Why You Need an Experienced San Diego DUI Lawyer
It’s stressful to be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). But you or your loved one may be able to beat the charges with an experienced San Diego DUI lawyer defending you, one with a track record of winning cases.
California aggressively prosecutes DUIs. The process is time-consuming and may be confusing to those without experience. You need a good, experienced attorney to give yourself the best chance. Otherwise, you may be convicted and suffer sentences that can include having your driver’s license suspended, work programs, fines, probation, and even jail. Plus, a criminal record can lead to trouble finding employment and higher auto insurance costs.
Contact Bradley Corbett now if you’re facing a DUI charge. He and his team have experience in hundreds of criminal defense cases, including DUIs. After a free consultation, they can get to work preparing your defense. On the date of the hearing, they’ll go to court with you with the goal of getting you out of the charges completely, or reducing them as much as possible. Common defenses they may use include:- Bad driving: you made a simple driving mistake
- Unlawful stop: you were pulled over without proper cause
- Inaccurate blood or breath sample: a testing machine or process was in error
- Inaccurate observation of field sobriety test: you or the officer made a simple mistake on the test
- Alcohol level on the rise: your blood alcohol level was lower at the time of the arrest than at the time of the test
DUI Checkpoints in San Diego
Law enforcement officers in the San Diego area have been using more DUI checkpoints in the last few years. Normally, officers can only pull over a driver for violating traffic laws or driving erratically; only at that point may they question the driver. But DUI checkpoints allow them to stop drivers randomly and examine them for signs of being under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or marijuana.
The Bradley Corbett team may be able to get your charges dismissed if you were arrested at a DUI checkpoint. Checkpoints are only legal if they follow precise guidelines set up in the Ingersoll v. Palmer (1987) ruling. If any guidelines were violated, we’ll argue that the DUI checkpoint was unlawful.
The Difference Between a First DUI in California and Subsequent Charges
Different penalties apply in California if you were arrested when you were under 21 years of age or were 21 or older. The penalties for a first-time offense if you’re under the age of 21 may include:- Your license suspended for a year
- Attending DUI school
- Paying fines of hundreds of dollars
- Criminal charges that can hurt your future.
- License suspension for 4–6 months
- County jail time up to 6 months
- Fines up to $1,000, plus other penalties of $500–$1,000
- License reissue fee of $125
- DUI classes for around 3 months
- Probation of 3–5 years
Bradley Corbett
Bradley Corbett is a criminal defense attorney in San Diego. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah in 2004. Later he enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego where he participated in a prestigious internship program with the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Since then he has handled over 2,000 cases.