How would I know if a lawyer can represent my cousin well on his DUI case here in Los Angeles?

Carinne

Los Angeles, CA

You would know if a lawyer could represent your cousin well on his DUI case in Los Angeles if the lawyer specializes in defending DUI cases only. Keep in mind that being charged with DUI should be taken seriously and you have to give special attention to the DUI laws. If your cousin gets a lawyer who does not specialize in handling DUI cases, he may not be represented well. Make sure that the lawyer is an expert when it comes to defending DUI cases or a huge percentage of the cases he or she has handled are in connection to DUI. Perhaps, this is the only means for you to determine that you are working with a DUI expert.

Your cousin may also want to find out the ranking of the DUI attorney he would hire against other attorneys. Aside from that, he also has to do a background check on the DUI attorney. Try to find out if he or she comes from a respectable law school. Your cousin has to work with a lawyer who knows technical expert witnesses to aid him on his defense. These witnesses could aid in investigating if you have undergone the appropriate police procedures, in accordance to DUI laws and if the chemical test/s were properly administered. Little technicalities like this could be a basis for your cousin to be found guilty or not.

How come some car insurance companies want me to get them after I have been convicted with DUI here in Los Angeles, California? Do I have to expect my rates to increase and what is SR22?

Herman

Los Angeles, CA

After your DUI conviction in Los Angeles, California, you probably know by now that the financial ramifications of DUI don’t stop with the fines, assessment and fees that you paid for during the course of the proceedings of your DUI case. You would also be required to provide the court with a proof of insurance (SR22 insurance), which comes from your insurance company. You may consult with your lawyer as to how you can get the SR22 insurance without raising an alert or better yet, go on and get an online rate quote now from this website for your SR22 insurance.

You have to expect increased car insurance rates for many years to come. It would be nearly impossible to avoid increased car insurance rates after a DUI and consider yourself lucky if you are able to maintain your current car insurance at all. A number of car insurance companies want you after your DUI conviction but don’t just jump ship from your current policy until you hear the premium rates that these “high-risk driver” insurance companies offer because they are significantly higher.

I know that on my first court date for my DUI charge here in Los Angeles, California, I would have to plead guilty or not guilty for the charge. What other things usually happens during the first court hearing?

Izzie

Los Angeles, CA

Aside from the advisement of your rights, reading the charges against you and entering a plea of guilty or not guilty, there are some other things that would happen on your arraignment or first court date for your DUI charge in Los Angeles, California. This is when the court will decide whether or not to set bail, or whether any preliminary bail amount set by the police must be changed.

You driver’s license will also be confiscated and your California driving privileges will be suspended. If you have refused a blood alcohol test, the judge will schedule an administrative hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles to determine if your privileges should be revoked for refusing the test. During the arraignment, the court will also schedule a future date and time for further proceedings regarding your DUI case. The judge would specify what the reason is for the next court appearance or proceedings. The reasons could include a preliminary hearing, a pre-trial conference, pre-trial motions, or trial.

I have a DUI charge here in Los Angeles, California and I think they have a strong case against me? Do you think I should simply plead guilty to my DUI case?

Jackson

Los Angeles, CA

No, you don’t have to plead guilty to your DUI case in Los Angeles, California even if you think that they have a strong case against you. The truth is that a DUI conviction in the state of California carries significant penalties and ramifications which you will feel for many years if you simply plead guilty to your DUI case. It would be very foolish to assume that there would be no chance of success in a DUI case yet we are repeatedly faced with this common mistake.

Every Municipal Court Judge encourages those who are accused of DUI to retain a DUI defense lawyer at the time of arraignment because they know that there is something that could be accomplished by a defense lawyer in a DUI case. An experienced DUI lawyer would tell you that there are a lot of defenses to DUI charges and the honest truth is that you will never have the advantage if utilizing those possible defenses unless you consult a knowledgeable DUI defense lawyer. And I’m pretty sure that any DUI lawyer you consult will tell you that you don’t have to immediately plead guilty on your DUI charge.

One thing that we need to worry about my daughter’s DUI case here in Los Angeles, California would be the costs that it entails. We even worry if we will get a DUI lawyer to defend her because we know it would cost us too much. Aside from the fines that she might be paying if she gets convicted, what other costs does my daughter has to worry about?

Eddie

Los Angeles, CA

Your daughter’s DUI case in Los Angeles, California, without a doubt, would cost her a lot. Aside from the fines and court fees, there are other indirect costs that would be involved whether she gets convicted or acquitted on her DUI case. One of the indirect costs includes time lost from work by going to court appearances and serving jail time. There are also some required conditions of probation such as restitution for injuries and property damage in wreck cases. Transportation costs would include bus or cab fare while her driver’s license is suspended. Occupational license costs hundreds of dollars as well.

The other things that your daughter would have to consider would be possible job loss or limitation of opportunities. I hate to mention this but marriages and other personal relationships could also be seriously and deeply wounded. So given the extraordinary impact that a DUI conviction could have, it would be crucial to obtain legal assistance. A lot of people believe that they could not afford a lawyer and simply walk into the court and plead guilty without a lawyer. But your daughter doesn’t have to do it alone because in the long run, the DUI lawyer fee may not seem so much after all.

I know that you would understand that I am hesitant to get a lawyer to defend me on my DUI case in Los Angeles, California because I feel that it will be expensive for me to hire one. Could you tell me how much should I expect to pay a lawyer to represent me in my DUI case?

Aiza
Los Angeles, CA

Every DUI lawyer has something to offer that would set him/her apart from the others. For some lawyers, it would be low fees and for the others, it would be an exceptional reputation and high skills to match. It is a fact in life that you wouldn’t have to find both traits in the same lawyer. If you are looking for low fees to help you on your DUI case in Los Angeles, California, then don’t expect the lawyer to have exceptionally high skills.

In general, DUI defense lawyers charge an upfront flat fee pretrial retainer than billing by the hour like civil law attorneys do. Some lawyers have a hybrid fee structure which would credit the retainer against the hourly billing, but most retainers would simply cover everything needed short of trial. For a big-name DUI lawyer, with a state-wide reputation, you could expect to pay $3500 to $7000 or more for a misdemeanor DUI retainer, and that depends on the location and the lawyer’s reputation. It would also vary if you have one or more prior convictions within seven years because if that is the case, you could expect to pay more. In general the retainer fee would cover both the DMV hearing and the court case, except for trial, which is generally billed additional.

Hi, I live in Los Angeles, California and I haven’t actually been arrested for DUI. But in case I will be charged for DUI and I get a lawyer, what knowledge should a lawyer have when it comes to different blood alcohol testing methods used in a DUI case?

Kate

Los Angeles, CA

If you get arrested for DUI in Los Angeles, California, you definitely have a choice of a breath, blood or urine test to find out your blood alcohol level. This is the reason why every DUI defense lawyer should have sufficient scientific knowledge in order to effectively cross-examine the state’s expert, as well as to present defense expert testimony. Mouth alcohol, absorption, interfering substances, peak and elimination of alcohol, chemistry and other scientific issues are extremely critical in representing a person accused of DUI.

Being knowledgeable on the various breath, blood and urine testing methods and their scientific principles is also required for the competent DUI defense lawyer. Every blood alcohol testing device has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Those weaknesses should be explored in front of a jury in order to provide the defense with effective assistance of counsel. In several occasions, the chemical testing machines are neither properly operated nor calibrated and this can be attacked by a good DUI defense lawyer who has enough knowledge on the information about how chemical testing machines are being maintained.

A friend of mine was recently charged with DUI here in Los Angeles, California and he doesn’t want to go to trial because he wants to have this over and done with. I heard that he is hoping to have the DUI charges reduced that’s why he is planning to plead guilty. Question is, if his DUI charge will be reduced to wet reckless, will this be considered as a prior in case he gets arrested again for DUI in the future?

Abbie

Los Angeles, CA

You gotta tell your friend that there is a lot at stake if he pleads guilty for his DUI charge in Los Angeles, California and just hope that his charges will be reduced. Yes, there are certain ways that the DUI case could be resolved without proceeding to trial. But I strongly suggest that he seeks professional legal advice first before doing anything he might regret later on. On the other hand, there are some DUI cases that plea bargaining would be appropriate and he has to remember that each DUI case is different, and there are times that admission of guilt to the DUI charge would be in his best interest.

He may have the DUI charge reduced to wet reckless which is an alcohol-related reckless driving. In several respects, wet reckless is no different from a DUI charge which means that if he gets arrested for a similar offense within 10 years, the wet reckless conviction would be considered as a prior DUI conviction. Moreover, most auto insurance companies would treat a wet reckless conviction just like a DUI conviction. But there would be some benefits of having the DUI charge reduced to wet reckless because there would be no mandatory DUI school with this charge and no mandatory driver’s license suspensions or restrictions.

My brother got a DUI conviction in Los Angeles, California and he was sentenced to three years of probation. What are the conditions for being under probation as a sentence for DUI?

Eliza

Los Angeles, CA

Since your brother was sentenced to three years probation on his DUI case in Los Angeles, California, he must report regularly to a probation officer or court employee for monitoring of his behavior. Also, as a part of his probationary sentence, the judge would impose at least one condition, and sometimes more than one, according to the Special Report. Almost all of the probationary sentences have the condition that fees, fines and court costs be paid. Most sentences also require alcohol treatment and almost half of them require training or employment.

There are also other common conditions of probation listed in the Special Report such as mandatory drug testing, drug treatment, community service, counselling, confinement or monitoring, driving restriction and abstention from alcohol and drugs. Alcohol or drug education, refraining from committing further crimes or restitution to victims are other possible conditions that may be included as part of the probationary sentence. There may be other unusual conditions such as fulfilling the requirements for Boy Scout badges for citizenship and traffic safety.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI lawyer

I was told that the most important thing for me to do after being charged with DUI in Los Angeles, California is to hire a DUI lawyer. To be honest, I’m hesitant to do that because it might cost too much. Could you tell me why is it essential to hire a DUI lawyer?

Zion

Los Angeles, CA

You need to hire a DUI lawyer as soon as possible to help you on your DUI case in Los Angeles, California. It is actually a valid point that a good DUI lawyer is expensive, but that is because of the value they provide. Think about paying an expensive DUI lawyer in exchange to potential fines, jail time, community service, possible loss of job, etc. A DUI lawyer knows your legal right in your DUI charge. He/she would be able to help you from self-incriminating yourself or any other mistakes you are likely to make.

A good DUI lawyer would also know how to defend you in court. You will need the experience of a good DUI lawyer as they know how to talk to judges, juries and the prosecution and they will know the law far more thoroughly than you will, given their years of legal experience. An experienced DUI lawyer would also know how to work with the particularities of your DUI case and history. I hope in the end, you’d be glad that you seek the services of a good DUI lawyer.