If you have been charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) in the Inland Empire, you might be surprised at the high fines and penalties you could be facing. These penalties include your driving privileges being suspended and possible jail time. You will need to seek the professional advice of an experienced DUI attorney. The Inland Empire drunk driving lawyers at Rizio & Nelson have the know-how to keep your record clean, keep your driving privileges safe, and help you stay out of jail. You must immediately request an Administrative Per Se hearing from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This stay must be requested within 10 days from the date of your DUI, or you risk losing your driving privileges for up to six months.
Your license suspension will stop pending the outcome of a hearing, once a date has been set. These hearings are not automatic, you must ask for them to protect your license. Commercial drivers have a different standard, and a suspended commercial driver's license will be forfeited for one year if the offense occurred in a vehicle requiring a class A or class B driver's license.
Rizio & Nelson DUI lawyers in the Inland Empire are proud of their extensive experience in handling Department of Motor Vehicle hearings. We have participated in hearings not just relating to alcohol or drugs, but for points, medical conditions, competency, and/or critical need-to-drive situations. DMV hearings can be complicated, and circumstances vary in each case. Let the DUI attorneys at Rizio & Nelson put their years of knowledge to work for you to help avoid license suspension, excess fines, and jail time.
We are highly experienced Inland Empire DUI lawyers we know that the DUI penalties are harsh. A DUI conviction will require you to answer "yes" to employers who inquire about convictions, and could prohibit you from driving any company car due to insurance liabilities. The substantial fines associated with a DUI conviction include victim's funds, drinking classes, vehicle towing and/or storage fees, increased car insurance rates, and other court ordered fees. To compound the matter, if a child was in the car when you were stopped, you may also be facing child-endangerment charges.
Inland Empire law enforcement agencies have the right to stop you if they suspect that the driver is under the influence. California law requires you to present identification and your vehicle registration. Law does not require you to:
- Answer any questions regarding how much you had to drink;
- Answer any questions regarding where you are going;
- Answer any questions regarding where you are coming from.
You are also not required by California law to submit to any roadside sobriety tests including a breathalyzer. You will be required to have a blood test at the police station, hospital or other testing facility. Refusal could result in immediate loss of your license for up to twelve months. If you are over 21 and your blood alcohol content is over .08% you will be arrested and given the opportunity to contact your attorney. If you are under 21, with a blood alcohol content of over .01%, it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle on a public roadway. For most, this means that even one drink may put you over the legal limit.
You do not need to answer any questions before consulting a criminal defense attorney. The Inland Empire criminal defense lawyers strongly advise against answering any questions prior to consulting us. Be aware that less than 2/3 of DUI arrests in the Inland Empire result in conviction. An experienced DUI attorney from Rizio & Nelson can help and may be able to arrange alternate sentencing or dismissal. Call the most experienced DUI lawyers in California. The DUI attorneys at Inland Empire are available 24 hours a day for a free, no obligation consultation.
Thank you for visiting the website of Rizio & Nelson. We are the Inland Empires’ most experienced Drunk Driving Lawyers. The Inland Empire DUI Attorneys are here to help you.
