The DMV does not wait for your day in court. It begins suspending your license the day of a DUI arrest, in a process that runs separately from the criminal case, and a DUI attorney has a narrow window to contest it.
That contest happens at a DMV hearing, and it is worth requesting even when the evidence looks bad, because it previews the case the prosecution intends to bring. A conviction in the criminal case then costs you your license for longer, puts you through mandatory classes, and grows heavier with each offense until you are facing serious fines and jail.
Alejo Lugo has defended criminal cases in Riverside County courts for over 20 years, in English and Spanish, from offices in Riverside and Murrieta. Every DUI charge is worth contesting, and the days right after an arrest are the ones that matter most.
The DMV License Suspension Doesn’t Have to Be Automatic
Following a DUI arrest, the law enforcement officer will confiscate your license and issue a temporary license, which will expire in 30 days. This happens because the DMV automatically starts a license suspension process one very individual arrested for DUI of alcohol. This is an administrative process that is completely separate from any criminal charges you may face.
However, there is a way to stop the automatic license suspension. As your DUI attorney, we can help you request a DMV administrative hearing, during which we can contest the suspension. If we can show the DMV official that the evidence in your case does not justify an automatic license suspension, the DMV will give you your license back.
Even if the evidence against you is very strong and it is unlikely that we can win a DMV hearing, it is still advantageous to request one. The hearing will give us the opportunity to preview the prosecution’s evidence against you, which will help us prepare to defend you against any criminal charges.
Trust Alejo Lugo for an Aggressive Criminal Defense
Regardless of the outcome of your DMV hearing, it is highly likely you will face criminal charges for DUI. The good news is there are a variety of defense strategies that can be used to defeat DUI charges.
As your DUI defense attorney, we will work hard to identify and implement the strongest possible defense for you, given the facts of your case. Possible defenses include:
- The DUI stop was conducted illegally
- The breathalyzer or blood test was administered incorrectly
- You failed a breathalyzer test due to medical problems, not intoxication
- Alleged signs of intoxication were actually due to fatigue, illness, nervousness, etc.
So remember, even if you failed a breath test or a field sobriety test, your case is not necessarily closed. Sobriety tests can and do give incorrect results, and other evidence may be inadmissible for various reasons. It is always in your best interests to contact a DUI defense attorney for advice and assistance before you assume you must plead guilty to a DUI charge.
If, after carefully analyzing the facts of your case and taking the attitude of the prosecutor and DA into account, we determine that your best move is to accept a plea deal, we will work to achieve the best deal possible that exposes you to the least possible penalties.
Call Now to Start Building Your Defense
Contact us as soon as you are charged with a DUI so we can begin working for you and standing by your side as you face these charges. You can rest assured that your fate is in good hands when you are represented by The Law Offices of Alejo Lugo & Associates. Call us now at (800) 497-0018 for a confidential conversation in either English or Spanish with our highly trained legal staff.