In Los Angeles, California, would it really help if law enforcement officers would be tough in DUI arrests or it would not make any difference?

Nico

Los Angeles, CA

Car culture, obviously, increases in Los Angeles, California so vehicle sales have been shooting through the roof. A lot of people are owning a car and one problem with it is that the roads are not correspondingly increasing. But if this would happen, everyone will be driving like those F1 drivers on the roads. There are also those drunken motorists who drive breakneck speeds in the middle of the city. As we all very well know, drinking and driving would never go hand in hand. A motorist could be convicted for DUI if the blood alcohol level is 0.08% or more.

This would simply put tremendous social pressure on the law enforcement agencies to make the necessary DUI arrests. After all, driving under the influence is a criminal offense and could be considered a social menace. This would somehow force the law enforcement agencies to get tough on DUI arrests. In my honest opinion, getting tough in DUI arrests are being beneficial in slowly, but still, reducing the social problem.

My son just got arrested for DUI . We decided to hire a DUI lawyer and my husband is the one who usually deals with the lawyer regarding my son’s case. What are the possible defenses that he could have on his DUI case?

Monica

Los Angeles, CA

There are many lawyers in Los Angeles, California, but there are only few who are well experienced in DUI cases. I hope the lawyer that you got to defend your son on his DUI charge has a lot to boast on defending DUI cases. A good DUI lawyer knows every aspect of defense to get an acquittal or at best a reduced sentence. He/she needs to be well informed of the different tactics that can be used to make your son’s case have a good outcome. Honest and good communication is necessary between the DUI lawyer and your son to ensure a comprehensive knowledge of the events that have occurred.

A good DUI lawyer needs to go over each item that can be used in your son’s defense. The defenses that the DUI lawyer will use relate to matters such as:
-If your son’s constitutional rights have been breached
-If the police officer concerned followed the correct procedures
-If you son was read his rights when the police officer made the DUI arrest
-If the blood and alcohol level tests were properly carried out
-If the equipment used to monitor blood alcohol levels was maintained and in good working order

An experienced legal expert in the field of DUI Law would know exactly what to look out for and would be aware of the various loopholes that can mean the difference between a successful charge or dismissal of charges.

My older sister has just been charged with DUI here in Los Angeles, California. The lawyer said that she stands a big chance of getting the charges dropped and that’s good news for her. But I just want to know, what are the things that I must do if I am caught drunk driving?

Vanessa

Los Angeles, CA

It would be a good lesson for you and your sister not to drink and drive again since she was already charged with DUI. But in case it is unavoidable and if you will be caught drunk driving in the highways of Los Angeles, California, it would also be good to know what you must do.

First is that you can decline in a polite manner from answering questions without your lawyer around. You have to remember that the police report will contain only self-incriminating statements. Don’t undergo any sobriety tests on the field since this is not a requirement of the law. Unless you are younger than 21 years of age, you can refuse to undergo a hand-held breath test that is required by law if you are younger than 21. My advice is that you can agree to undergo a required breath test for evidence if you are confident that your blood alcohol level is below 0.8 percent. Lastly, make sure that your lawyer calls the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Driver Safety Office not more than 10 days after the incident. Your lawyer should formally ask for a hearing to contest the suspension of your driver’s license.

A friend of mine was suspected to be driving under the influence of alcohol here in California. He already arrived home when the police arrested him. They said that they were responding to a call from a “concerned citizen” reporting that my friend had been driving while intoxicated. Does the state of California allow warrantless entry into homes of DUI suspects? I’m just curious because it doesn’t seem fair.

Lindsay

Los Angeles, CA

DUI law has long been prevalent with exceptions to the Constitutional limitations applied to most criminal investigations. I totally agree with you that this doesn’t seem fair. But our opinion will no longer matter because in California, the Supreme Court allows warrantless entry into homes of DUI suspects. Ruling 6-1 back in June 1, 2006, the California Supreme Court took exceptions to our Constitutional protections to a new level, allowing law enforcement officers to enter a DUI suspect’s home without a warrant to make an arrest.

The Supreme Court agreed with the prosecution’s claim that the possibility that the defendant could consume more alcohol (or have consumed more alcohol) during the delay and that the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol created “exigent circumstances”. They said that the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol would always result in “destruction of evidence”.

I lived in Los Angeles, California. I just bought a new car and then on some occasions will have some few drinks with my girlfriends. I was never been arrested for DUI, but just out of curiosity, I would like to know what lies ahead for a first time offender of DUI here in Los Angeles.

Debra, Los Angeles CA

Hey Debra,

That’s a good question. You know it is better to know what lies ahead before you decide on doing something like driving yourself home when you got few glasses of martinis when out together with your girlfriends. If my memory serves me right, I was once a first time offender of DUI, way back 5 years ago. I was just given a fine and after which off I went. I had just 2 glasses of martinis that night that I was arrested. So a minimal amount as a fine was given to me as a punishment. But got some friends telling me, I was lucky I did not meet an accident and bumped another person. If I did then, my driver’s license will be suspended and I will be facing a probation that would lasts for three years. Also one more thing, in Los Angeles, all offenders are mandated to attend a DUI education course.

If you are a first time offender, the punishment will depend on how serious the accident is if there are any or if there are no accidents then you will just be facing a fine.