When someone makes the choice to drive after drinking or using drugs, they run the risk of being stopped by the police. In the event they are pulled over, a series of sobriety tests will be given by the officer who usually includes a breathalyzer test which can quickly determine the amount of alcohol that is in the bloodstream. If the tests are failed, the officer will arrest the individual, the charge will be driving under the influence, DUI. In this situation the person will be well advised to hire a Los Angeles DUI attorney.
A DUI attorney will represent the person who has be arrested and charged with consuming alcohol or drugs in excess of that allowed by the state. As the attorney of the person charged with the crime, he or she will represent the client from the moment they are hired until the completion of the proceedings.
An experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney will first give the client a complete run-down on what to expect, all the possible scenarios will be explained. The penalties for driving under the influence can range from revocation or suspension of the drivers license, to fines and potentially jail time. The attorney will usually attempt to challenge the arrest if he believes the arrest was not done correctly or try to convince the court to lower the charge or reduce the sentence. The attorney may question whether the arrest was done right and that it was made well within the constitutional rights of the client or he may question the results of the original tests.
The lawyer will make sure the accused understands what is about to happen and clarify all the legal issues involved, he lets the client know that this can drag on for a number of months. The penalties are very different depending on whether it is a first offense or whether it may be a second or even third offense. During the course of the proceedings there will be several hearings, starting with the DMV and ending in court. In each hearing, the attorney will accompany his client.
Finding the right DUI attorney may not be the easiest thing, often the best approach to ask others who at one time found themselves in the same situation.
If you have been arrested for drinking under the influence you will need a Los Angeles DUI attorney. You are invited to contact The H&M Law Firm.
