Thousands of DUIs are prosecuted every year in Los Angeles County. I've been fighting these cases for over 30 years, so I have some tricks and secrets for properly defending them and getting the best possible result.
The first thing you've got to figure out is how you will handle the case. Is the case going to be fought through a jury trial because you're innocent of trying to get that not guilty verdict, or is that not realistic based on the evidence the police can obtain?
For example, your blood alcohol level, your driving patterns, how you talked, walked, performed on the field sobriety tests, etc. So, we have to get that out of the way first.
Do we fight this thing, or is it a situation where we must work out a resolution? What I have you do is I have you come in. We can sit in my office or talk over the phone - whatever you feel more comfortable with.
I will ask you a series of questions about what happened and what type of evidence you know or don't know that they have. Then, we'll start building a defense in the case that makes sense for you and your particular circumstances.
Examining DUI Case Details
We have to consider whether you hit on any big-ticket items. What I would consider a big ticket item in a DUI is:
- Your blood alcohol level.
- How you were driving.
- Whether you were speeding.
- Whether you got in an accident.
- Whether you have prior DUIs on your record.
We have to look at these types of things because they raise the eyebrows of prosecutors and judges and punish people much harsher for a DUI in Los Angeles than they usually would.
So, if you fall into one of these wrong categories, we have to figure out a way to counteract that so you don't get the harshest punishment available.
Seeking a Lesser Charge
Another thing that we assess, another secret, is that there are other charges that someone can be convicted of besides a DUI, so you don't necessarily have to get a DUI on your record.
So, we have to determine if you are amenable to getting one of these other charges, such as a wet, dry, or speed contest or some type of moving violation.
Driver's License Suspension
Another thing we have to look at is the Department of Motor Vehicles and your driving record. They're going to automatically suspend your driver's license if you don't have your attorney call them or call them yourself and set up a hearing to be able to defend your driving rights.
I typically recommend that you have an attorney do it because they'll do it the right way and give you the best chance at success. Even if you can't be successful, they'll help guide you through the bureaucracy of a DMV so you end up with the best possible result.
DUI Punishments
Then we've got to look at the punishment. How will we limit the sentence if you plead guilty to a DUI or some lesser charge? We will examine the facts and circumstances of the case to determine your DUI level.
You know, there are those DUIs where someone is driving and forgets to put on their headlights. The police see them and pull them over, and they blow a low alcohol level, but they're over the legal limit; they have no record.
They weren't dangerous and were cooperative with the police, but that's the low end of the scale. Then there's the high end of the scale where people are double or triple the legal limit, driving unsafely, getting in an accident, speeding over 100 mph, and, God forbid, killing someone.
That's the high end of the gambit. Where do you fall on the spectrum? Are you in the middle? Are you towards the end? Of course, we will also look at your blood alcohol level.
Anybody who blows a .08 or a little bit lower is in a much better position than somebody who blows over a .12 in Los Angeles County because you can either get the case dismissed if you blew a .08 or lower or get some lesser charge that is a lot less egregious than a DUI.
Making the Right Legal Moves
So, there are a lot of things going on in these cases. The last thing I would say to you is that we've got to look at your particular case as a person, your career, your life, and your family and begin to make moves to take control of your life.
When you get arrested and thrown in the back of a police car, it's very humiliating. It gives you a sense of how fragile we are in this world and how much authority the police have, especially when someone has been drinking and driving.
So, it's my job to fight back for you, to make the right moves, and to get you back where you were before this case started. If you need the best, if you want to do it right, if you want to do it once and never do it again, pick up the phone now and ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding.
Let me use my 30+ years of experience to your advantage. I've worked for the district attorney's office, a superior court judge, and, since the early 1990s, for people like you and achieved great results. Pick up the phone now and ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. The Hedding Law Firm is based in Los Angeles, California.
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