Anyone in possession of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) must abide by specific legal limit laws if they want to retain their right to operate commercial vehicles. If you’re arrested and accused of drinking while driving a commercial vehicle, you’ll need to work with a Pasadena commercial DUI lawyer to protect your right to work.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyers wants to connect commercial drivers with experienced Pasadena DUI lawyers immediately upon their arrest. An experienced attorney can help commercial drivers contest alleged legal limit violations, preventing career-ending convictions as a result.
Do you want to discuss the strategies you can use to challenge accusations of driving under the influence? Let Los Angeles DUI Lawyers put you in touch with a legal representative. Your defense consultation comes free of charge.
When Can You Face Accusations of Driving Under the Influence as a Commercial Driver?
Commercial drivers in California have to meet strict standards if they want to avoid accusations of drinking and driving. According to California Vehicle Code 23152(d), you and a Pasadena, CA, commercial DUI lawyer need to prove that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was below 0.04%—a full 0.4% less than the private limit—to avoid arrest.
The way the body processes alcohol varies from person to person, meaning that 0.04% for you might look different on someone else. A person’s body mass index and medication use can make it easier for them to blow past that 0.04% limit. Unfortunately, this may mean that officers have the right to pull you over and accuse you of drinking and driving after a single drink.
Commercial DUIs Put Your CDL at Risk
Unfortunately, DUIs are particularly devastating for commercial vehicle drivers. If you’re arrested and convicted of a DUI while operating a commercial vehicle, you’re at risk for more than jail time and serious fines. There’s a serious chance you may lose your CDL if you’re accused of unsafely operating a commercial vehicle.
You put your CDL at risk even if you’re operating a commercial vehicle “off the clock.” There is no point at which you can get behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle under the influence of alcohol and not risk your license.
The first time you’re convicted of a DUI charge in California, you’ll lose your CDL for up to one year. If you’re convicted for a second time, you will lose your CDL for life. You may also lose your personal driver’s license for up to one year following your first DUI and up to two following your second.
When to Contact a Pasadena Commercial DUI Lawyer
There’s a difference between being arrested for a DUI and being convicted of a DUI. If you’re arrested and accused of a DUI, call a Pasadena commercial DUI attorney as soon as possible. You can immediately begin discussing your defense while directing the arresting officers’ questions to your attorney.
A DUI lawyer can protect your right to a fair trial while also helping you determine whether or not police had the legal right to arrest you. An attorney’s assessment of police mistakes, ineffective blood or breath tests, and even arresting bias can downgrade your case. Sometimes, a thorough investigation can see your charges thrown out.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyers has a vast network of legal professionals, all of whom are ready to help you protect your right to do your job. Those professionals understand how the legal process works and can prepare you to challenge wrongful accusations in and out of criminal court.
Commercial DUIs Also Put You at Risk for Jail Time
If you’re convicted of a commercial DUI, you will lose your CDL, either for a year or forever. You may also face up to six months in jail if you’re charged with a misdemeanor DUI. If you’re convicted of a second DUI, you may stay in jail for up to one year.
The jail time you risk when accused of a DUI will depend on the severity of your alleged intoxication and any other incidents that occurred prior to your arrest, including DUI-related accidents.
You can expect the court to clearly explain the consequences you risk facing after your arrest, at which point an attorney can start advocating for lesser charges. If you have no existing criminal history or if the evidence against you looks spotty, your Pasadena, CA, commercial DUI attorney can fight to have your charges dropped outright.
A Pasadena Commercial DUI Lawyer Can Represent You in DMV Hearings
The Department of Motor Vehicles in California is likely to immediately suspend your CDL if you’re arrested on accusations of driving under the influence. If you want to reinstate your CDL before your criminal case concludes, you’ll need to schedule a DMV hearing within 10 days of your arrest.
An experienced attorney can bring forward the paperwork needed to solidify your right to a hearing if you’re in jail or otherwise unable to complete the process yourself. Your representative can subsequently see you through discovery, at which point they can challenge blood test results or other evidence used to compromise your license.
Your hearing will then begin with the DMV presenting its qualifying evidence and arguing that you should no longer possess your license. Your attorney calls forward witnesses and presents affirmative evidence to challenge these accusations. Once your hearing concludes, the DMV will send you its decision on your right to retain your license by mail.
DMV Hearings and Criminal Cases
Your DMV hearing and the criminal case are separate entities. Even if the DMV allows you to retain your CDL, a criminal conviction will see you lose it for up to a year. In these situations, your hearing may allow you to continue working while your criminal case is in progress, but not after.
You can discuss how your DMV hearing and criminal case may overlap during a defense consultation with a commercial DUI attorney in Pasadena, CA.
We Can Connect You With Experienced Commercial DUI Lawyers
It takes time and finances to secure a commercial driver’s license. Don’t let a wrongful DUI conviction put an end to your hard-won career. You have every right to reach out to a legal representative for support while challenging the charges brought against you.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyers works with commercial DUI lawyers in Pasadena. We can put you in touch with a legal representative who can give your case the individual attention it deserves. As a result, you can challenge the validity of the evidence involved in your case and see the charges brought against you reduced or dropped.
Reach out and connect with experienced DUI lawyers today.
