Los Angeles Downtown Court DUI Lawyer
Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center
210 W Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-7700
With over twenty-five years of experience in handling DUI cases in downtown Los Angeles, I have honed several key strategies to assist my clients in achieving the most effective results for their cases. My extensive experience is your reassurance in navigating the complexities of DUI defense.
It all starts with understanding the law related to DUI cases and the specific facts about the client's situation. California Vehicle Code 23152 describes driving under the influence.
All too often, I see less experienced attorneys trying to use a “cookie-cutter” (trying to do the same thing in every case, no matter what the facts of the case are) approach when it comes to a DUI case. This approach will not work, and it makes no common sense if you think about it.
Suppose an attorney is telling you from the beginning that they will win your case without seeing any of the evidence. In that case, you are likely dealing with a salesperson who is just trying to sell you on their firm with nothing substantive behind what they are saying. You want and need the truth from the beginning to obtain the correct result.
First Review of Your DUI Case
>When I sit down with clients, I am looking for them to go over what happened step by step. I need the truth if the client wants me to give them an accurate indication of what they are facing and what I can do to help them.
Once I have all of the facts related to what happened the night you were arrested, I can give you an idea of what you are facing and the best strategy moving forward.
However, before I can give you the complete answer to what you are facing and what we need to do to defend you best, I will need to see the other side's case and speak to the prosecutor to see what we are up against. It only makes sense that a skilled DUI defense attorney will need both sides of the equation before beginning to make predictions on the case and being in a position to advise you best.
What can you do to best help yourself if you have a DUI case pending in Los Angeles? You should set up a face-to-face consultation with a savvy attorney right from the beginning of the case and give them all of the patient's details with no bias spin.
In other words, tell them what the police are likely to say about what happened the night of your arrest. There is nothing more frustrating than getting to a destination without a road map. It is the same with a DUI case.
When you do not know what your goal is and what you can hope to achieve based on your particular circumstances, you are simply fishing around with no idea of what you can and can not expect.
This is why I am adamant that when we meet, you leave the meeting with an idea of the perimeters of what you are looking at based on the circumstances surrounding your case and your life situation.
Negotiating with DUI Prosecutor
Then, I will go to court on your behalf and discuss the case with the prosecutor. After I review all of the discoveries and discuss the case with the prosecutor, I will indeed be able to give you a rundown of what you are looking at, such as a plea bargain, and what I believe will be the best strategy moving forward.
Once everything is laid out on the table, and you have reviewed the police report and heard the prosecutor's position and the judge's tendencies in court, your case is pending. You are ready to have an intelligent conversation about your options related to your lawsuit.
You must realize DUI defense is a step-by-step process. You will achieve the best result by assisting your attorney in whatever way they deem appropriate and then listening to their advice. Most of the concepts in DUI defense are straightforward and make sense.
The key is having an attorney who has been down the road you are about to travel and had success in the court your case is pending.
It is my experience that once you have sat down with an attorney who knows what they are doing and is honest with you about what to expect, then you can begin the process of resolving your matter. A sense of calm will take over, and you will be in the best position to make the decisions that will ultimately put his whole scenario behind you!