When you’re facing felony DUI charges in Los Angeles, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A felony DUI conviction can drastically alter your life, potentially leading to years in prison, substantial fines, and a permanent criminal record that could affect your future opportunities.
The complexity of these cases, combined with aggressive prosecution, makes it crucial to understand your rights and legal options immediately. The decisions you make after a felony DUI arrest can significantly impact the outcome of your case.
Our Los Angeles felony DUI lawyers know how felony DUI charges can impact individuals and their families. Our lawyers have helped thousands of people in your situation. Your best chance of getting through your situation favorably starts with contacting a Los Angeles DUI attorney as soon as possible.
Understanding Felony DUI Charges in Los Angeles
In California, certain circumstances automatically elevate a DUI to felony status. These include causing injury or death to another person while driving under the influence, having three or more prior DUI convictions within ten years, or having a prior felony DUI conviction.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office treats felony DUI cases with particular severity, especially when injuries are involved or when the blood alcohol content is significantly above the legal limit. You need to have a Los Angeles felony DUI lawyer dedicated to your case to fight back against the charges.
What Must the Prosecution Prove to Win a Felony DUI Case?
They need to demonstrate that you were driving a vehicle, were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and that your impaired driving caused injury or death to another person. In cases involving multiple DUI offenses, they must also prove the validity of prior convictions.
However, there are often factors in these cases that can work in your favor. For instance, the prosecution must establish a direct causal link between your alleged impairment and any injuries sustained in an accident, which isn’t always straightforward.
These factors can significantly impact your case outcome. We also investigate whether proper probable cause existed for the traffic stop, whether field sobriety tests were administered correctly, and whether your constitutional rights were respected throughout the process.
The Arrest and Booking Process
Understanding what happens during a felony DUI arrest can help you avoid common mistakes that could harm your case. The process typically begins when law enforcement establishes probable cause through observed driving behavior, traffic violations, or accidents. At this point, everything you say and do becomes part of the official record.
After the initial stop, officers will look for signs of impairment and may request that you perform field sobriety tests. You should know that these tests are voluntary, though refusing them may lead to other consequences. If officers believe they have probable cause, they will place you under arrest and transport you to a testing facility or police station.
The booking process involves fingerprinting, photographs, and a series of chemical tests. Under California’s implied consent laws, refusing these chemical tests after a felony DUI arrest can result in additional penalties. However, the specific testing procedures must follow strict protocols, and any deviation could provide grounds for challenging the results.
Consequences of a Felony DUI Conviction
The penalties for a felony DUI in Los Angeles are severe. You could face between 16 months to four years in state prison for a standard felony DUI, with additional years added if serious injuries occurred. These sentences can increase significantly if there are multiple victims or if you have prior convictions.
In cases involving great bodily injury, you could face up to six additional years per injured victim. If a death occurs, you might face vehicular manslaughter or second-degree murder charges, which carry even longer prison terms.
Penalties After Your Jail Sentence
Beyond imprisonment, you’ll face fines exceeding $5,000, mandatory DUI programs lasting up to 30 months, and a driver’s license revocation that could last years. The court may also require you to install an ignition interlock device on any vehicle you operate, adding additional costs and inconvenience to your daily life.
These programs and requirements often come with substantial fees, and failure to complete them can result in additional penalties. You’ll also face significantly higher insurance rates; some insurance companies may refuse to cover you.
The total financial impact of a felony DUI conviction, including fines, fees, increased insurance costs, and lost wages, can easily exceed $10,000.
The Effects of Being Labeled a Felon
A felony conviction can have lasting implications for your future that extend far beyond the criminal penalties. It can affect your employment opportunities, as many employers conduct background checks and may hesitate to hire someone with a felony conviction.
Professional licenses in fields such as healthcare, education, law, and real estate may be suspended or revoked. Many landlords screen for criminal records, which can restrict housing options. A conviction can also affect your immigration status if you are not a U.S. citizen, potentially leading to deportation proceedings.
You’ll lose your right to own firearms, vote (while incarcerated), and serve on a jury. Some countries may refuse you entry, limiting your ability to travel internationally. Understanding these potential consequences emphasizes the importance of mounting a strong defense by hiring a Los Angeles felony DUI lawyer.
Impact of Felony DUI on Commercial Drivers
A felony DUI poses particularly severe consequences for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintains stricter standards for commercial drivers, with a lower blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.04% compared to 0.08% for regular drivers.
A felony DUI conviction will likely result in the permanent loss of your CDL. Even if your felony DUI occurred in your personal vehicle during off-duty hours, your CDL status will still be affected. The loss of your commercial license can effectively end your career in transportation, trucking, or any field requiring a CDL.
DMV Administrative Hearings
When facing felony DUI charges in Los Angeles, you must deal with two separate legal proceedings: your criminal case and the DMV administrative hearing. You have only 10 days from your arrest to request a DMV hearing, or your license will be automatically suspended.
The DMV hearing is separate from your criminal case and focuses solely on your driving privileges. During this hearing, the DMV hearing officer will consider several factors, including whether the officer had reasonable cause to stop you, whether your arrest was lawful, and whether your blood alcohol content was at or above the legal limit.
Unlike criminal court, these hearings have a lower burden of proof, making them particularly challenging. We can represent you at your DMV hearing and challenge the suspension of your license. Success at your DMV hearing can help preserve your driving privileges while your criminal case proceeds.
Building a Strong Defense Strategy with a Felony DUI Lawyer in Los Angeles
A Los Angeles felony DUI lawyer will begin by thoroughly investigating your case to find the best DUI defense strategy. They will examine every detail from the moment law enforcement first observed your vehicle to the arrest and testing procedures.
We will determine whether the police had probable cause for the traffic stop, whether your rights were violated during the arrest, and whether proper procedures were followed during chemical testing.
We also review footage from police body cameras, dashboard cameras, surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and other evidence that might support your defense.
Defenses Against Blood Alcohol Testing
Typical defenses include questioning the accuracy of testing your blood alcohol level by examining maintenance records of testing equipment. We also challenge the credibility of field sobriety tests.
Sometimes, medical conditions or other factors can create false impressions of intoxication – for example, certain medical conditions can cause symptoms that mimic intoxication, and some prescription medications can affect breath test results.
We also investigate whether rising blood alcohol levels might have caused your blood alcohol content to be higher at the time of testing than when you were actually driving. We frequently work with forensic toxicologists who can testify about the reliability of testing methods and potential sources of error.
Defenses Involving Civil Rights Violations
If law enforcement failed to follow proper procedures – such as conducting an illegal search, failing to read your Miranda rights at the appropriate time, or denying your right to contact an attorney – it might be possible to have certain evidence excluded from your case, potentially leading to reduced charges or dismissal.
Defenses Involving Causation of Accidents
In accident cases, we work with accident reconstruction specialists to determine whether factors other than impairment might have caused or contributed to the collision. This can be particularly important in felony DUI cases involving injury, where proving causation is a critical element of the prosecution’s case.
Alternative Sentencing and Plea Options
While a felony DUI lawyer in Los Angeles will prepare your case for trial, we also recognize that sometimes alternative resolutions might better serve your interests. In Los Angeles County, various programs and plea options might be available depending on the specific circumstances of your case.
We thoroughly evaluate these options while aggressively negotiating with the prosecution. In some cases, we may be able to negotiate a plea agreement that reduces your charges or minimizes the penalties you face.
This might include reducing a felony DUI charge to a misdemeanor, especially in cases where injuries were minor or where proof of causation is weak. We may also negotiate for alternatives to imprisonment, such as house arrest, work furlough programs, or residential treatment programs.
Pre-Trial Diversion Programs
Pretrial diversion programs might be available in certain circumstances, particularly for first-time offenders or cases involving substance abuse issues. These programs typically involve rehabilitation and education components instead of imprisonment.
They may include requirements such as alcohol education classes, counseling, community service, and regular drug and alcohol testing. Successfully completing such a program could reduce or dismiss your charges.
We can help determine if you qualify for these programs and advocate for your acceptance into them. Even in cases where traditional pretrial diversion isn’t available, we might be able to negotiate for participation in alternative sentencing programs.
The Goal of These Programs
Our goal is to find the solution that best protects your freedom and future opportunities while minimizing the impact on your life. We’ll explain the pros and cons of each option and provide our professional recommendation, but we will ultimately respect your decision about how to proceed with your case.
We carefully evaluate every option available to you, considering both the short-term and long-term implications of each potential resolution. This includes analyzing how different plea options might affect your professional licenses, immigration status, and future opportunities.
Working With Your Defense Team
Our Los Angeles felony DUI lawyers will tailor their approach to meet your needs and concerns. We’re available to answer questions and address concerns as they arise. We also provide regular updates on your case status and promptly inform you of any developments that require your attention or decision-making.
We understand that time is critical in DUI cases, as evidence can disappear and memories can fade. The legal clock is also against you. That’s why we immediately begin building your defense strategy upon taking your case.
Our Network Can Help You
We work with a network of skilled investigators and experts, including toxicologists, accident reconstruction specialists, and medical professionals who can provide crucial expert witness testimony to support your defense.
Our team also reviews police reports, body camera footage, surveillance videos, and witness statements to identify any inconsistencies or procedural errors that could benefit your case. We may also work with medical experts who can testify about any underlying conditions that might have affected field sobriety test performance or chemical test results.
Contact Our Los Angeles Felony DUI Lawyers Today
If you’re facing felony DUI charges in Los Angeles, don’t wait to seek legal representation. Your decisions now can significantly impact the outcome of your case. We offer confidential consultations to discuss your situation and explain how we can help protect your rights and freedom.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation with a Los Angeles felony DUI lawyer. Let us help you fight these serious charges and work toward the best possible outcome for your situation.
