Item: Law Office of Param S. Pabla
Rating: 5
Author: Gurpreet

California’s DUI Laws

California’s DUI Laws Getting arrested for drunk driving is a serious offense with life-altering impacts. There is the possibility of a license suspension, heavy monetary fines, probation, and even jail time. If you have been arrested on DUI charges, it is important to hire a Sacramento DUI attorney who will protect your legal rights and help you understand California’s drunk driving laws.

California drunk driving laws prompt two different cases: a criminal case that is handled in the criminal court system and a California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) case that deals with the suspension or revocation of the defendant’s driver’s license.

California Vehicle Code Section 23152

California has two basic DUI laws, found in Vehicle Code Section 23152, sub sections (a) and (b), which state:

23152(a): It is a misdemeanor to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
23152(b): It is a misdemeanor to drive with .08% or more of alcohol in your blood

Even though there is only one applicable act, California laws allow the conviction of a DUI defendant for BOTH offenses under Section 23152. However, the defendant can only be punished for one offense. To avoid double jeopardy, it is advised that the DUI defendant retains a Sacramento DUI attorney.

Department of Motor Vehicles

The DMV case is very different than the criminal case and requires an Administrative Per Se (APS) hearing with the California DMV regarding the status of the defendant’s driver’s license. There is a 10-day deadline to file charges. Therefore, it is imperative for the defendant to immediately hire a Sacramento DUI attorney to file the necessary paperwork. If the deadline is missed, the defendant’s driver’s license will automatically be suspended, even if the drunk driving charges are later dismissed.

You Need to Hire Us to Protect Your Legal Rights

A DUI case is usually a complex process that is very deadline driven. As such, it is never wise for a defendant to handle his or her own DUI case without the legal assistance of an experienced Sacramento DUI attorney. If you have been arrested for drunk driving, call Sacramento DUI attorney Param Pabla at (916) 285-7900.

★★★★★

“Mr. Pabla represented me with my DUI case. He has excellent communication skills and always kept me informed. Mr. Pabla made sure I understood the process and my rights. He eased my mind through a very stressful situation. I highly recommend Mr. Pabla.” Gurpreet

“I am so happy with the service that I received from Param S. Pabla. Jarrett did a great job solving my legal issue and I can’t recommend him enough! He was able to do everything quickly, painlessly, and was ALWAYS available to talk when I needed him. If I ever need help again, I will definitely use him!" Boris

“Param was excellent in my court case of failure to stop at a stop sign. The officer could not see clearly because he was too far away. The officer insisted he could and said he had video but could not produce it at the trial. The officer then asked if he could suspend the trial to go get the video but the judge said he should have had plenty of time to get the video ready beforehand. Needless to say, the judge ruled in my favor and dismissed the case which enraged the officer. Pabla Param’s defense and cross examination skills were excellent and paramount in having the case dismissed. Highly recommended.” T.C.

“My husband and I needed to update everything -family trust, will, medical stuff. Param was really patient -answering all my questions -even when I asked them twice. He wanted to be sure I understood everything we were doing. All docs were sent to us so we could go through them on our own time before anything was finalized. I also liked when we were looking at medical stuff that he had a conversation with me about what I wanted and pointed out some things I didn’t think of.” Debbie

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