If you have been arrested for a DUI in California, you probably have a number of questions. The following are some of the most commonly asked questions asked by people just like you. Once you’ve read through these, get in touch with Bair Legal for a free DUI consultation.
You should make sure that you take the time to find an attorney. If you don’t have an attorney, there is a good chance that you will be facing the maximum DUI penalties. An attorney can help with case dismissal, negotiation, plea bargains, and trying the case in court.
When you are searching for an attorney to handle your DUI case, you need to be selective. Make sure that they have the right qualifications to handle your case. You need to ask how much experience they have with cases such as yours, whether they went to school, and whether he or she is a member of the National College for DUI Defense.
How do they rate for ethics and competence on the Martindale-Hubbell directory? Do they have experience in using expert witnesses and in BAC testing? Always take the time to choose the best quality attorney for the job.
Depending on the case, you could spend several days in jail, or many years in prison for a DUI conviction. You may have to be on probation, and you will almost certainly have to pay large fines and potential restitution, which can take years. In addition, you could have your license suspended, revoked, or restricted. You will have to attend treatment programs, your car will be impounded, and you may have to get an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle.
After your arrest, you will have 10 days to contact the DMV about your license and set up an administrative hearing. The temporary driver’s license that you receive is only good for 30 days, but if you set up a hearing, this temporary license will be extended until your hearing. During this hearing, what happens to your license will be determined.
It is possible to win your hearing, and the attorneys at Bair Legal have experience winning many such hearings. The DMV hearing officer needs to determine who was driving the vehicle, if the officer that arrested you had probable cause, and if you had a BAC of .08 or higher. If one of these elements can be brought into question, we may be able to help you keep your license.
We’ve been in this field for more than 20 years, and we always keep our rates at a reasonable level. Hudson Bair is a member of the National College for DUI Defense. He is a trained instructor of field sobriety tests, so he knows when something is wrong in the police reports, and he knows the shortcomings of the tests. Bair Legal has the highest rating (AV) in the Martindale-Hubbell directory, and we work continually in the field of DUI defense. Mr. Bair lectures, writes, and stays on top of all of the news related to the field and new field testing technology.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI in the Northern CA area, call Bair Legal for help with your case.