An arrest for driving under the influence is a very traumatic experience for many. The most important thing to do after this happens is to keep calm. You are not alone. The first thing you should do is reach out to a Los Angeles DUI lawyer and explain what happened. Berglund Law Office, P.C. provides a free and confidential consultation to any person who has been arrested and/or criminally charged with DUI. Call our office at (877) 667-1205 or submit our CONTACT form to schedule a DUI consultation.
10 Days to Request DMV Hearing
The most time sensitive issue facing a person that has been arrested for DUI is the automatic driver's license suspension that will be imposed by the California DMV if an administrative per se (APS) hearing is not requested within 10 days of the DUI incident/arrest. The quickest way for an individual to request a hearing is by contacting the DMV Driver Safety Office at (833) 543-7703 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. If you hire a DUI attorney within the 10-day period, the attorney's office will contact DMV on your behalf and make the request. If a hearing is not requested, the driver's license will be automatically suspended 30 days from the DUI incident/arrest date. By requesting a hearing, you can also request a "stay" of the suspension. Your driver's license will remain valid pending the outcome of the APS hearing.
Criminal Court Case
Most individuals arrested for DUI are released by the law enforcement agency with a citation which provides the court location and court date. In some instances, a person arrested for DUI will be required to post bail in order to be released from custody. If bond is posted, they are provided a court date on the bail paperwork when they are released. The court date may be relatively soon, within a month, or may not be held for several months. The prosecuting agency reviews the police report and other evidence received from the police agency and determines if and when to file criminal charges. A good Los Angeles DUI attorney will explain this process in further detail to their clients.
DUI Attorney in Los Angeles
If you have the financial ability to hire an attorney, you want to choose one that regularly practices DUI defense law. DUI cases are not like typical criminal or civil cases. Although DUI cases are criminal, they require a lot of specialized knowledge related to police investigations, forensic toxicology, and administrative regulations. Contact Berglund Law Office, P.C. in Los Angeles at (877) 667-1205 or submit our CONTACT form to schedule a DUI consultation.
