Aggressive Defense Strategies
No matter who you are, the severe consequences of a DUI conviction can be crippling. Simply put, the costs for a drunk driving conviction can extend far beyond your criminal record and can affect you for the rest of your life. You should never plead guilty to such charges without first consulting with an experienced Orange County DUI attorney who can counsel you as to the best course of action.
Why Work with Attorney Goodman?
- Rated 10.0 Superb on Avvo
- 20+ Years of Criminal Law Experience
- Proven Track Record of Success
- Argued Cases Before the U.S. Supreme Court
- A member of National College of DUI Defense since 2010
Attorney Goodman never backs down from a fight and will always go above and beyond to ensure her clients get the fair treatment and justice they deserve.
Call our firm today to allow us to defend your rights - free consultation!
You Only Have 10 Days to Save Your License
You must schedule an administrative hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days after your DUI arrest. This DMV hearing is your chance to challenge and fight the automatic suspension of your driver's license, and this takes place before you make your initial court appearance. Our Orange County DUI lawyer can represent you at this hearing and will help you apply for a restricted license if necessary.
California DUI Penalties
While consequences can vary based on a number of factors, below we have listed out the basic penalties for drunk driving in the state of California.
1st Offense:
- 4 days to 6 months in jail
- Fines up to $1,000
- License suspension for 30 days to 10 months
- Potential Ignition Interlock Device installation
2nd Offense:
- 10 days to 1 year in jail
- Fines up to $1,800
- License suspension for 2 years
- Ignition Interlock Device installation
3rd Offense:
- 120 days to 1 year in jail
- Fines up to $1,800
- License suspension for 3 years
- Ignition Interlock Device installation
4th Offense (within 10 months of 3rd DUI):
- 16 months in jail
- Fines up to $18,000
- License suspension for 4 years
- Ignition Interlock Device installation
Police Need Probable Cause to Stop You
When you come to us, we take a detail-oriented approach investigating your DUI case, starting with examining the initial stop that led to your arrest. The arresting officer must have probable cause to pull you over to investigate for drunk driving, and cannot make a stop simply on a "hunch."
If it can be established that your initial stop was unlawful, your whole case can be dismissed. Our Orange County DUI attorney, Jacqueline Goodman, can help make such a determination.
Police officers may be able to stop you if they observe any of the following behavior:
- Weaving, drifting, or swerving
- Failure to maintain a single lane
- Speeding
- Careless or reckless driving
- Accidents
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Driving too slow
- Wide turns
A police officer can frisk you or pat you down only if two conditions are met. The first being they stopped you lawfully and can articulate to you why they did so, and the second being that the officer suspects you are armed and dangerous. If drugs are found on you but the officer did not have probable cause to pull you over, this evidence against you may be inadmissible in court. The same goes for being stopped on suspicion of DUI. The officer needs to have probable cause that you were intoxicated from observing your driving or receiving reports from other individuals.
DUI Defense Strategies
Sobriety and chemical testing processes are almost always fallible, so we can challenge the accuracy of the test and the procedures followed by the police. Also, if you consumed certain food or medication prior to or after drinking, that could play a role in the rate of alcohol absorption and could lead to an inaccurate test result. All of the factors surrounding the events of your arrest may be used to challenge your charges.
Examples of common issues we address in most every case:
- Lack of proof you were driving
- Improper search issues
- Miranda warning or Fifth Amendment issues
- Implied consent admonitions
- Lack of proof of impairment
- Reliability of the blood-alcohol tests
- Retrograde extrapolation
- Admissibility of the chemical tests
Aggressive DUI Defense in Orange County, CA
Our knowledgeable Orange County DUI lawyers are highly knowledgeable regarding California's DUI laws. We can look at the officer's account of the arrest, any police reports, and any recordings or reports regarding your field sobriety tests.
When your future is threatened by DUI charges, you can find help by coming to the Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman for a confidential consultation. We have extensive experience defending clients accused of DUI and know how to obtain positive results in the courts throughout Orange County and the surrounding areas.
Get in touch with our OC DUI firm and together we can fight your arrest. Free case evaluation!
