Do you need help challenging recent misdemeanor DUI charges? Are you struggling to protect yourself from fines, jail time, and other legal consequences? It’s time to get in touch with an attorney. The Westminster misdemeanor DUI lawyers in our professional network are ready to stand up for you.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer has connected thousands of clients with experienced legal professionals over the past 19 years. We want to pair you with a Westminster DUI lawyer who understands the severity of the charges leveled against you and who can answer your questions about your right to a reasonable defense.
Contact us today and let us put you in touch with a legal representative who can tailor their services to suit your preferred defense tactics.
The sooner you can start strategizing your defense against misdemeanor DUI charges, the sooner your life can go back to normal.
When Can You Face Misdemeanor DUI Charges in Westminster?
California can bring misdemeanor DUI charges against drivers if police officers believe a driver’s erratic behavior on the road may be attributed to the misuse of alcohol, drugs, or some combination thereof.
Misdemeanor charges assert that while a person was behaving inappropriately behind the wheel, no one was significantly harmed by their actions.
The majority of first-time DUI offenses see drivers face misdemeanor charges. Likewise, DUI incidents without aggravating factors, including serious injuries or collisions with other parties, can constitute misdemeanors in the eyes of the law.
Additionally, if officers pull a driver over and discover that their blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeded the legal limit but didn’t result in reckless or dangerous behaviors, that driver may face misdemeanor charges instead of elevated ones.
How Must the Prosecution Prove Misdemeanor DUI in California?
Prosecutors in California must prove several key elements if they want to secure a conviction for misdemeanor DUI. The prosecution bears the burden of presenting sufficient evidence to demonstrate that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeded the legal limit and that it actively impaired your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle on the road.
To meet this burden, the prosecution will rely heavily on evidence such as the results of your breathalyzer or blood tests, field sobriety test performance, and direct statements from the arresting police officers about your observed behavior.
An experienced Westminster DUI defense attorney can meticulously challenge the reliability and admissibility of these types of evidence, arguing they fail to accurately represent your physical or mental state at the time of your arrest.
What’s the Difference Between Misdemeanor and Felony DUI Charges?
Our Westminster misdemeanor DUI attorneys know that the key differences between misdemeanor and felony DUIs lie in:
- Aggravating factors, including accidents, injuries, and/or deaths
- Your criminal history, including any previous DUI convictions
- The presence of passengers, including children, in your vehicle
If you don’t have a criminal history, didn’t cause a serious accident, and/or didn’t have anyone in the car with you at the time of your accident, you may face misdemeanor DUI charges for having a BAC above the legal 0.08% limit.
However, if police officers accuse you of endangering others, or if you’ve been convicted of a DUI before, you may face felony charges, which can result in extensive jail time, fines, and the suspension or loss of your license.
Consequences of a Misdemeanor DUI Conviction
The legal consequences of an unchallenged misdemeanor DUI can include:
- Thousands of dollars in fines
- Up to a year of jail time
- Community service
- The temporary suspension of your driver’s license
- Mandatory participation in alcohol education programs
Unfortunately, even a misdemeanor DUI conviction can see you lose your job or have significant difficulty securing employment in the future.
You may struggle to find housing. Insurers may also increase your premiums. College students with misdemeanor DUIs may be barred from certain educational programs, internships, and/or career opportunities.
Can a Westminster Misdemeanor DUI Lawyer Help You Address Your DMV Administrative Hearing?
Drivers charged with misdemeanor DUIs will start undergoing the criminal process immediately upon their arrest. However, it’s up to an arrestee to pursue a DMV driver safety administrative hearing if they want to retain their license.
California residents only have ten days after their initial arrest to request an administrative hearing with the California DMV. This hearing has a lower burden of proof than the criminal process and requires a driver to challenge the DMV’s suspension of their license. Unfortunately, missing that ten-day deadline can result in the DMV automatically revoking a driver’s license.
Working with an experienced misdemeanor DUI lawyer in Westminster makes it easy to file for a DMV administrative hearing and to challenge the DMV’s attempts to prove that you were a danger to yourself and others while on the road. Your attorney can argue for your right to a restricted license or challenge an attempt to suspend your license entirely.
How to Defend Against Misdemeanor DUI Charges
The defense you muster against misdemeanor DUI charges in California’s criminal courts will vary based on the circumstances that led to your arrest.
You can work with the legal representatives in our professional network to:
- Challenge the results of sobriety tests, including field tests, breathalyzer tests, and blood tests
- Identify any bias that may have led to your arrest
- Question whether or not officers upheld your rights upon your arrest
- Highlight how prescription medications and health conditions may have led to the misrepresentation of your blood alcohol level
Trust a Misdemeanor DUI Lawyer in Westminster to Protect Your Future
You shouldn’t dismiss the severity of misdemeanor DUI charges. If you don’t challenge the misdemeanor charges brought against you, you may find it harder to get a job or secure housing in the future.
You may also find yourself facing impossible-to-pay fines and extended jail time, not to mention the suspension of your driver’s license.
Working with an experienced misdemeanor DUI attorney in Westminster, CA, allows you to discuss the logistics of the charges brought against you with someone who will put your right to recover first. Fortunately, the team with Los Angeles DUI Lawyer can connect you with a legal representative within hours of your arrest.
Do not try to navigate the criminal process alone. Contact us and let us put you in touch with an experienced attorney today.
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