Last Updated on June 16, 2024 by DALA Guest Author
If you get arrested on DUI charges, your best option is to promptly engage highly reliable and experienced DUI attorneys. Your immediate call will ensure complete support and legal representation to you by knowledgeable DUI attorneys right from the arrest to the successful mitigation of the charges.
Los Angeles County, California, comprises 88 cities, each governed by a mayor and city council. These cities face various challenges, including issues related to DUI (Driving Under the Influence) offenses. Los Angeles County, known for its vast road networks and heavy traffic, reports significant DUI statistics annually. Among the largest cities, such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Santa Clarita, there’s a noticeable prevalence of DUI cases.
Data indicates that some areas have higher rates of DUI arrests and related accidents, pointing to a persistent issue with alcohol-impaired driving. For residents or those interested in learning more about DUI problems and legal resources in specific cities within Los Angeles County, you can find a comprehensive list of cities and their associated DUI attorneys in the list below. Choose your city of interest from the directory to get targeted information and assistance.
Click here to find a court house near you.
Cities in Los Angeles County
A
B
- Baldwin Park
- Bell
- Bell Gardens
- Bellflower
- Beverly Hills (Criminal Lawyer)
- Beverly Hills
- Bradbury
- Burbank
C
D
E
G
H
I
L
- La Cañada Flintridge
- La Habra Heights
- La Mirada
- La Puente
- La Verne
- Lakewood
- Lancaster
- Lawndale
- Lomita
- Long Beach
- Lynwood
M
P
R
S
- San Dimas
- San Fernando
- San Gabriel
- San Marino
- Santa Clarita
- Santa Fe Springs
- Santa Monica
- Sierra Madre
- Signal Hill
- South El Monte
- South Gate
- South Pasadena
T
V
W
An Overview of DUI Laws
If you are cited for a DUI, you are at risk of losing your driving privileges even before having your day in court. DUI laws include administrative (civil) penalties that fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV grants you the privilege of driving, but in return for your driver’s license, you consent to submit to blood alcohol content (BAC) testing if you’re stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If you refuse to submit to BAC testing, your refusal will result in immediate license suspension of your license in most states. Similarly, if you provide a blood, breath or urine sample showing that your BAC is above the legal limit, your licensed may be suspended immediately. Administrative license suspensions vary from state to state, ranging from 30 days to one year.
During a license suspension, some states allow limited driving privileges (for example, only allowing driving to/from work, daycare or the grocery store). With the help of an experienced DUI law attorney, you may be able to avoid or set aside an administrative license suspension. Don’t hesitate to talk to a DUI attorney, since the time for objecting to an administrative license suspension is usually very short.
Underage DUI Laws
Penalties for a DUI conviction vary from state to state depending on your age, commercial driving status, prior offenses (even prior DUIs that were reduced to lesser offenses can sometimes be stacked against you) and other individual circumstances. DUI laws are intolerant of underage drunk drivers, with zero tolerance laws prohibiting any individual under the age of 21 to operate a motor vehicle with any blood alcohol content.
Minors convicted of DUI may face mandatory sentencing of up to six months in jail, community service and probation. As if jail, community service and probation aren’t enough, a DUI conviction can haunt a minor for years to come. Social stigma, lost college opportunities, trouble finding a job and increased insurance rates all cause serious problems.
If you are under 18 and charged with a DUI offense, now is the time for you (and your parents, if you are under 18) to talk to an attorney with experience defending DUI charges. A knowledgeable DUI attorney can look at every aspect of the prosecutor’s case to make sure none of your rights were violated.
Blood Alcohol Content and the Law
In all fifty states and the District of Columbia, driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher is a crime. Your blood alcohol content can be measured by taking a sample of your blood, breath or urine. Most people probably opt for the breath test because it is considered the least invasive.
States have very strict protocol for administering breath tests, requiring a monitoring period to make sure your mouth stays clean and two blows that show similar results. Even when procedures are followed, BAC results are not conclusive proof that you are guilty of a DUI offense. Having BAC results thrown out of court is not all that uncommon. Penalties and sentences associated with a DUI conviction vary from state to state.
Depending on your situation, a DUI conviction may lead to jail time or prison, mandatory alcohol treatment or rehabilitation programs and maybe even require an ignition interlock device on your car (at your expense, of course). If you have a prior DUI conviction (or you pleaded to a lesser offense from a DUI charge), penalties may be even more sever.
DUI charges can be defended, but a good defense requires quick action from an experienced attorney. Consult with a DUI attorney today to assess your case and protect your rights. By completing the above for, local licensed DUI attorneys will call you for free to discuss your situation.
- Los Angeles DUI News March 26 to April 30, 2024 - April 30, 2024
- Detailed Legal Analysis of California Assembly Bill 3234 - April 26, 2024
- Comprehensive Overview of DUI Policies and Trends in California: Staff Memorandum 2024-01 - April 23, 2024