If you receive a traffic ticket you may be eligible to attend traffic school.  Only infractions that count as one point on your driving record are eligible for traffic school.  DUI and other criminal vehicle offenses are not.  Correctable violations are not eligible since they are not considered ...

Law enforcement officers will begin a DUI investigation if they suspect that a driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  But how do officers come into contact with the driver in the first place?  The most common way is that officers initiated a traffic stop and signaled the driver to pu...

Yes, it is possible to go to jail for driving under the influence (DUI).  The severity of the punishment for a DUI offense can vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case and the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred.  Repeat offenders or those involved in accidents resulting in...

The short answer is YES.  The definition of "under the influence" is not limited to just alcohol, but also includes any substance that impairs a person's ability to operate a vehicle safely, including illegal drugs, prescription medications, and over-the-counter medications. Law enforcement offi...

If you are arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) and refuse to take a chemical test, such as a breath or blood test, your driver's license will be suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a period of time.  This is known as the "implied consent" law, which means that by dr...

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a support group whose stated "primary purpose" is to help alcoholics "stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety."  AA members follow the principles outlined in "The Big Book, which suggests a twelve-step program in which members admit that they are powerle...

DUI tests, also known as field sobriety tests (or FST's), can be accurate in certain circumstances but are not always reliable indicators of impairment.  FST's typically involve a series of physical and cognitive tests that police officers use to evaluate whether a driver is under the influence of...

If you are arrested for DUI involving alcohol and the officers have confirmed that you have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher (remember in some situations you can be arrested for DUI even if your BAC is under .08), or they suspect that you will be a .08 or higher (waiting on return o...

A couple of new traffic laws will take effect on January 1, 2023.  The laws will change penalties for driving without a license (Vehicle Code Section 12500) and failing to appear in court. Driving Without a License Vehicle Code Section 12500 prohibits operating a motor vehicle without a valid d...

Following a persons arrest for DUI, he or she may be released on their own recognizance (OR) by the law enforcement agency.  This means the person is released from custody after promising to appear in court.  The person is usually asked to sign a written promise to appear which provide the cou...

Many DUI cases are filed at the Van Nuys Courthouse, located at 14400 Erwin Street in Van Nuys (Van Nuys is a community within the city of Los Angeles). This is due to the large jurisdictional area of the Van Nuys Court, which covers a large geographical area of San Fernando Valley. 

Successful completion of an approved California traffic violator school effectively results in the traffic violation being dismissed.  There will still be a conviction on your record but it will be "confidential."  This means that there will not be a point assessed to your California DMV driving ...

If you are arrested for DUI and there was a child in your vehicle with you at the time, you are subject to additional criminal penalties.  Vehicle Code Section 23572 allows prosecutors to seek enhanced penalties if the child was under the age of 14.  Prosecutors may charge you under this section ...

If you want to fight your ticket, the first step is to schedule an arraignment date.  When you appear on this date in traffic court you will enter a "not guilty" plea.  The traffic court judge will then schedule a trial.  You will be ordered to appear on this date.  If you fail to appear, there a...

California law prohibits the driver of a motor vehicle from texting or using a wireless device, e.g. a cell phone, in any manner while driving.  Vehicle Code Section 23123.5 only allows such use if "the wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and c...

This is the question that many drivers ask after receiving a traffic ticket.  If the officer observed you commit an alleged violation, he or she would have pulled you over and written or typed the citation listing the violations they claim you violated.  You would have signed the citation promisi...

All repeat DUI offenders in California, as well as some first time offenders, must install an ignition interlock device (IID) in any vehicle they own or operate before they can get their driver's license re-issued.  How long the IID must remain installed depends on the particular driving record o...

A California licensed driver is eligible to attend traffic school for one violation every 18 months.  There are a couple of great benefits to attending and completing traffic school.  No points will be assessed to your DMV driving record.  There will be a conviction on your record but it will be ...

California's implied consent law requires a driver arrested on suspicion of DUI to submit to either a breath or blood test.  

If you are convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) your California driver's license will be suspended.  The length of suspension will be determined by a number of factors, including the number of prior offenses you have, whether or not the DUI involved injury, how high your blood alcohol c...

I am frequently asked whether or not a person is required to take field sobriety tests (aka FST's) if a police officer asks them to do so.  The answer to that questions is no, however if the person is already on probation for a previous DUI conviction that may be in violation of probation if they...

A person convicted of DUI may be ordered by either the Court or the DMV to install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) in any vehicle that they own or operate.  In fact, for repeat DUI offenders or first time offenders with a case involving an injury, an IID will be required by DMV before they wil...