Can You Get a DUI From the Passenger Seat? Permitted Drivers and Drunk Supervisors   Picture this scene. You’re at a SoCal family dinner party. The party ends a little early, you’ve had a few too many alcoholic beverages, and know you shouldn’t drive drunk. You consult your Uber and Lyft apps, but the wait is going to be extensive. Your mind logically travels to your 16-year-old, who has a valid learner’s permit. You reflect on all the interrupted sleep they caused you, the nights spent worrying when they were sick, and all the homework you helped with after dinner. You start to think abo ..read more

July 4th DUI in California? DUIs Increase, Tragedy in Oceanside, and What to Do   Are you wondering what to do if your Independence Day celebrations are now threatening your independence? If you found yourself in handcuffs after drinking and driving during the July 4th weekend in California, you’re not alone. For many Americans, Independence Day is synonymous with indulgence, including eating 150 million hotdogs and spending a whopping $3 billion on beer and wine. Combine over $3 billion in alcoholic drinks with the number of people who decided to travel over 50 miles from home for a cele ..read more

A DUI on the Fourth of July   The first large 4th of July party happened in 1777, exactly one year after American independence. It was a day of spontaneous merriment, with fireworks, bonfires, lit candles in windows and gatherings in the streets of Philadelphia, according to Military.com. In those days people could celebrate to their heart’s content without the legal repercussions now associated with transportation. The modern 4th of July holiday is largely the same in spirit, but with family, tradition, and parties now intertwined. It’s a time of celebration and reconnection with family ..read more

First-Time DUI? Here’s A Guide to Finding the Best DUI Attorney for Your Needs   Hunting for a DUI lawyer? Needing a DUI accident attorney? Your first instinct would probably lead you to do a Google search—which could lead down a long rabbit hole. Instead, we’ll make it easier for you and answer your most pressing questions in this blog post…   Finding the Best DUI Attorney for Your Needs The unthinkable happened. You or your loved one were arrested and charged with your first DUI in California.   An onslaught of questions is swimming through your head: Should I get a lawyer for ..read more

DUI Checkpoints, the Fourth Amendment, and the Court Cases That Changed Them   Many people are familiar with DUI checkpoints in California: the flashing lights and signs, the cones and barricades, uniformed officers with flashlights in hand. Late at night or in the early hours of the morning, law enforcement officers screen drivers to check for possible driver impairments: if a driver is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Some who pass through those checkpoints are impaired—their hands shake as they hand over their identification and they feel their stomachs sink ..read more

Practical Ways to Help Someone after a DUI Arrest   People in America have been conditioned to have an automatic stress response when seeing flashing red and blue lights. It is a societal norm – a conditioned reflex so entrenched that even those who have done nothing wrong still feel their heart rates increase, their palms sweat, and the worry pervade: What if I am pulled over? What will happen? After seeing police headlights behind them, most people second guess if they were driving under the speed limit: even if they just saw it posted, they automatically believe they are doing somethin ..read more

Windsor Hills Crash Suspect Nicole Linton Charged with Murder, Lawyers Argue She Had a Seizure Anyone who saw the gas station surveillance video from the fiery car crash in Los Angeles, California on August 4, 2022, likely hasn’t forgotten it. But was there more than meets the eye with this crash?   On August 4, 2022, thirty-seven-year-old Nicole Linton, a traveling nurse from Texas blew through the intersection of La Brea and Slauson Avenues. Her Mercedes-Benz subsequently burst into flames, leaving active fire burning down the pavement and billowing smoke. Six people died from the high ..read more

Offering Effective Emotional and Cognitive Support After a DUI Arrest   Statistically speaking, we will all know a number of people in our lifetimes who will face a DUI or DWI arrest or accident. No one wants to be the person stopped at a DUI checkpoint, asked to do a sobriety test, take a DUI breathalyzer, or receive a first-time DUI in California. While everyone knows the saying “friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” not everyone has someone around to stop them from doing so, and the lowered inhibitions produced by alcohol or marijuana can lead to buzzed driving.  “Among convicte ..read more

How Does Informal Probation Work After a California DUI Conviction? A common sentence for DUI convictions in California is probation. However, probation is not the same for all cases under California law. You should not assume you will receive the same probation terms as someone else. Instead, you need to contact an experienced Los Angeles DUI attorney as soon as possible to discuss your DUI case. You could face jail time and probation for a drunk driving conviction. What Does Informal Probation DUI Mean in California? Most people convicted of misdemeanor DUI offenses in California are placed ..read more

How Do I Complete California DUI School If I Live Out of State? Understanding 1650 Waivers Most individuals convicted of driving under the influence in California must attend DUI school. However, what happens if you are convicted of DUI in California but live out of state? Before a DUI charge results in a criminal conviction, contact a Los Angeles DUI attorney for a free consultation. The drunk driving charges might be unlawful, or you may have a valid DUI defense that results in dismissed charges or an acquittal. An experienced California DUI attorney might be able to negotiate a DUI plea bar ..read more