DUI Defense
Nevada County – Nevada City, Grass Valley Lawyer
DUI DWI Arrests and Criminal Proceedings
If you were arrested in Nevada County California for a DUI then you need to consult a lawyer. Using a DUI attorney or DUI lawyer who focuses on drunk driving defense, could make a difference in the outcome of your case. California DUI or drunk driving arrests carry severe penalties and have far reaching consequences. You could lose your driver’s license, be placed in jail and fined substantial fees. Your car insurance rates may rise and you could suffer a criminal conviction on your record that may impact your future and your employment opportunities.
Jennifer has over 13 years of experience defending clients charged with DUI in Nevada City, Grass Valley, Auburn, Sacramento, Yuba City and Marysville. The various counties in Northern California - Nevada County, Placer County, Yuba County, Sutter County, Sacramento County, etc., all have different “oddities” in their approach to prosecuting DUI offenses and require specific knowledge and experience to successfully defend any case.
Being arrested for a driving under the influence means being subjected to:
- Roadside field sobriety tests
- chemical testing
- Being arrested for driving under the influence
- Losing your California drivers license for months, or even years. We understand just how you feel. More importantly, we know how to cushion or avoid the consequences of a DUI arrest and put law enforcement and the District Attorney to the task.
Many people who are arrested believe that it isn’t worth fighting and believe pleading guilty will “make it all go away.” This is not always the best choice. Only attorneys with extensive DUI defense experience will know that:
- The DUI arrest requires that the officer follows specific steps - were they followed in your case?
- Many things such as equipment failure, personal medical conditions, and ingesting various legal substances will interfere with a DUI breathalyzer and cause false readings.
- Blood tests are often inaccurate!! Often a retest by another lab will reveal different results or a contaminated blood sample.
- What was the timing of the arrest, sobriety tests, and the final blood or breath test?
These are just some of the factors an attorney will analyze in determining the validity of the arrest and strength of the case against you. Only an experienced DUI attorney will understand all the factors that are involved and how to best defend your situation.
DUI - Drugs
Often times, people are arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. While this does not implicate the DMV and the administrative process described below, the District Attorney’s Office in your county may still file criminal charges for driving under the influence.
California Vehicle Code 23152(a) VC prohibits driving under the influence of drugs. “Drugs” means any substance or combination of substances, other than alcohol, which could affect your central nervous system, brain, or muscles.
You are driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) if “your physical or mental abilities are impaired to such a degree that you no longer have the ability to drive with the caution characteristic of a sober person of ordinary prudence under the same or similar circumstances. It is irrelevant whether the drugs were legal or illegal, prescription or over-the-counter. The only issue in a California DUID case is whether the drugs affected your ability to safely drive your car.
Again, a vigorous and thorough defense is necessary to challenge the evidence against you and having an experienced DUI attorney on your side, is the only way to ensure your rights are protected.
Losing Your Drivers License
You must act quickly to protect your drivers license in California. CA Department of Motor Vehicles license suspension hearings are complex technical proceedings, and should only be handled by a lawyer with experience in DUI defense and California DMV hearings. You have only 10 days from the date of arrest to request a DUI Administrative DMV (APS) hearing with the California DMV. If you fail to act quickly your drivers license can be suspended. Some individuals charged with DUI may have the license suspensions set aside if they are successful in challenging the evidence at the APS hearing.
If you have been arrested anywhere in California for a DUI, Jennifer Walters is the experienced DUI defense attorney that can help. Call now (530) 265-2274 or use the contact form.
