Being charged with a DUI offense is a traumatic event—particularly in California, where the government aggressively prosecutes a vast majority of the more than 200,000 people who are arrested for DUI every year.

Many of the people we talk to who have been charged with DUI are concerned about the following questions:

•    What are the penalties and jail terms for DUI in California?
•    How much will I be fined for a DUI first offense in California?
•    How will my insurance rates be affected?
•    How will my driving privileges be affected?
•    Will this offense be on my permanent criminal record?  
                         
We can help you answer these, and many other questions during this difficult time. To date we have successfully represented clients in countless DUI cases. We have received dismissal on DUI cases, and have completed seminars on DUI-related training (NHSTA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Course, Alco-Sensor Post Certification and Calibration Course, etc.).

Our experience and expertise allows us to assist you in expertly navigating the complexities of both the DMV and the criminal court system so that you receive the best possible defense against your DUI charges. Our ultimate goal is to obtain dismissal of your charges or at the very least minimize the impact that a DUI arrest has on your life. 

FAQS

•    What are the sentencing guidelines in California for a DUI offense?
•    How much will I be fined for a DUI first offense in California?
•    How much will I be fined for a DUI second offense in California?
•    How much will I be fined for a DUI third offense in California?
•    How will my insurance rates be affected?
•    How will my driving privileges be affected?
•    Do I need to contact the DMV after being cited for DUI?
•    Will I receive a court date automatically after being cited for a DUI?
•    How long do I have to request a hearing with the DMV?
•    Can I drive to and from work if I lose my driving privileges?
•    I was given a pink “temporary license” slip by the arresting officer, what does this mean?
•    Will this offense be on my permanent criminal record?
•    Is there any possibility that I will do jail time for a DUI citation?
•    How can I fight the charges that were brought against me?
•    How much can I expect to be fined for receiving a DUI citation?
•    Is there any possibility that I will do jail time for a DUI citation?
•    What are my chances for beating a DUI citation?
•    How will my blood test/blood alcohol level affect my case?
•    How will my field sobriety tests affect my case?
•    How will my breathalyzer test affect my case?
•    I refused to take a breathalyzer test, how will this affect my case?
•    I refused to take a blood test, how will this affect my case?
•    I refused to take a field sobriety test, how will this affect my case?
•    What is a “wet reckless” charge?
•    What are my rights during a DUI traffic stop?

DUI Client Testimonial

“After interviewing dozens of lawyers, I chose Jacek because my gut feeling told me he would fight for me and care about my case. He delivered beyond my wildest expectations. He kept me out of jail on a probation violation charge that resulted from a DUI arrest, and eventually got both my probation violation charge dropped and DUI charge reduced to an infraction. Everyone involved in my case, from the Arresting Officer to the District Attorney was amazed at the results Jacek achieved. He is the best at what he does, is honest and upfront about your situation, and works incredibly hard for you. He saved my life.”   PP, Orange County, CA

 

DUI Client Case Study 

In 2005, one of our clients was convicted of a drug-related felony in Orange County and placed on probation for three years. Several months later, she was arrested on a DUI charge in Los Angeles County. As a result of the DUI charge, her Probation Officer in Orange County immediately placed her under arrest and she was required to go to court in Orange County on probation violation charges.

In Orange County, defendants who are charged with violating their probation do not have the right to post bail. Essentially, once arrested, they are sent straight to jail for a minimum of two weeks and released only when a Probation Report is generated and a probation violation hearing is scheduled. A probation violation hearing is basically a mini-trial. Here, a conviction on the probation violation charges would have resulted in an automatic 90-day sentence in Orange County jail.

How Jacek W. Lentz Helped

The only way the client could avoid the automatic 90-day jail time was to: (1) delay the probation violation hearing in Orange County, and (2) get the DUI charges in Los Angeles county dismissed or reduced to a ticket/infraction.  In Orange County, judge, who had a reputation as being very tough on defendants, initially wanted to jail Mr. Lentz’s client for 90 days right away, but Mr. Lentz convinced the District Attorney’s office to withdraw the probation violation case until the DUI case in Los Angeles was resolved.

A few weeks later, Mr. Lentz and his client were in Los Angeles fighting the DUI charges. In order to avoid jail time in Orange County, the client could not be convicted of a misdemeanor in Los Angeles; a misdemeanor or felony conviction would violate the probation in Orange County.  Knowing this, Mr. Lentz fought vigorously to have the DUI charges dropped, and was on the verge of bringing the case to trial (the presiding judge had called for a jury to be assembled to hear the case) when he struck a deal with the City Attorney to resolve the case for a speeding ticket infraction.  Infractions such as speeding do not violate probation in Orange County, so the client’s probation violation case went away, and the client didn’t have to jail or suffer any other consequences.  She also saved thousands of dollars in insurance premiums by not having a DUI or any other driving-related misdemeanor conviction on her driving record.