Regardless of the fact that a DUI is charged as a misdemeanor for a first time offender, the cases are prosecuted with the same high level force as a serious felony within the city of Los Angeles. For this reason alone you need a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney or a Los Angeles DUI attorney to represent you if you are charged with a DUI in Los Angeles. Driving while under the influence occurs when someone who is operating a motor vehicle, or is physically in the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle, has consumed an amount of alcohol or controlled substance that is above the legal limit. The legal limits are designed to keep a person from entering a state where their mental facilities are not impaired.In Los Angeles, a DWI is just like a DUI. A Los Angeles criminal defense attorney or Los Angeles DUI attorney would be required in these cases as well. A DWI, short for “driving while intoxicated”, occurs when someone is found to be driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher. In order to be convicted in Los Angeles of driving while intoxicated, the state prosecution needs to show that you were driving, or were in the control of, a vehicle while intoxicated by either drugs or alcohol. The prosecution also needs to show that the officer who arrested the defendant had a reasonable suspicion for stopping the vehicle at the time of the incident.
If you have been accused of a DUI or DWI in Los Angeles, it is essential to get in touch with a proven Los Angeles criminal defense attorney or a Los Angeles DUI attorney to handle your case. These types of attorney’s can really help your chances of success.
3 Important Steps to Find a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney:
- You need to know the crime in which you have been arraigned. Ask your personal network for suggestions on where you can find a quality Los Angeles DUI attorney. This is the best way to find the lawyer that will be right for your personal situation. You will be able to feel more confident about your situation if you hire someone who has been recommended by someone close to you.
- If you need more options, try searching online to find other lawyers in your area. There are a ton of good sites on the internet that specialize in this type of business. Simply go to your favorite search engine, enter your location and the type of lawyer you’re looking to hire. You will be presented with a ton of options to choose from.
- Now that you have a nice list of potential attorneys, you should spend some time researching each one. You will want to know how long they have been practicing this type of law and how many wins they have in criminal law court litigations. You should be able to look up what schools your potential attorney attended and how long they have been part of their respective bar association.
Being accused of a DUI or DWI is no laughing matter. You can have your licensed suspended or revoked permanently. You could be fined or serve jail time. Most importantly, you could possibly injure someone while you are under the influence. This is why you need a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney or a Los Angeles DUI attorney to assist you with your case. Using the advice in this article may be your best chance at staying out of jail!