Recent Blog Posts in September 2011

Being arrested for a California driving under the influence charge can be stressful and expensive, especially if you are pulled over during a DUI Sobriety Checkpoint. Fortunately, our California DUI Defense Lawyers have been trained in administering DUI field sobriety tests as well as the breathalyzer test and will utilize this knowledge in helping you get a more favorable outcome in your specific DUI case.  

Our CA DUI Lawyers want you to be aware of the upcoming, as well as previous, DUI sobriety checkpoints that may be near you. While these checkpoints are supposed to be announced prior to their commencement, it is not uncommon for arresting officers to wait until the last minute to post the time and location of a checkpoint. This is done to deter motorists from purposely avoiding a certain area knowing that there might be a checkpoint.

Contact our California DUI Defense Attorneys today if you are arrested during a DUI sobriety checkpoint. We will discuss the details of your case, answer any questions you may have and provide you with a free quote. Call us today at 888-844-4384 or fill out our FREE DUI case evaluation form to have an attorney contact you directly!

Friday, September 30^th

Inglewood: 7pm-3am - Manchester Blvd. at Kareem Court

San Rafael: 6pm - early morning - Eastbound Third St. at Union St. , may relocate to Irwin St. at Fifth Ave.

San Diego County: evening - Valley Center, time and location undisclosed

Ventura:   8pm-3am - undisclosed location

Our California DUI Defense Lawyers have compiled the list below to provide you with the times and cities of DUI sobriety checkpoints that will be occurring this weekend.   Although most of these checkpoints have been announced, it is not uncommon for their actual location to be undisclosed as arresting officers are attempting to prevent motorists from purposely avoiding the area where a checkpoint will be.  By making the location "undisclosed", officers have a better chance at arresting those who have been driving under the influence.

If you are arrested for a California DUI during a DUI Sobriety checkpoint, contact our California DUI Attorneys as soon as possible. You have only 10 days to contact the DMV to request a hearing that is separate from your criminal court hearing! Let our DUI Defense Lawyers in California request and conduct the hearing for you! Call us at 888-844-4384 or fill out our free DUI case evaluation form!

Friday, Sept. 23^rd

Hanford: 6pm-2am - undisclosed location

San Juan Capistrano: 6:30pm - 2:30am - undisclosed location

Santa Maria: 6pm-1am - undisclosed location

Saturday, Sept. 24^th

Costa Mesa: 6pm-2am - undisclosed location

Fontana: 6:30pm-2am - undisclosed location

Los Angeles: 8pm-8am - Cahuenga Blvd. & Broadlawn Dr.

Modesto: 10pm-3am - DUI roving saturation patrol

Sunday, Sept. 25^th

Livermore: 2pm-10pm - undisclosed location

Getting around California without can be quite hard, especially if you do not reside in a pedestrian friendly city. Unfortunately, if you are arrested for driving under the influence, you could be facing a yearlong license suspension, making it that much harder to get to work, school or anywhere else you may want to go.  

Our California DUI Attorneys want you to be aware of the upcoming DUI sobriety checkpoints so that you can have a designated driver or call a taxi if you plan on going out.   These checkpoints are usually announced prior to their commencement; however it is not uncommon for arresting officials to prolong announcing the checkpoint until moments before it actually begins.

If you are arrested during a DUI Sobriety Checkpoint, contact tour California DUI Defense Lawyers as soon as possible .Waiting to hire an attorney can be detrimental to you case; call us today at 888-844-4384 or fill out our free California DUI case evaluation form to have a lawyer contact you directly!

Friday 9/16

Buena Park: 7pm - 3am - Stanton Ave. & Beach Blvd.

Petaluma: 6pm-2am - undisclosed location

San Mateo: 6pm-2am - Fourth Ave.

Saturday 9/17

Modesto: 9:30pm - 3:30am - undisclosed location

Ventura: 8pm-3am - undisclosed location

Westminster: 9pm-2am - Westminster Blvd. & Edwards St.

DUI sobriety checkpoints are designed to protect the public from motorists who may be driving under the influence. These checkpoints usually occur over the weekend and are near areas known for frequent DUI arrests.   If you plan on going out this weekend, please have a designated driver or hire a taxi as there will be plenty of DUI sobriety checkpoints all throughout California.

 Contact our California DUI Defense Attorneys if you happen to be arrested during a DUI checkpoint; we will look into the details of your arrest and will represent you throughout your entire case.

Friday 9/9

Fortuna: 9pm - early morning - 500 block of S. Fortuna Boulevard

Lynwood: 6pm-2am - undisclosed location

Modesto: 10pm-3am - city limits, undisclosed location

Pacifica: 7pm-1am - city limits, undisclosed location

Sacramento: 8pm - early morning - 5 ^th Street & L Street

Ventura: 8pm-3am - undisclosed location

Saturday 9/10

Buellton: 5:30pm - 11:30pm - undisclosed location

Rancho San Diego: 7pm-1:30am - undisclosed location

Santee: 8pm - 3am - undisclosed location

Monday 9/12

Costa Mesa: 6pm-12am - undisclosed location 

When California state senators vote on proposed legislation addressing California sobriety checkpoints, the bills will be a bit different from those originally proposed by Assemblymen Gil Cedillo and Michael Allen.

In their original form, both bills addressed police impounds of cars at DUI/license checkpoints. According to the Press-Democrat, the impoundment provision has been dropped from Allen's AB 1389. The remaining provisions address how California DUI checkpoints must be conducted, including a requirement that police give at least 48 hours notice of a checkpoint's location.

Meanwhile, the impoundment component was shifted to AB 353, proposed by Cedillo. Allen and Cedillo decided to team up on the impoundment issue and to become joint authors of AB 353, according to Allen aide David Miller.  

The proposed bill, which is pending in the Senate, would limit the impounding of cars of unlicensed drivers at California DUI checkpoints if the car wasn't used in a crime. In addition, a car couldn't be impounded if a licensed driver was available, or an officer was able to park the car in a safe place.

Allen's California DUI law now "deals only with DUI checkpoints," Miller said.

Another change in Allen's bill involves more specific advance notice of checkpoint locations. Initially, he had wanted police to cite the actual location, but his bill was amended in the Assembly to "general location." In the Senate version, the word "general" was deleted, signifying a desire to require police to be more specific on locations.

Miller said publicizing locations remains the "subject of ongoing negotiations with law enforcement and social justice groups." As we have continually highlighted on this blog, studies have shown that giving notice is helpful in deterring some instances of drunk driving.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in California, contact our California DUI attorneys today. If you are interested in learning more about the locations of California DUI checkpoints, you can also visit our Facebook page!

Actress Jaime Pressly will avoid jail time after pleading no contest to California drunk driving charges last week. Instead, the My Name is Earl actress, 34, was sentenced to three years of informal probation, according to media reports.

In addition to probation, Pressly is also required to attend a six-month alcohol education class and must have an ignition interlock device installed on her car. For drivers who are not familiar with these devices, they are designed to prevent drivers from operating a motor vehicle when they have a measurable amount of alcohol in their systems.

As detailed on this blog, the actress had previously pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from her January 5 arrest in Santa Monica after a failed field sobriety test. Pressly reportedly had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.22 percent, significantly more than legal limit of 0.08 percent. Prosecutors had charged the actress with driving under the influence as a misdemeanor offense.

Being arrested for a California DUI can be a traumatic experience, and not just for those in the public spotlight. Therefore, it is important to have an experienced and knowledgeable California DUI defense attorney.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in California, contact our California DUI attorneys today.

Please stay safe this Labor Day Weekend as there will be multiple DUI sobriety checkpoints and DUI roving patrols all throughout California.   From September 1 ^st through September 5 ^th, police departments as well as the California Highway Patrol will be deploying most of their arresting officers to ensure that the public is safe from intoxicated drivers.

If you plan on going out this weekend, please have a designated driver or hire a taxi. If you are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and or drugs, contact our California DUI Defense Attorneys as soon as you are released.   We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 888-844-4384. To have a DUI attorney from California contact you directly, fill out our free DUI case evaluation form today!

Thursday:  9/1

Cypress: September 1 ^st - 9pm-3am - undisclosed location

Redlands: 10pm - 3am - southbound lanes of Cajon St., south of Cypress Ave.

Friday 9/2

Apple Valley: 6pm-2am - undisclosed location

Coachella: 7pm - early morning - undisclosed location

Laguna Beach: all weekend starting Friday, Sept. 2 ^nd through Monday, Sept. 5th

Lake Elsinore: evening - undisclosed location

Lemon Grove: 7pm - early morning - city limits

Mission Viejo: 7pm-3am - undisclosed location

Redlands: 10pm-2am - westbound lanes of Redlands Blvd., west of Eureka St.

San Bernardino County: 7pm-2:30 am - between the cities of Chino and Montclair

San Jacinto: 6:30pm-2am - city limits

San Marcos: 7pm - early morning - city limits

Saturday 9/3

Imperial Beach: 7pm - early morning - city limits

Long Beach: 6pm-2am - western section of the city

Palm Desert: 8pm-2am - city limits

Santa Barbara: 8pm-2am - undisclosed location

Sunday 9/4

Poway City: 7pm - early morning - city limits

In previous blog posts, we have highlighted two California Assembly bills designed to regulate California sobriety checkpoints. Specifically, the bills address concerns surrounding the high number of vehicles impounded at California sobriety checkpoints and the disproportionate impact on unlicensed drivers.

Both bills made it to the Senate floor last week.

As detailed by California Watch, AB 353 addresses many concerns associated with California sobriety checkpoints by prohibiting cities from having operations that focus equally on valid driver's licenses and intoxication. California law already prohibits license-only checkpoints.

With few exceptions, police could seize a car only when the motorist is suspected of a crime beyond unlicensed driving. Local governments would be protected from liability for damage or loss when they park, rather than tow, a vehicle.

Finally, on occasions when an unlicensed driver's car is taken to an impound lot, the legislation requires the vehicle be available for release the next day.

Meanwhile, AB 1389 would require checkpoints to be on roads with "a high incidence of DUI arrests or a high volume of DUI-related accidents," and not necessarily only on city streets or minority neighborhoods.

It would also provide unlicensed motorists caught at checkpoints an opportunity to find a legal driver and avoid impoundment. Police would still be permitted to seize cars when drivers are intoxicated, have revoked or suspended licenses, flee from officers, or the car serves as evidence of a crime (other than unlicensed driving).

We will continue to provide updates on both bills as they advance through the legislative process.

If you or someone you love has been arrested for drunk driving at a California DUI checkpoint, be sure to consult with an experienced California DUI Defense attorney as soon as possible.