DUI Defense Overview

Orange County DUI Defense Lawyer

If you were recently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your body is likely under a tremendous amount of stress. You are probably very worried; you do not sleep well and may be ‘sick to your stomach’.

If this sounds like you, relax, take a deep breath and remember, “It is not the end of the world”. Unlike other criminal offences, a DUI conviction is not a crime of moral turpitude.

A crime of moral turpitude is one that would prevent you from obtaining employment or professional licensing. An example of a crime of moral turpitude would be a theft or forgery case, or any case where you were proven to have knowingly committed a criminal act. Driving under the influence cases do not fall under this category. With respect to employment, remember that if you are convicted of a DUI, you could, theoretically, still qualify for political offices or any other leadership position – remember, President Bush was convicted of a DUI.

Please do not misinterpret the above statements – We are not saying that a DUI case should be treated lightly or without respect. We simply want to assure you that you will make it through this period of time, and ultimately you will be okay.

The Law Offices of Stull & Stull has been involved in hundreds of DUI cases and we take the time to hold your hand and walk you through the process.

Orange County DUI Defense Lawyer
Arrested for DUI Defense, DUI Offence, DMV DUI 10 Day Rule, DUI First Offence, Second, Third, DUI Restricted License, DUI Sentencing Chart, Understanding BAC, Is a DUI a Felony in California? and more.

Will I Have To Go To Court?

Many of our clients are very busy, overworked professionals or are afraid to go to the courthouse. Most of our clients also do not like to sit in a court room for 2-4 hours of their day and listen to the Judge call each case before he gets to their name. The good news is there is a provision in the Penal Code – Section 977(a), which allows your attorney to make all of your court appearances with your approval.

This means, ultimately, you may never have to appear in court. Our typical client never steps foot in the court room. We handle all of the court appearances and, if the case reaches the point where we enter a plea, we can send the plea by mail and you simply have to sign a few documents and have your signature notarized. Furthermore, we go to the alcohol liaison office and set up the appointment for the court ordered DUI school and the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers panels for you, so you do not have to wait in their offices.

Having an attorney represent and attend court on your behalf can save you many, many hours of anxiety, frustration and time. We are very experienced in the process, and we handle most misdemeanor cases for clients without them ever having to appear in court.

DUI Arrest and Defense Questions

You likely have a number of questions relating to your arrest and defense. Some examples of the questions or concerns you may have are:

If the officer never read me my Miranda rights, does the case get dismissed?
The officer made me perform the field sobriety test on a hill – is that fair?
I could not understand the instructions he gave me for the field sobriety test, does that matter?
The officer asked me to take a breath test that was the size of a box of cigarettes with a little straw in it – did I have to take that test?
Do I have defenses to this case?

You will have lots of questions regarding these issues and we have lots of questions to ask you regarding these issues in order to accurately answer your questions. The best way to handle your questions and concerns is to meet with us personally to go over each point of concern. We will answer your questions and give you a better feel of where you stand with your particular case.

What Is The Punishment For A Driving Under The Influence Case?

We have a “ punishment chart”, which sets out the statutory penalties the courts can impose for a DUI case. Remember, the courts do not have to follow the minimum sentence guidelines, and can sometimes be less or more severe (depending on your circumstances). The courts can also impose a combination of different penalties for one charge. However, the basic guidelines are set out in the chart.

What Is The Cost To Hire A Lawyer?

On a first time offense, the fees can vary. However, if this is a first offense, in which we can build a clear defense strategy, the fees are generally $2,500-$7,500. However, based on certain circumstances, as well as the individual case, the fees can be less or more.

Additionally, there can be other legal costs, which can range from investigative costs (for example, if we need to send an investigator to interview witnesses, take photographs, create video re-enactments or perform various other investigative tasks) the costs will vary and will be billed to our client on a “dollar for dollar cost basis” (we do not “mark up” any of these fees – and will provide you with a copy of their billing to our firm, if requested).

Additionally, if required, our client may have to incur the cost of an expert witness – In the case of a DUI, this person will be someone who is an expert in calculating and analyzing blood alcohol content, alcohol and breath measurement machinery and field sobriety test procedures. These fees are usually a minimum of $200, and, depending on whether the expert’s testimony is required for court, the fees can run up to $1,500.

Not every case needs an investigation or expert witness involvement. However, we do have these services at our disposal if they are needed.

DON’T HESITATE – CALL OR EMAIL US NOW!

Please email me at : information@orangecountycriminaldefenselaw.com on any criminal matter or call us at: 877-815-7421 or fill out our contact form