San Diego DUI Defense Lawyers

California lawmakers and courts have come down hard on DUIs and other alcohol-related driving offenses. If you’re convicted of a first DUI, you face a mandatory 48 hours in jail, several years of probation, court fees and fines of at least $1,400 (or community service), alcohol education classes and a four-month driver’s license suspension. Penalties go up if it’s not the first offense, if you’re under 21, or if you had a range of special circumstances like a child passenger or speeding. And of course, these don’t take into account the practical and financial repercussions of a DUI, including skyrocketing auto insurance rates, loss of a job you can’t walk to and trouble at work and at home.

Wallin & Klarich can help. Our San Diego drunk driving defense attorneys have more than three decades of experience in defending DUIs and other alcohol violations in California. We understand that a number on a breath test reading don’t necessarily mean that you’re guilty of driving while intoxicated. And we know how to prove it -- using flaws in the test, mistakes by law enforcement, expert testimony and other methods that show the tests aren’t always right. We know exactly what the prosecution must prove to get a DUI conviction, and we will not allow our clients to plead guilty if the evidence won’t support it. If a guilty plea is truly your best option, we’ll work to lower your charges and get you community service or other penalties more appropriate for what’s often a mistake.

Everyone knows alcohol affects different people differently, but most drivers don’t realize how flawed blood-alcohol concentration tests can be. Scientists have shown that field sobriety tests (such as walking a line) are so inaccurate that they’re nearly useless; you have the right in California to politely decline to take these. You must take a breath or blood test, but the breath test has also been shown to have deep flaws and vary widely according to factors like the weight of the test subject, food and medications in his or her system and even the weather. Wallin & Klarich will aggressively challenge any breath test we believe is inaccurate to get your charges dropped or reduced.

One of the most immediate consequences of a San Diego DUI charge is losing your driver’s license right away, putting your job and your life in turmoil before you’ve even been convicted. You can stop that suspension, but you have to move quickly, because you only have ten days from your release from jail to request a license suspension hearing from the DMV. Wallin & Klarich can help you meet that deadline, then make a compelling case at the hearing for keeping your license. In many circumstances, we can get your license reinstated after 30 days, even if you missed the deadline.

At Wallin & Klarich, we approach each case with the belief that we could easily be defending one of our own family members. Because we’ve defended DUIs in California for more than three decades, we’ve seen firsthand how stressful the charge can be to our clients and their families. That’s why we’re committed to always being available when our clients call: 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every day of the year. And we offer free initial consultations, so there’s no risk to you in calling Wallin & Klarich for an expert opinion on your case. We promise to be there when you call.

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