misdemeanor) | Up to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Injury (Felony) | Up to 4 Years | Up to $5,000 |
| DUI Manslaughter (Misdemeanor) | Up to 1 Year | Up to $1,000 |
| DUI Manslaughter (Felony) | 4, 6 or 10 Years | Up to $10,000 |
Beyond the Paramount, CA legal sentence collateral consequences, such as more expenses on your insurance and barriers between you and professional licenses.
DUIs and Immigration
DUI immigration consequences have the potential to be life-altering. If this is the first time you've been accused of driving under the influence, you probably won't face removal proceedings. The bad news is that if certain circumstances apply, like DUIs causing injury or repeat offenses, you can qualify for deportation. What's worse, if H.R.875 passes, any DUI conviction will qualify an immigrant for deportation. If you are currently applying to become a U.S. citizen, even if you aren't deported, it hurts your application process.
If any of the above situations apply to you, don't panic: Call one of our Paramount, CA, immigration lawyers to get immediate help. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we know that you need someone who has knowledge of both immigration and criminal law. We have both: We'll explore diversion programs that will protect you from the harshest outcomes, fight against removal proceedings, and guide you through your citizenship application.
After the Case: Expungement/Sealing
Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you'll want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. You'll find, though, that your arrest and/or criminal record can cause some major issues for your life. Depending on your case outcome, there's a chance you're eligible to either expunge or seal your records. Fortunately, if you're in Paramount, CA, our DUI lawyers will also fight to protect you in this way, and give you a path to clean your record.
Important Qualities You Need in a Paramount, CA DUI Attorney
When you're facing DUI charges, it's essential to pick the right lawyer to take your case. Your team needs the proficiency, preparation, and relationships to offer the best possible outcome for your case. When looking for a DUI defense lawyer in Paramount, CA, look for these signs:
- Experience: Ideally from multiple sides of the legal system. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, our DUI lawyers have previous experience as judges, district attorneys, and police, totalling more than five decades of experience.
- Availability: You should be able to get help fast, whenever you need it. We're available 24/7.
- Relationships: You need connections to get a good plea deal. We're familiar with the prosecutors in Paramount and all throughout CA.
- Reputation: Not just with clients and friends, but also amongst their peers. We're proud to have received numerous accolades and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in California.
- Track Record of Success: You don't want to trust your case to someone who doesn't know how to win it. Our attorneys do. In fact, 95% of our DUI cases result in no jail time.
Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. If you're ready to join our list of successes, call now.
DUI Case Types We Take On in Paramount
It doesn't matter what kind of DUI you're facing in Paramount, CA – our DUI defense attorneys are prepared to defend you against the charges.
This is a list of the DUI charges we have experience defending:
- Boating Under the Influence
- Breathalyzer Test
- Commercial Driver CDL DUI
- Disorderly Conduct
- Disturbing the Peace
- DMV Hearing Defense
- Driving with a Suspended License
- Driving Without a License
- Driving Without Insurance
- Drug DUI
- Drunk in Public
- DUI Alcohol
- DUI Accident Defense
- DUI and Professional Licenses in California
- DUI Blood Test Defense
- DUI Causing Injury
- DUI Checkpoint Defense Attorney
- DUI Defense Costs
- DUI Expungement in California
- DUI Immigration Consequences
- DUI in Construction Zones and School Zones
- DUI License Reinstatement
- DUI Probation Violation
- DUI Process – What to Expect
- DUI Marijuana
- DUI Prescription Drugs
- DUI Refusal Cases
- DUI Trial – Jury Trial Defense
- DUI Penalties
- DUI with Child Passenger
- Evasion
- Exhibition of Speed
- Felony DUI
- Field Sobriety Tests
- First-Time DUI
- Fourth DUI Felony Escalation
- Hit and Run
- Hit and Run DUI
- Hit and Run with Injury or Death
- Ignition Interlock Device Violations
- Illegal Traffic Stop – Probable Cause Defense
- Medical Conditions as a Defense to DUI
- Misdemeanor vs Felony DUI Overview
- Mouth Alcohol Defense to DUI
- Out-of-State DUI
- Public Intoxication
- Reckless Driving
- Rising Blood Alcohol Defense
- Street Racing
- Second Time DUI
- Third DUI California
- Title 17 Violation of Breath and Blood Test Procedures Defense
- Underage DUI
- Watson Murder / DUI Murder
- Wet Reckless
DUI Defense Strategies in Paramount, CA
Every DUI case needs a defensive strategy, and our Paramount, CA DUI defense lawyers are here to help you find the right one. There is no one-size-fits-all defensive strategy against DUI allegations, but below, we've listed out some of the most effective ones.
Challenge the Legitimacy of the Arrest
If the officer didn't have probable cause to pull you over, or made an error when interviewing you, we can argue for your case to be dismissed. This defense is relevant if, for example, the officer did not observe you for the full 15-minute period required before asking you to take a breath test.
Flaws in Blood, Breath, and/or Urine Tests
If you were arrested and given a breathalyzer, blood, or urine test, that can be the center of the prosecution's case. We will look into any potential procedural errors, retest when possible, and find any other mistakes law enforcement made that could exonerate you.
Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Field sobriety tests, like 'one-leg stand,' are standard practice for police officers to use. But ultimately, these are judgment calls on the part of the officer. An experienced Paramount, CA, DUI attorney will know how to dissect any records and provide additional context for your performance, such as the stress of the situation.
Explain BAC With Medical Conditions
Maybe there were no mistakes with your blood, breath, or urine test, and your BAC was over the legal limit. While this is can be difficult to overcome, it's not the end of your case. If you have a respiratory ailment, or another medical condition, that could impact how the breathalyzer measures your BAC, we will use that as a part of your defense.
Timing is Critical – Speak With Our Paramount DUI Defense Lawyers NOW
If you've been arrested or accused of a DUI in Paramount, CA, you'll hardly get a chance to catch your breath. Your license is suspended, a law enforcement official might be asking you hard questions, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to feel out of control. With everything going on, your best way out is to speak to aParamount, CA, DUI attorney right away.
Don't wait for the prosecution to build a case against you. Don't miss your chance for a DMV administrative hearing to protect your license. Don't just sit idly by while everything collapses. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.
We're experts at defending all Paramount, CA DUI charges. We're available to help right now and will begin protecting your license and searching for positive outcomes immediately. Talk to one of our team members now at (800) 755-5174 or set up an appointment online for a no-obligation case review.
We also provide the following legal services in Paramount, CA:
Payment Plans
