Santa Maria, California DUI Criminal Defense Lawyer

DUI in Santa Maria, California

Once you have been cited for violating the California DUI statute, the state initiates two simultaneous, but separate, legal actions against you. The criminal action is in response to the ticket that was issued to you. The administrative action is brought against your California driver's license by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. While both actions can result in the suspension of your driving privileges, it is important to remember that there may be additional penalties to consider and each action must be handled separately.

Being charged with DUI is a serious offense in Santa Maria, California that can have major repercussions, including jail time, loss of driving privileges, and monetary fines. It is very important that anyone facing a California DUI understand what challenges they will face. Seeking the legal advice of an accomplished and professional DUI defense attorney will help you understand all of your rights and options.

DUI Penalties for First Time Offenders

• Probation - Probation may be required, at the court's discretion, and typically lasts between 3 and 5 years. During this time, the offender must not commit a criminal offense, drive with any measurable amount of alcohol, refuse to submit to chemical testing, or fail to pay a fine, restitution, or assessment fee.
• Jail Time - A first time DUI or DWI offender will face up to one (1) year time in jail.
• Chemical Test Refusal in Santa Maria, California - Refusing to submit to a test when requested by law enforcement in California will result in the suspension of driving privileges for 180 days, up to 1 year. Also, the offender will be fined between $200.00 and $500.00 for the refusal, and ordered to perform 10 to 60 hours of public community restitution.
• California Driving Privileges and DUI - In Santa Maria, California, a DUI conviction results in the suspension of driving privileges for 4 months.
• Monetary Fines - In California, the fine for a first time DUI offender with a BAC level of between 0.08% and 0.10% is $100.00, up to $300.00, plus fees. An offender with a BAC of between 0.10% and 0.15% is subject to a maximum fine of $400.00, plus fees. A first time DUI offender with a BAC of 0.15% or higher will pay a fine of $500.00, plus fees.
• Commercial Drivers - Commercial drivers are in violation of the DUI statute with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level of 0.04. A first time DUI or DWI conviction will result in the loss of the commercial driver's license for 1 year, while any subsequent DUI offenses will result in a lifetime loss of the commercial license in California.

DUI Subsequent Offenses

Penalties are increasingly more severe for any additional DUI violations. Due to the complexity of DUI laws in California, you may not be aware of rights and options. This is why an accomplished and professional defense attorney can guide you through this emotionally challenging process. Please contact a California DUI criminal defense attorney for a free consultation.

Alcohol: Persons Under 21

23140. (a) It is unlawful for a person under the age of 21 years who has 0.05 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood to drive a vehicle.

(b) A person may be found to be in violation of subdivision (a) if the person was, at the time of driving, under the age of 21 years and under the influence of, or affected by, an alcoholic beverage regardless of whether a chemical test was made to determine that person's blood-alcohol concentration and if the trier of fact finds that the person had consumed an alcoholic beverage and was driving a vehicle while having a concentration of 0.05 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, upon a finding that a person has violated this section, the clerk of the court shall prepare within 10 days after the finding and immediately forward to the department an abstract of the record of the court in which the finding is made. That abstract shall be a public record and available for public inspection in the same manner as other records reported under Section 1803. (Amended Sec. 32, Ch. 263, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008.)

DUI and California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol aggressively enforces the state's 0.08 percent BAC level law, Administrative Per Se laws (immediate driver license suspension), 0.04 percent Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level law for commercial vehicle drivers, 0.01 percent Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level out-of-service requirement for commercial vehicle drivers (24-hour tie-up), and the 0.01 percent Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level limit for drivers under 21 years of age (zero-tolerance.)

The CHP conducts DUI task force operations, or saturation patrols, in areas experiencing a high incidence of DUI-related traffic collisions. Operating from a centralized location, these operations expedite the processing of arrested individuals and allow for a concentrated effort targeting impaired drivers.

DUI Costs

Here is a breakdown for a first DUI offense in Santa Maria, California:

• DUI or DWI Treatment Program: $550
• Fines - Penalties: $1,500
• Tow - Impound Fee: $190
• California Department of Motor Vehicles Reissue Fee: $100
• Restitution Fund: $500
• Auto Insurance Increase: $2,700
• Total Approximate Cost: $5,540

Note: There may be more costs involved.

California Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Programs

Through the Driving-Under-the-Influence (DUI) Program Branch within the Office of Criminal Justice Collaboration, the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs licenses and performs compliance monitoring on all DUI programs in California. The objectives of the DUI program is to reduce the number of repeat DUI or DWI offenses by persons who complete a state-licensed DUI program. Also, to provide participants an opportunity to address problems related to the use of alcohol and/or other drugs.

ADP currently licenses 472 DUI programs that provide first-offender (and/or multiple offender) program services throughout California's 58 counties.

• The Wet Reckless Programs serve persons convicted of reckless driving with a measurable amount of alcohol in their blood.
• First Offender Programs are for those convicted for the first time of a DUI offense, and they must complete a state-licensed three-month or nine-month program, depending on their blood alcohol level.
• The 18-Month Programs serve second and subsequent DUI offenders; while the 30-Month Programs serve those with third and subsequent DUI offenders.