Los Angeles DUI Lawyer

Defense for Drunk Driving Charges in LA

Driving under the influence is a very serious charge in California and across the United States. The punishments for a DUI conviction can be harsh and can have undesirable effects on your life as a whole. A criminal record can make life much harder for you - and you could even lose your license for a period of time. If you are unable to drive, would you be able to keep your job? The basic freedom that driving your car allows you can be taken from you in an instant if you are convicted with drunk driving.

Los Angeles DUI lawyer Loren M. Merlin is prepared to advocate your rights and your best interests if you have been charged with drunk driving in LA. Without legal representation, you may be convicted and could face the following consequences:

48 hours to 6 months in jail
$1000 in fines
Suspended driver's license for up to 6 months
Up to 5 years probation
2 points on your license
Vehicle impoundment

Your DUI defense attorney should be well-versed and skilled in all manner of drunk driving defenses. For example, if you were arrested based off of a field sobriety test, breath test or blood test, these tests can be challenged in court. Your attorney's ultimate goal will be to get your charges dropped or your case dismissed, when possible. We will work tirelessly to defend your rights and your freedom.

Our Areas of Practice - Los Angeles DUI Defense

If you have been charged with your first, second, third, fourth or subsequent DUI, the drunk driving defense lawyers can help you. Whether your DUI involves felony charges, drugs, injuries, underage drinking or other legal issue, you deserve to have the best possible defense. A DUI charge can be upsetting and terrifying to face alone. You can get the legal help you need and the support that you desire. Click on any of the links included below to learn more about a specific area of practice we handle:

DUI in Los Angeles

Being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol might seem like a minor offense to the law, but it can hold damaging consequences and lifelong repercussions for an individual who is convicted. DUI in Los Angeles is extremely dangerous and puts others' lives in danger, as well as your own. Click here to read more about DUI in Los Angeles.

DUI Penalties

The penalties of drunk driving are very severe, even for a first time offender. The law has made it very difficult for individuals facing DUI charges in California to keep their driving privileges due to the great danger that they believe these drives to be. Click here if you would like to continue reading about DUI penalties.

Boating Under the Influence

Boating is a popular pastime for many Southern Californians, especially for those in the Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Similar to drinking and driving, drinking and boating do not mix, and the law is out to charge you if you drive a boat while under the influence of alcohol. Click here to read more about boating under the influence.

Field Sobriety Tests

When stopped for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a police officer will request you to complete a field sobriety test. This test may include a walk and turn test, one leg stand test or the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. Click here to learn more about the different types of field sobriety tests.

Breath and Blood Tests

Upon receiving your driver's license in California, you signed an implied consent regarding a chemical (blood) test if pulled over for DUI. The tests serve the purpose of determining blood alcohol concentration. While challenging breath and blood tests are difficult, it is not impossible. Click here to read more about breath and blood tests.

DMV Hearings

After being arrested for DUI, you will then have ten days to request a hearing with the DMV to challenge the suspension of your license. After this ten day window, if you fail to contact the DMV, the temporary license that the officer gave you will expire and your driver's license will not be returned until your sentence is over. Click here to read more about DMV hearings.

Commercial Driver's License DUI

If you are a commercial driver and have been pulled over while driving a commercial vehicle such as a bus, 18 wheeler, tow truck or semi-truck and your blood alcohol content was .04% or higher, you will be arrested and you may lose your license and your job. Click here to read more about commercial driver's license DUI.

Felony DUI

The title of felony is added to DUI charges that involve any of the following aspects: having subsequent DUI charges within a given amount of time or having caused a drunk driving accident in which serious injury to another was the result. Click here to read more about charges of felony DUI.

Drugs & DUI

Driving under the influence of illegal narcotics and some prescription drugs is against the law. For the safety of others, law enforcement has been cracking down on individuals who they believe are driving while under the influence of a mind-altering substance. Click here to learn more about drugs & DUI.

DUI Probation Violations

In many DUI cases, an individual will be placed on probation by the court, meaning that he or she should try their best to stay out of trouble with the law during this time if he or she wishes to avoid further consequences. If you have been accused of violating probation, immediately talk to our firm. Click here to read more about DUI probation violations.

Multiple DUI

If you are currently facing your second, third, fourth or subsequent DUI arrest, it is vitally important for you to talk to a DUI defense lawyer. Your personal freedom, future and financial standing all rely on your ability to get an aggressive defense. Click here to learn more about facing multiple DUI charges.

Out of State DUI

If you have been arrested for DUI in Los Angeles but reside in another state, it is important for you to immediately talk to our DUI defense law firm. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may or may not have to appear in court. Click here to continue learning more about out of state DUI.

Sobriety Checkpoints

Sobriety checkpoints, or police stops, are a common tool used for police officers and law enforcement to regulate the streets to ensure that drunk drivers are not on the road. If you have been administered a breath test at a sobriety checkpoint and have been arrested for DUI as a result, talk to our office today. Click here to read more about sobriety checkpoints.

Underage DUI

Is your child under the age of 21 and facing criminal DUI charges? Immediately involve a DUI defense lawyer to ensure that your child's rights are protected and their future is safeguarded. An underage DUI conviction can destroy a child's future and prevent them from going to college, getting a job and making a successful living. Click here to learn more about underage DUI.

Minor in Possession of Alcohol

Possessing, buying and consuming alcohol are all illegal for a person under the age of 21 in California. If your child has been caught in possession of alcohol, they will be facing serious charges that can result in a 12 month license suspension. Click here to read more about charges of minor in possession of alcohol.

Wet Reckless

As the first stage, and least punished stage, of DUI, wet reckless charge that is actually used as a defense strategy by many attorneys. By using this as a plea bargain, the defendant is essentially charged with wet reckless instead of DUI, facing much less serious consequences. Click here to read more about wet reckless.

DUI Appeals

If you have been convicted of DUI, you have the opportunity to appeal the conviction with help from a DUI defense attorney. You must have valid grounds for an appeal and must be able to prove that a legal error or misconduct occurred to change the outcome of your case. Click here to read more about DUI appeals.

Expungements

If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor DUI charge, you may be able to expunge or cleanse your criminal record of this charge through simple steps with help from a criminal defense lawyer. You must qualify for the expungement and meet certain requirements before beginning the process. Click here to read more about DUI expungements.

Criminal Defense

At our law firm, we also defend a variety of crimes in addition to DUI charges, including assault and battery, domestic violence, drug crimes, fraud, crimes relating to medical marijuana and medical marijuana dispensaries, and probation violations. We understand that these charges are serious, and we will help you find a proper defense. Click here to read more about criminal defense.

Contact a Los Angeles DUI Defense Attorney

At our office, we realize that facing any type of DUI charge will be one of the most frightening experiences in your life. You can rely on our law firm to provide you with valuable information and defense on related DUI topics, including DUI statistics, the DUI court process, new DUI laws, unlawful police stops, unlawful search and seizure and vehicle impoundment. Furthermore, our firm can provide exceptional defense for felony DUI cases such as DUI accidents, hit and run, vehicular manslaughter and DUI with injury.

Law enforcement all across Los Angeles and the surrounding areas work relentlessly to pursue drunk drivers and drivers who are under the influence of drugs through breath and blood tests and sobriety checkpoints. Call our law firm today if you have recently been pulled over and arrested for DUI. We have a toll free phone number, which you can call us at for a free consultation of your case.

Contact a Los Angeles DUI attorney at the Law Offices of Loren M. Merlin today.