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DUI Lawyer in Los Angeles

Los Angeles DUI Attorney 

DUI is by far the most charged crime in L.A. and probably across California. The reason this is true is because a lot of people can drink alcohol and make the bad choice to drive. It's like playing Russian roulette because the police are out there, especially on the weekends and late at night, or prowling around bars and other places where liquor is served, and they're looking to arrest people.

What they do is they pull the person over and then they just make up an excuse as to why they pulled them over, whether it be swerving, they didn't signal, their lights are out and a host of other reasons that are very hard to refute unless you can get some video evidence from the dash cam.

Once the pull over is lawfully made, then they say they smelled alcohol. They ask the person if they had any alcohol. Most people will admit it if they had alcohol and say they had two, then it's on. They're going to have him get out of the car, have him to the field sobriety test, which are very subjective and then ultimately, they will arrest him and take either their blood or breath.

Experienced DUI Lawyer

Los Angeles DUI Attorney

Your best strategy obviously, is to plan before you go out and not drink and drive – have an exit strategy and have a plan so you don't put yourself in jeopardy. However, if you're reading this passage on my website you probably didn't do that one and now you need some help. You may be trying to find a good DUI Defense Attorney in Los Angeles CA in your area.

So, really what I'm trying to do in these cases is first see if I can get the case dismissed either because there's some sort of problem with the blood or breath that they took or there's a problem with the stop of the vehicle – they didn't have probable cause – or the person wasn't driving at the time when the police came along and it's difficult for them to prove when they were driving and therefore, their expert cannot extrapolate backwards to say what their blood alcohol was hours after the test.

I have been practicing as a DUI Defense Attorney for many years and I know how to handle drunk driving cases. There's a whole host of different ways that a DUI can be attacked, but as you might guess, it's not cookie-cutter.

It's going to depend on the specific facts and circumstances of each case, and obviously, somebody who's been doing it for twenty-five years like I have and done thousands of DUI's is going to be able to spot a problem with a DUI case, and obviously use that to the client's advantage.

Developing a Strategy For Best Possible Outcome

What encourage you to do is set up an appointment with me. Bring all your paperwork, bring a list of questions and let's really get down to whether or not your case is worth fighting and whether you should spend the money to fight the case, or whether your case should be negotiated so you can get the lowest possible sentence.

Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
I wrote the book on defending a DUI in Los Angeles.

Once we get all the paperwork on the case and we have an honest conversation about it, then we can really get down to the nitty-gritty as to whether or not the case should be fought or whether you are better served to try to resolve the matter.

The Los Angeles DUI Defense Lawyers at our office are ready to help you out.

One thing I always say to my clients and I really strongly believe it when it comes to a DUI, do it once, do it right and never do it again.

And to me that means make sure that you hire an attorney who knows what they're doing, is familiar and local to the court where your case is pending, can fight a case all the way to the end through a jury or can negotiate it with the prosecutors and judge.

The attorney has got to have this dual ability if they want to be able to get you the best possible result, because if the judge and the prosecutor know your attorney won't fight them, then that gives them too much power and you're not going to get the best sentence possible.

Punishments for DUI's in Los Angeles

The punishments for a DUI in L.A. County vary, depending on what happened. There's a host of factors that the prosecutors look at, including your age, the amount of alcohol you had in your system, how you were driving, how dangerous you were, how well you did on the test and many, many more.

It's up to your DUI defense attorney to show the prosecutor and the judge all of the good facts relating to you, the circumstances of your case and come up with some sort of a plan that works for you and then make sure that they execute that plan and get what you need. That's one of the biggest things that I do when I meet with clients.

After we go over everything and we get a realistic feel for what the person is looking at at a DUI in L.A., what I do is I say, okay, what do we have to get here, and we talk about it. Once we come up with what we need under the circumstances, then I set about trying to get it and I do that through a combination of my experience having dealt with local prosecutors and also marshalling up all the mitigating factors related to your case and presenting that in the right way and presenting it in a forceful manner.

I don't back down. If I can't get what I need from the prosecutor I'm talking to, I figure out a way to get around that prosecutor – go to another prosecutor. If I can't get it through the City Attorney or DA's office, I go to the judge and I will do everything I can based on my twenty-five years of experience and my know-how to get you the result that you must have, and then we say it's time to resolve the matter or it's time to go to trial and we do everything we can to get you the result. Our DUI Defense Lawyers at our office strive to get the best possible results for our clients.

Negotiation with Prosecutor

So, I encourage you to come and sit down with me, give me an honest account of what happened, don't put any spin on it, don't leave anything out, so I can really know what happened and figure out a way to deal with your case in L.A. the best possible way.

When you come in and sit down with me, you're going to be able to get kind of a blow-by-blow of what you're looking at. You'll be looking at a fine, you'll be looking at an alcohol program. There's a 3-month, a 6-month, a 9-month, an 18-month and a 30-month program.

You'll be looking at potentially Caltrans, community service, jail time in the worse defenses where somebody gets hurt for example, or it's a fourth-time DUI. Sometimes people, especially when they're getting multiple DUI need to go into some sort of rehab – we can arrange that if it's appropriate in your case – and other times people are simply innocent, and they need to fight the case and take it all the way and that's something that we talk about.

We assess, and if we make that decision, then obviously, we do the investigation. We get the experts and do everything humanly possible to get you the desired result. Call us at (213) 542-0979  to talk with our Los Angeles County DUI Defense Lawyers right away.

The National Advocacy for DUI Defense, LLC (NAFDD), 2013 – Ronald D. Hedding was recognized by The National Adovcacy for DUI Defense as one of the top 100 Driving Under The Influence Attorneys in the state of California.

With 75 years of combined experience and thousands of DUI cases successfully resolved in Los Angeles County…you could not find a better firm to represent you for your Los Angeles DUI matter. You owe it to yourself to call me and set-up a free face to face consultation regarding your Los Angeles DUI case. Do not be fooled by some sales person over the phone. You want to meet and talk to the attorney that will represent you…especially if your case is in Los Angeles. I personally have been handling drunk driving casesfor almost 2 decades….if your case is in Los Angeles, please call me at (866) 986-2092 (just ask for a free consultation with Ron Hedding).

Sometimes you may have had too much to drink without even realizing it. You insert the keys into your ignition, start your vehicle and drive off, only to find yourself later being pulled over by law enforcement. You may then be asked by the officer to perform a number of sobriety tests. These tests are used as an attempt to assess your mental and physical status, and to determine whether or not you are legally under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you are suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs you may be arrested immediately for DUI (driving under the influence) and your driver's license will be confiscated. Contact a Los Angeles DUI attorney in our office to learn more. The Los Angeles DUI Defense Lawyers at our office can be reached at (213) 542-0979 for a Free Strategy Session.

Aggressive Drunk Driving Defense Attorneys

In order to save your reputation and driving privileges, and to keep you out of jail, it is important that you contact a professional Los Angeles DUI attorney today. A defense lawyer that is well-educated regarding California DUI law and DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) regulations will be able to defend your rights under California law. At the Hedding Law Firm we are 100% committed to going that extra mile to protect our clients' rights and freedom. Our lawyers provide exceptional DUI defense and not only will we fight to keep you out of jail, but will look to clear your name and keep your record clean.

Whether or not you were swerving while driving, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, or the smell of alcohol on your breath, in California, you may still be charged with driving under the influence. If you had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.08% or higher, often referred to as DUI “per se”, you will also be charged.

In addition, law enforcement has the right to arrest you if they suspect that you are under the influence, regardless of whether or not you pass the sobriety tests. In California, the legal system is very harsh on a person convicted of driving under the influence. Throughout the State of California, drunk driving accidents are often the cause behind numerous deaths and injuries every year. For this very reason, California has very strict penalties.

Jury Instructions For DUI Cases

Jury Instructions Calcrim 2110 states that a defendant is charged with driving under the influence if driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in violations of Vehicle Code, § 23152(a). Jury Instructions Calcrim 2111 states that a defendant is charged with driving under the influence if the defendant was driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher.

Depending on the seriousness of your case, and how many times you have been previously arrested and convicted within a ten year period for DUI, you will be looking at the following penalties for a driving under the influence conviction:

1st Time Offense:

  • 48 hours – 6 months jail time
  • $390 – $1000 fine
  • 90 day – 6 month license suspension
  • Community service
  • Probation

2nd Time Offense:

  • 10 days – 1 year in jail
  • $390 – $1000 fine
  • 2 year license suspension
  • 18-30 month alcohol/drug program
  • Possible installation of ignition interlock device
  • Community service
  • Up to 5 years probation

3rd Time Offense:

  • 120 days to 1 year in jail
  • $390 – $1000 fine
  • 3 year driver's license revocation
  • 18-30 month alcohol/drug program
  • Possible installation of ignition interlock device
  • Community service
  • 1-5 years of probation

4th or Subsequent Offense:

  • 180 days to 1 year in jail
  • $390 – $1000 fine
  • 4 year license revocation by DMV
  • 18-30 month mandatory alcohol/drug program
  • Installation of ignition interlock device
  • Community service
  • Probation for 1-5 years

In addition, if any other crime such as hit and run or vehicular manslaughter occurs as a result, you will be facing additional charges and consequences for your negligence. At the Hedding Law Firm, we have dedicated ourselves for many years to providing excellent defense strategies. We provide legal services to clients and their cases throughout the Los Angeles area and all of California. Our number one goal is to provide you with outstanding legal defense and a positive outcome for your DUI case.

PC 1000 and Prop 36: Alternative Sentencing Programs

If this is your first offense, under California Penal Code 1000 (pc 1000), you may be able to avoid jail time altogether by qualifying for alternative sentencing. In addition, under the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act; Proposition 36 (Prop 36), a first or second time offender may qualify for a state regulated treatment program instead of incarceration. The Los Angeles criminal attorneys at our firm know and understand exactly what criteria must be met in order to qualify for alternative sentencing.

Get the Help of a Professional DUI Attorney

We have the qualifications and experience to provide DUI defense for all types of complex misdemeanor or felony driving under the influence cases. Our  DUI Defense Lawyers have been helping clients for over two decades. We offer a free initial consultation to potential clients.

During this meeting we can look at the facts of your case, review the police report and answer any questions that you may have. We may also be able to determine whether or not we feel that you meet the qualifications for either pc 1000 or Prop 36 or have your charges reduced to a public intoxication.

If you have been arrested for a DUI, it is very important that you contact a DUI defense lawyer immediately. You only have 10 days from the date of your arrest to schedule a DMV hearing in order to protect your driving privileges and keep your license from becoming automatically suspended. An attorney at our firm can represent you at this hearing to offer you the best chance of getting your license back.

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