The police will be out in force this holiday season—Christmas and New Year. They make most of their arrests on these days, as well as on New Year's Eve and all the weekends leading up to them.
Even on weekdays, people go to Christmas parties and come home drunk, not realizing — the people who haven't even drunk much — how alcohol can affect you. They have a few drinks trying to drive home and end up either getting in an accident, swerving on the road, being pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, or another incredible thing that the police have out there, especially during the holidays, are checkpoints.
So, you'll be driving along safely with no problem, and all of a sudden, you go right into a DUI checkpoint. Police have the right to set those up. They can start asking you questions about whether you've had anything to drink.
Also, where you've been, and those poor fools that say that they've had a couple of drinks, they're just coming from a bar or restaurant, they're going to be yanked out of the car and are going to be tested with field sobriety tests.
Ultimately, the police at the checkpoints will have everything they need to get the person right in jail quickly — a breath machine, the ability to take somebody's blood, and you're done.
Once you're arrested for DUI, the holiday season takes a drastic turn. It's crucial to receive this message before you find yourself in this situation in Los Angeles county. The aftermath of a DUI arrest can be severe, impacting both your personal and professional life.
DUI Lawyer for Local Los Angeles Courts
But if it's after, pick up the phone. Make the call. I've handled thousands of DUIs over a 25+ year career. I know the local courts. I know how to manage them. I know all the ins and outs of an illegal stop, an illegal search, an illegal statement, and I know how to attack the breath machine. Having a skilled DUI lawyer on your side can make a significant difference in your case.
I know how to do a blood split and attack the blood. However, not all of those challenges are available to every client. Some clients simply have been caught, and they need to do damage control, and that's where I come in, especially during the holidays.
After a DUI arrest, there's a legal process that follows. Your case will likely go to court about 30 days later. The court system is set up to handle a large volume of cases, so all the individuals arrested on New Year's Eve, for example, will have their court dates scheduled in a similar timeframe.
San Fernando Valley Jurisdiction
The ones that get caught in Van Nuys or the San Fernando Valley jurisdictions will go to Van Nuys, Division 103 — that's a misdemeanor arraignment court. If you were unlucky enough to get in an accident or hurt somebody, you'd go to Department 100 — that's the felony arraignment court.
In San Fernando, in the north end of the Valley, all of the felonies go to Department S, and all of the misdemeanors go to Department M. I've been handling cases in all of these courts. All the cases in downtown Los Angeles will go to 1945 Hill Street, Division 60. That's the central arraignment court down there. Of course, there are other arraignment courts like the LAX or the Airport Court.
Cases will also be handled in that courthouse on the west side in that court's jurisdiction. Issues that arise in Malibu are split between the Airport Court and Van Nuys now that Malibu Court is closed down. The list goes on and on and on.
Thousands of DUIs are arrested during the holiday season, and if you have been caught up in this big broad net, sometimes you make mistakes. Sometimes, they don't do things right.
Sometimes, your blood alcohol level is low. Get an attorney no matter what, even if it's not me; get somebody who knows what they're doing, having been down this road before, can do damage control for you and get you out of the criminal justice system as fast as possible and protect your rights, your freedom, your reputation, your driving record, and your criminal record.
