Top-Rated San Bernardino
DUI Attorney Helps You
Fight DUI Charges
At the Law Offices of Hart J. Levin, we have established ourselves as the go-to DUI defense attorneys in Santa Clarita. As seasoned DUI lawyers with a track record of success, our team has represented countless clients facing DUI charges in the area. Our dedicated attorneys are equipped with the knowledge and experience necessary to examine every detail of the evidence, craft a compelling defense strategy, and fight tirelessly to secure the best possible result for our clients.
What Happens When You Get a DUI in Santa Clarita?
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being arrested for a DUI in Santa Clarita, it’s important to understand the potential consequences. As soon as you’re taken into custody, your driver’s license will be taken away, and you’ll be given a temporary one instead. It’s worth noting that your case will be handled in two different ways. Firstly, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will begin their own investigation to decide whether or not your driving privileges should be suspended. Secondly, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office (where I previously worked as a Deputy District Attorney) will bring criminal charges against you for the misdemeanor offense.
DMV Hearing After a DUI Arrest in Santa Clarita
When you get arrested for DUI in Santa Clarita, it’s absolutely critical to schedule a DMV hearing right away. Otherwise, your driver’s license will likely be suspended automatically. Luckily, our team of experienced DUI lawyers at the Law Offices of Hart J. Levin can handle the hearing request for you and gather all the evidence that the DMV will use during the proceedings.
During the DMV hearing, we will challenge the evidence and argue that the DMV doesn’t have enough grounds to suspend your license. We’ve conducted countless DMV hearings in Santa Clarita and have a strong track record of success in fighting for our clients’ rights.
While the DMV can be tough to deal with, our team has some of the highest success rates in the industry when it comes to winning these hearings. So if you’re facing a DMV hearing after a DUI arrest in Santa Clarita, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help.
Criminal Case in Santa Clarita
Aside from the ongoing case against you by the DMV, you’ll also have to deal with a criminal case because of the DUI charges. Usually, DUI charges are considered misdemeanors, but they still carry serious consequences that can impact your life significantly. That’s why having the help of an experienced DUI attorney in Santa Clarita is crucial in making sure you can defend yourself strongly and protect your livelihood.
As highly respected DUI attorneys in Santa Clarita, we understand the importance of analyzing every piece of evidence that the State presents, and we carefully strategize on how to challenge the DMV’s case against you. Our goal is to preserve your license and ensure that you have the best possible defense.
DUI Penalties in Santa Clarita
If you’re convicted of a DUI for the first time, the worst-case scenario is that you may be sentenced to up to 180 days in jail. However, our team of experts who specialize in DUI defense cases have never had a client receive the maximum sentence. That being said, the penalties for a first-time DUI offense can vary greatly depending on the specific circumstances of each case. Some of the possible consequences include probation for a period of 1 to 5 years, completing a DUI program that can range from 12 hours to 30 months, community service or labor, hefty fines, possible jail time, work release, having to install an ignition interlock device, and suspension of your driving privileges.
It’s important to keep in mind that penalties can be increased significantly if certain aggravating factors are present. Some of these factors include having a high blood alcohol concentration at the time of the arrest, being involved in a traffic accident, having prior DUI convictions on your record, and the level of cooperation you show with law enforcement before and after being arrested. These factors can greatly impact the severity of the consequences that you may face.
Santa Clarita DUI School and Alcohol Programs
If you’re caught driving under the influence for the first time, you may be required to attend alcohol classes for anywhere from 3 to 9 months. And if it happens again, the classes will likely be significantly longer. It can all feel very overwhelming and confusing, but that’s where the Law Offices of Hart J. Levin come in. We understand that you may not know what’s expected of you, and we’re here to guide you through the process one step at a time.
Our goal is to ensure that you have a clear understanding of what’s required of you and how we can assist you. Additionally, we offer assistance to clients who live out of state and are facing a DUI charge. It can be difficult to navigate the process in these situations because each state has its own set of DUI classes, and they can differ greatly. However, we have experience dealing with these scenarios and can help you through it all with ease.
The Cost of a DUI in Santa Clarita
As a skilled DUI attorney in Santa Clarita, I receive numerous inquiries from clients who are understandably overwhelmed by the amount of information they find online about DUI charges. Unfortunately, many people have the misconception that they will face fines exceeding $20,000, which is often not the case. Thankfully, with our expertise, we are able to minimize court costs even in the most challenging cases. In the event that we cannot have the charges dismissed entirely, we can usually reduce fines to around $2,000 and offer payment plans to alleviate financial stress.
At our law firm, we have innovative strategies to help our clients eliminate fines altogether, particularly when financial hardship is a concern. We also understand that DUI offenders are required to pay for DUI programs and classes, which can be quite costly. To minimize these expenses for our clients, we work hard to limit or even waive these costs entirely by fighting the charges and preventing the need for lengthy classes.
In addition to court fees and program costs, those convicted of DUI offenses may face significant increases in their insurance premiums, causing a heavy financial burden. Fortunately, our experienced DUI attorneys have established relationships with reputable insurance providers who offer our clients special pricing to avoid these costs.
We understand that many clients come to us seeking to minimize the financial impact of DUI charges. Therefore, we strive to help our clients avoid heavy fines and other penalties by working diligently to achieve the best possible outcome. Ultimately, our goal is to assist our clients in moving on from this event and reducing its impact on their lives. As top-tier DUI lawyers in Santa Clarita, we prioritize your needs and work tirelessly to help you achieve the very best possible outcome.