California’s DUI laws can be complex and confusing. In this section, our attorneys break down the rules and explain the process.
DUI Laws A to Z
California’s DUI laws can be complex and confusing. In this section, our attorneys break down the rules and explain the process.
DUI Penalties
The impact of a DUI conviction can haunt a person for years to come. But a good attorney can often get penalties reduced…and sometimes even get the case dismissed
DMV & Licenses
A good DUI attorney may be able to get the license suspension reduced, or even avoided altogether
24/7 Help:
(855) 999-7755
Please note: Our firm only handles criminal and DUI cases, and only in California. We do not handle any of the following cases:
And we do not handle any cases outside of California.
Call Us NowPosted on
You are facing a criminal case for DUI. It seems simple enough and you are thinking about handling it yourself without the help of a DUI lawyer? Can you?
You can usually represent yourself in a DUI case. You are considered a “pro se” defendant when you are not represented by a DUI defense attorney.
Oftentimes, a particular court will have standard penalties for a first-time DUI without aggravating circumstances. If you simply want to plead guilty and take the standard penalties, then there may be no need to spend money on a lawyer.
But before you decide not to consult with a lawyer, please consider the following:
Depending on the facts of your case, a DUI/DWI conviction can lead to serious consequences.
For example, most states say that you can face the following if you are found guilty of DUI:
Keep in mind that these penalties will grow even more severe if you have any prior DUIs on your record.
Also, all of the above penalties have the very real possibility of negatively affecting your:
Given this, it is usually not worth the risk to represent yourself after a DUI arrest. You might want to rely on a professional lawyer to make sure you can minimize your DUI consequences.
Most often, yes. DUI cases often involve specific action items that have to be addressed by certain dates.
For example, you usually have to request a DMV hearing within 10 days following a DUI arrest to try and prevent the DMV from suspending your driver’s license.2
Further, if you wish to file motions with the court, you must do so within a specific time frame.
Criminal defense attorneys are most often more knowledgeable about these time constraints and court dates than non-lawyers.
A DUI attorney will usually have an idea on how a judge will rule in your DUI case.
Experienced DUI lawyers typically appear before many of the same judges within a given county. This means they get to know how each judge views DUI cases and their tendencies when ruling on a given:
It is usually helpful to tap into this knowledge because it might dictate whether or not you should:
It can be, yes. There is often some basic science to understand in a DUI case.
For example, you may have to understand and know how:
Further, keep in mind that the science that pertains to these issues is constantly evolving. This means you will have to be familiar with:
Since DUI lawyers often handle a high volume of cases, they often stay abreast of any relevant science. A result is that they are usually better positioned to deal with scientific issues than non-lawyers.
Yes. Judges and prosecutors generally expect pro se defendants to understand the laws and procedures with their cases.
You also must be able to clearly communicate with a judge or prosecutor. This means you should be able to speak their language or know and understand basic legal terms.
It usually benefits you to get legal help from a lawyer since he/she is often more knowledgeable as to:
Depending on the facts of a DUI case, legal representation from a lawyer is probably more affordable than most people think.
Note as well that some defense attorneys offer payment plans and discounts.
A DUI attorney may also work to:
Such actions will actually save you money in the long term.
Keep in mind too that if you have financial difficulties in paying for an attorney, you may qualify to receive legal advice and help from a public defender.
A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.