If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, or DUI, in Santa Monica, your case will be filed in the Airport courthouse located at 11701 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90045. If your case involved an accident where someone was injured, or if you have convicted of 3 prior DUIs in the preceding 10 years, your case may be filed as a felony. Otherwise, your case will be filed as a misdemeanor.

If your case is a felony, it will be filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. If your case is a misdemeanor, it will be filed by the Santa Monica City Prosecutor’s Office. In either case, your DUI constitutes a criminal violation for which you should seek representation of a qualified and experienced Santa Monica DUI Lawyer.

The Santa Monica Police Department is vigilant about enforcing DUI laws. The prosecutor’s office is equally aggressive in filing the criminal complaints against suspected DUI drivers. With a heavy influx of year-round tourism into the Santa Monica area, the volume of partygoers is constant. DUI enforcement becomes not only a matter of public safety, but a revenue source as well.

TIME SENSITIVE THINGS TO KNOW

The DMV hearing can serve as a good opportunity to continue driving with temporary driving privileges pending the outcome of the hearing, which could take months.

You have only 10 days from the date of your arrest to preserve your right to an Administrative Per Se hearing, also referred to as a DMV hearing. Failure to comply with this 10-day timeframe will result in forfeiture of your right to the hearing.

Two of the major consequences flow from the forfeiture of the DMV hearing. First, it will be a lost opportunity to challenge the validity your DUI and thereby avoid suspension of your driving privileges. Second, them temporary drivers license will be valid for only 30 days from the date of your arrest. Again, preserving your DMV hearing could significantly prolong the validity of your temporary license and avoid suspension.

If you’re seeking a great DUI Lawyer Santa Monica would be a good place to seek out your legal counsel. This will help ensure that your attorney has experience with local prosecutors and judges who handle the local DUI violations. While understanding how to handle DUI specific cases is of paramount importance to the outcome of your case, so too is the attorney’s working knowledge of the habits and practices or local prosecutors and judges that routinely hear Santa Monica specific cases.

Finding the best DUI attorney in Santa Monica could be a valuable investment towards your criminal case. At California Criminal Defense Center, we have handled thousands of DUI cases and are familiar with every judge and prosecutor that is involved in Santa Monica-specific cases. The attorney that you consult with will be the same one that will represent you at every court appearance. You will not be shuffled from person to person throughout the course of your representation.

Please contact our office to have a free and confidential case evaluation with attorney Ardalon Fakhimi. Mr. Fakhimi is in expert in DUI defense, and has many years of experience with Santa Monica DUI cases. He will make very specific inquiries into your circumstanced to determine the best path forward on your case. Even if he is not retained, you will benefit from receiving valuable information needed to make then best decision about your case and your choice for legal representation.