DUI in Los Angeles
Interestingly enough, to be charged and convicted of a DUI case, you do not have to be drunk necessarily. People always say they were not drunk and do not understand why they were arrested. The critical language that the police, prosecutor, judge, and jury look at is whether or not you can safely operate a motor vehicle.
This standard does not necessarily mean you were drunk when you were driving. Most people who get caught for DUIs are not falling drunk.
Understanding these potential defenses and setting up a face-to-face meeting with a savvy attorney is not just important; it's empowering. This knowledge can provide you with a sense of hope and awareness of your legal options, which is crucial in a DUI case.
Police and prosecutors consider several factors when deciding whether to arrest and charge a person with a DUI in Los Angeles County.
One key factor is how the police claim you performed on the field sobriety tests (FSTs). These are the many tests that law enforcement typically gives a person they suspect is driving under the influence immediately before arresting them.
These tests are supposed to be designed to assist the police in determining whether you were under the influence at the time of driving.
Unfortunately, my experience suggests that these tests should be more objective and are susceptible to manipulation by the police. This understanding should make you cautious and aware of potential police tactics. According to the police, every person who comes into my office who has taken the field sobriety test fails it.
The reason they must say you failed is to justify arresting you. If they do not have probable cause to arrest you, the whole case can later be thrown out.
Therefore, they will always claim that you failed the tests and pick apart everything you did during the tests. Other indicators that the police use to claim you were drunk driving or not safely operating a motor vehicle for purposes of a DUI are to evaluate how you were driving (whether you were swerving, speeding, or driving recklessly).
They will also describe how you walked and talked during their contact with you (whether your speech was slurred, your eyes dilated, or you stumbled when you were walking, etc.).
If you were arrested for a DUI in LA County, the deck is stacked against you, and you need a lawyer who is local to the court where your case is pending and has traveled the path you are about to embark upon. Having a local attorney who is familiar with the local legal system can provide you with the reassurance and confidence you need during this challenging time.
What Police Need To Prove When Making A DUI Arrest
In Los Angeles, there is more than one way to prove a DUI. Suppose they believe that you have alcohol in your system and can't safely operate a motor vehicle. In that case, they can charge you under California Vehicle Code 23152A, which doesn't have anything to do with what percentage of alcohol is in your blood.
They can arrest you if you test at a .08 or greater. There is a presumption in the law that you cannot safely operate a motor vehicle at that point.
Once you do the field sobriety tests and police conclude that you are under the influence of alcohol and cannot safely operate a motor vehicle, it will justify them placing you under arrest and bringing you into the station to do a blood or breath test to see if your blood alcohol level is a 0.08 or greater.
When Are You Considered Drunk for a DUI?
When it comes to DUIs, many clients come in and say Look, I wasn't drunk. I don't understand why they arrested me, why I'm facing my license being taken away. The problem with that question and that thought process is that you don't have to be drunk to be convicted of a DUI.
The standard for a DUI is not whether you were drunk but whether you can safely operate a motor vehicle. Many people who aren't drunk can't safely operate a motor vehicle. Several factors, including your blood alcohol level, determine your ability to drive safely.
The first and most important factor, of course, is your blood alcohol level. If you are a .08 or greater, it is presumed in the law that you cannot safely operate a motor vehicle.
In other words, if they can prove you blew a .08, for example, they've got their case because they've got a circumstance where you're .8 or greater.
However, the defense can try to counter that and say, "Wait a minute. The machine you're using, the Intoxilyzer 3000, the breath machine you blow into at the police station, has an error rate of 0.02. Therefore, the person could have been a .06."
So, that's why many times, especially in Los Angeles County, not some of the other counties, if you blow a .08 many times, the prosecutors, if you have a reasonable attorney, will give you a resolution that allows you to plead to something less than a DUI because of that issue with the breath machine.
Another measure of your ability to drive a motor vehicle is the field sobriety tests the officers administer. These tests are designed to assess your ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Failing these tests can be used as evidence that you shouldn't be driving because you can't do so safely.
Another factor they look at when determining whether or not you're intoxicated to the point you can't safely operate a motor vehicle for purposes of a DUI in Los Angeles, especially, is how you're driving.
They argue that you can't safely operate a motor vehicle if you're driving around in a horrible, reckless manner where you could kill somebody. If, on the other hand, you didn't turn your headlights on, and that's why the police pulled you over, you have the opposite argument.
However, it's not just one factor. It's a culmination of all the factors that determine whether you can safely operate a motor vehicle for purposes of DUI in California.
So, don't think you have to be drunk to get a DUI. Drunk is a situation where you're falling, you're staggering, and you're messed up. Most of the time, I think the vast majority of DUIs that are filed, 90% to 95% of people, are not drunk. He's just intoxicated.
They've had drinks, two, three, or four drinks. That's why the police ask all those questions when they get their hands on you. They're already trying to build their case from the moment they pull you over.
They smell alcohol, look to see if you're weaving while driving, and ask if you had any drinks tonight. If you say one or two, they always hear that.
They'll investigate further, conduct field sobriety tests, and may have you use a hand-held PAS device.
That's a preliminary alcohol screening device. That way, they don't waste a trip to the police station or hospital to take your blood. If you blow a .02, they won't take you in.
Can Anything I Say In The Police Car Be Used Against Me?
Many people become excited about their Miranda rights. They don't realize that the police don't need to read anyone their Miranda rights many times. They don't need to do anything other than book you for a DUI and then let the prosecutors deal with it from there.
The Miranda rights come into play after they've decided to arrest you. You're in custody, and now they will ask you questions to get incriminating answers. If they don't read you your Miranda rights under those specific circumstances, then any statements you make that might incriminate you cannot be able to be used against you.
I see people's Miranda rights being violated in DUI stops, but most of the time, the police have the evidence they need, regardless of your statements. Even if your statements get thrown out, if you got pulled over and your blood alcohol was double the legal limit, they have enough evidence.
When police pull you over, you're not necessarily in custody; you're being detained pending an investigation. Once they slap the cuffs on you and you're in control, any direct questions require your Miranda rights to be read. If they aren't and you answer those questions, those answers cannot be used against you in your DUI prosecution.
What is the Step-by-Step Process in a DUI Case?
When people get arrested for DUI and face jail time and the loss of their license, they're often in the dark and don't know what will happen with their case.
In other words, they're arrested and taken to jail, and they lose control of their situation. So, it's my job to give you back control and explain precisely how the system works, as well as the step-by-step process in a DUI case.
First, you've been arrested. They've made you perform some field sobriety tests, and then they test you through a blood or breath test. All that information will be gathered and sent to the prosecutors. You probably received a citation to appear in court on a specific date, or you posted bail, and the bondsperson provided you with the court date and location.
Retain a Lawyer Immediately
At this point, your best course of action is to hire an attorney immediately. So I'll get you into my office. I'll explain everything to you and get all of your details, and I can usually give you a pretty good idea of what you're facing within about 15 minutes.
It won't be exact because I don't make the final decision on the resolution in your case. So, I need to speak with the prosecutor and judge to work out a solution for you if it's a scenario where we need to negotiate a deal rather than go to trial.
I will evaluate whether the prosecutors have sufficient evidence against you so that we can review the case step by step. I'll also obtain the police report to review the information they have provided.
The police are trained to try to get a conviction for a DUI, so they're going to put all of the stuff in the report that is negative towards you to try to help the prosecutors get the conviction. Therefore, I must evaluate this to determine what will happen moving forward.
Court Arraignment
When you appear at the arraignment, the initial court date and bail will be set in your case. We often release you on your recognizance, meaning you don't have to pay any money. If your blood alcohol level was high, at least in LA County, you will be ordered to attend AA meetings to stay out of custody and not post bail.
Your attorney will also be given all of the paperwork, videos, and whatever evidence they have in the case. If I don't get everything, I will usually file a motion or contact the prosecutor; this is the best way to get the information I need.
So, we are in a position to have all of the details before we decide exactly how to proceed with the case. We will then enter a not guilty plea and schedule a new court date.
Determining the Best Defense Strategy
I'll have a chance to review everything, meet with you, and finalize our game plan. So, when we go back the next time:
- We'll either resolve the case,
- We could file a motion, or
- We might continue the case depending on the circumstances.
- We might even set the case for trial if they don't have the evidence to prove things against you.
This provides a brief overview of how DUIs work. There are other things we can do.
Possible DUI Defenses
We can obtain the information regarding the breath case to determine if the machine used was calibrated correctly. Furthermore, is there something else we can use to help you? We can hire an expert under the right circumstances if it makes sense. We can perform a blood split.
If you took a blood test and the result was close to the legal limit, we could have it retested by our expert. The list goes on. You don't do the same thing in every case, however. You need to examine your specific situation and make the right moves for you. I've been doing this for 30 years.
Call Our Law Firm for Help
Our lawyers handle 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th offenses, felony DUI, hit and run, refusals, DMV hearings, loss of driver's license, bail, and DUI death cases. DUI offenses are among the most common crimes police officers arrest Californians for daily. Many people do not realize that a DUI is a crime that carries potentially severe consequences to the person's driving record, insurance rates, reputation, and freedom.
Need more information about DUI defense? Our attorneys specialize in DUI cases and serve all Los Angeles County courts.
We also handle drug-related offenses stemming from DUI arrests. We are aggressive advocates for our clients and will help save your driver's license through the DMV hearing process and resolve your DUI criminal case through the courts.
The Hedding Law Firm has defended hundreds of individuals over the years and understands the necessary steps to take in protecting your rights, making informed decisions in court, and navigating the DMV process.
We have knowledgeable DUI attorneys available to answer your questions and arrange a complimentary, face-to-face consultation. You will be educated on the system, and once you retain our firm, you will feel confident that you have professional advocates on your side.
Related Content: