DUI Lawyers in Alameda, California

Facing DUI charges? Getting convicted for drunk driving can result in harsh penalties that greatly affect your life. That’s why you need an attorney who is passionate about his work and knows how to defend your rights. With help from Andrew Dósa, you’ll be able to get through this difficult time without being stuck with expensive fines or jail time.

The Law Offices of Andrew Dósa has been providing legal representation in Alameda County and the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years. We have successfully defended clients facing criminal charges including DUI/DWI, traffic violations such as reckless driving or speeding tickets, and other drugs or alcohol-related offenses. Schedule a consultation with us today to speak with an Alameda criminal defense lawyer and get started on your defense!

Legal questions or concerns?

Our experienced attorney at the Law Offices of Andrew Dósa can answer questions and address your concerns regarding criminal defense, civil litigation, and estate planning.

What is DUI or Driving Under the Influence?

DUI or Driving Under the Influence is just one of the names for a violation while driving under alcohol intoxication. Another term or name for this is Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Under California law, driving while intoxicated is a very serious violation and crime and depending on the state or local law, can result in jail time.

If you are facing DUI charges, it is very important to call your trusted DUI Lawyer in Alameda, to help represent your case. Although the authorities have their mandatory steps or legal process to measure the intoxication level, you still have the right to proper defense and legal representation.

Ignoring the charges against you might result in a long-term negative impact on your criminal record and also your driving record. Make sure to work with the best DUI defense attorney to defend you.

In this article, we’re going through the basics of DUI and why you need a DUI defense lawyer to help you with your case. 

  • What is DUI or Driving Under the Influence?
  • Facing DUI charges?
  • What to Do During an Arrest?
  • Start Working with Your Case, Call Us Now!

What are the laws on drunk driving in California?

DUI lawyer

Under the California Vehicle Code Section 23152 and 23153 – it is unlawful for any person driving or operating a motor vehicle to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Under the code section, it will be considered a violation to drive if a person has 0.08 percent or more alcohol in his/her blood while driving. 

To prove that the driver is under any alcohol or drugs, certain steps or methods are conducted to test the driver’s sobriety. Failure to comply can result in much more serious penalties. DUI prosecutors must also prove certain elements and proof that the driver is under the influence beyond a reasonable doubt – to prosecute you.

Determining Intoxication Levels

Determining intoxication levels vary by the local state. The law enforcer might pull you over if they notice that your driving suggests intoxication. These can be seen if you’re swerving in and out of your lanes, or probably for going beyond the recommended speed limit. Police authorities also have different methods to check for intoxication levels by:

  • Making you walk in a straight line
  • Standing on one leg
  • Using a breathalyzer to measure the alcohol percentage on your system.
  • Subjecting you to a blood alcohol test to determine the exact level of intoxicants and find out which intoxicant is on your system

Depending on which state, sometimes the police authority will do either one of the four, or make you undergo all the necessary procedures. If you are asked to do one of these steps, it is important to abide by the authority because refusing a field sobriety test can result in much more complicated charges and even more severe penalties. 

However, for the prosecutor to charge you with DUI, they must provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the conducted sobriety test is accurate and prove that the defendant has been driving. 

It is very important to immediately contact our DUI Defense attorneys in Alameda to help you with your case if you are facing these charges. Your lawyer will help analyze your case and look for loopholes or errors during the procedure to make sure that rights are not being stepped on.

Punishments for DUI

Punishments or consequences for DUI vary dependently on state and local laws. Some can be charged civil cases while others can be charged both civil and criminal cases. 

In most states, the first offense for a DUI charge is a misdemeanor. It is punishable by fines or may also involve possible jail time for up to six months, depending on your state. Some states impose jail sentences for the first offense that may last for a few days to a few weeks. The law is mainly to discourage people from drunk driving.  The higher the blood alcohol content found in the system, the longer you will spend time in jail. You may also be fined.

Bigger or more severe punishments involve fatal accidents that cause injury, destruction of property, and/or death of another person. In this case, even if you are a first-time offender, jail time of up to seven years is highly possible.

Aside from this, your revocation of your driver’s license over a certain amount of time is more likely a part of the punishment. The license suspension also varies on the case and might last for 90 days to several years, depending on the driver’s history and offense. 

Under some specific circumstances, you might also need to undergo a mandatory completion of an alcohol or drug rehabilitation program and seminar. Others will also require you to do community services too.

By calling your trusted DUI defense attorney in Alameda, California, you can be sure that your case is being studied carefully. Your attorney will make sure that your legal rights have not been neglected during the process and the punishments or charges will be dropped or at the very least be minimized. 

Facing DUI charges?

Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is strictly forbidden in California. Getting a DUI conviction leads to consequences that will greatly affect your life. If you’ve been charged with driving while impaired (DWI), don’t plead guilty without talking to a criminal defense attorney.

Legal questions or concerns?

Our experienced attorney at the Law Offices of Andrew Dósa can answer questions and address your concerns regarding criminal defense, civil litigation, and estate planning.

What to Do During an Arrest

It can be difficult to stay calm and collected during something as stressful as a DUI arrest. Here are some things to keep in mind during an arrest.

  • Remember as much as you can during the arrest. Arrests follow a specific procedure, and it’s possible to get your case dismissed if there were any errors during the arrest. Try to stay calm and remember what happens before, during, and after the arrest. Every detail is crucial to prepare a strong defense with the help of your DUI attorney.

  • Cooperate with the arresting officer. Always be ready to take field sobriety tests when you get pulled over for a suspected DUI. Arguing with the police officer can only hurt your case. However, it’s also important to be careful of what you say during the arrest, since anything you say can and likely will be used against you in court.

  • Don’t go public. It’s easy to turn to social media and defend yourself in public, but this will likely hurt your case. The prosecution can use your posts against you, and even a small discrepancy between your testimony in court and what you said in social media can jeopardize your case.

  • Don’t miss a court date. If you miss any of your court dates, it can come across as you not taking your defense seriously. This can lessen your chances of winning the case and even weaken your credibility. Make sure to keep track of your court date so you won’t miss any.

  • Don’t plead guilty immediately. Most defendants plead guilty because they think there’s no way to win, but that’s not true. There’s a wide range of defenses you can use to reduce and even remove the charges against you.

If you or someone you love is facing DUI charges, it’s important to get legal help as soon as possible. Call our office at 510-333-4564 or fill out the contact form to schedule a consultation today.

Possible DUI Legal Defense

There are different possible legal defenses your DUI defense attorney in Alameda can provide if you are facing a DUI charge. Certain loopholes, failure to follow the standard procedure and much more can result in dropping the case against you. 

Possible DUI legal defense can be as follows:

  • Medical equipment might generate false results. Depending on the equipment, some or most of the time, DUI breathalyzers generate false high readings.

  • Blood testings are also prone to error. Contrary to popular belief, blood tests are not as accurate as they seem.  Retesting you or a client’s blood samples on other independent laboratories sometimes provides different results. There are also some cases where the original samples are or have been contaminated. This can help your case to prove that there are errors in the procedure.

  • Although police officers are mandated to perform field sobriety tests, there is a standardized set for them to follow. Sometimes or even most of the time, they failed to completely abide by these rules.

At the Law Office of Andrew Dosa, the best Alameda County attorneys have more than 36 years of experience in criminal defense, estate, planning, and civil litigations – this includes experience handling DUI charges. You can be sure that your case is well studied and well represented. Our DUI attorneys study the circumstances surrounding your case and creatively come up with the best legal defense to fight your DUI charges. 

Start Working with Us On Your Case, Call Us Now!

If you or your loved one are facing charges such as DUI, assault and battery, domestic violence, drug crimes, and other criminal charges, you can be sure that at the Law Office of Andrew Dosa, an Alameda criminal defense law firm, will handle your case with respect and professionalism.

We know the stress and anxiety you’re facing right now and we can provide you with the best legal service in criminal defense representation and fight for you. With more than 36 years of legal experience, we have won a lot of cases and we can help you win yours too!

Book an initial free consultation so that our competent criminal defense lawyers can answer a few of your questions. You can also call us at our client hotline at 510-369-1859 to get started with your case!