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.

I had enough for paying a lot of money for my SR22 insurance because of my DUI here in Los Angeles. Do I still have options of getting cheaper SR22 insurance for DUI?

Ben

Los Angeles, CA

You may have heard how drivers who were found guilty of driving under the influence (DUI) complain about the high costs of SR22 insurance. As a backgrounder, SR22 insurance is required among those who were caught for DUI. Simply put, SR22 insurance is given only to high risk individuals, and being high risk subjects them to high insurance fees. But those who need SR22 insurance for DUI should not worry since they can still get more affordable car insurance policy. Many SR22 insurance companies have been established to give lower SR22 insurance policies.

By definition, SR22 insurance is not just issued to drivers caught for DUI. It can also be issued to those who were caught for over speeding and driving without the required minimum car insurance coverage. However SR22 insurance for DUI is more expensive these days and not all car insurance companies issue DUI SR22 insurance.

However this is not to say that drivers in need of SR22 insurance no longer have options in getting a cheaper one. Specialized SR22 insurance companies have sprouted in recent years and they focus on giving lower SR22 insurance rate. There are also numerous websites that drivers can go to in search of cheap SR22 insurance rate.

Just like in buying a car insurance policy, you are encouraged to request SR22 insurance for DUI quotes first before purchasing one. This would guarantee you that you will get the best rates available in Los Angeles.

I heard from my mom that field sobriety tests are used to be called something else back then. How were these tests develop and could you cite some common tests that police usually conduct here in Los Angeles, California?

Amos
Los Angeles, CA

In mid 1970’s, with the assistance and cooperation of the law enforcement community, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted research that resulted in the development of a battery of three standardized field sobriety tests (FST’s). These are the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn and the One Leg Stand which are commonly used by police officers in Los Angeles, California and are designed to assist them in detecting drivers who are under the influence. FST’s are formerly referred to as Improved Sobriety Tests but they are now the Standard that the Federal Government wants to be utilized.

The FST program was validated in field studies and laboratory conducted by the Southern California Research Institute. The FST’s were initially developed by the Los Angeles Police Department Training in how to conduct the tests and it is included in the NHTSA course “DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.”