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If you have been charged with a DUI (driving under the
influence) in Riverside County, you face high fines and penalties, including
suspension of your driving privileges and jail time. One of the most essential
things you will need to do is seek the immediate advice of an experienced
attorney. The Riverside drunk driving lawyers at Rizio & Nelson have
the knowledge to keep your record clean, keep your driving privileges
safe, and help you stay out of jail if possible.
You must request an Administrative Per Se hearing and a stay on your
license from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days from
the date of your DUI, or you risk losing your driving privileges for up
to 180 days.
Your license will automatically be stayed (meaning that the suspension
will stop) pending the outcome of a hearing, once it has been set. However,
you must ask for this hearing in order to contest your license’s
suspension. Bear in mind that commercial drivers have a different standard,
and that a suspended commercial driver's license will be forfeited for
one year if the offense occurred in a vehicle requiring a class A or class
B driver's license.
There are many factors to a DUI charge. Rizio & Nelson DUI
lawyers in Riverside has extensive experience in handling Department of
Motor Vehicle hearings, not just relating to alcohol or drugs, but for
points, medical conditions, competency, and/or critical need-to-drive
situations. DMV hearings may be complicated, and circumstances will vary
in each case, so the attorneys at Rizio & Nelson will put their knowledge
to work for you in hopes of avoiding license suspension, excess fines,
and jail time.
As experienced Riverside County DUI lawyers we know that
the DUI penalties are harsh. This conviction will require you to answer
"yes" to employers who inquire about a DUI conviction, and will
probably prohibit you from driving any company car due to insurance liabilities.
There are also substantial fines, including DUI victim's funds, classes,
vehicle towing and/or storage fees, increased car insurance rates, and
various other court-assessed fees. If you have a child in the car when
you are stopped, you could also face child-endangerment charges.
Riverside County law enforcement agencies have the right to stop you
if they suspect that you are driving under the influence. The law only
requires you to present identification and your vehicle registration.
Law does not require you to:
 Answer any
of the officer's questions regarding where you are going, how much you
have had to drink, or where you have previously been;
Perform any field
sobriety test, such as walking a straight
line, touching your finger to your nose, reciting the alphabet, etc.;
Submit to a breathalyzer
test on the roadside;
However, you are required to submit to testing at a testing facility,
police station, or hospital. If you refuse to take either a blood or breathalyzer
test, you face much higher penalties, including the loss of your driver's
license for 12 months. If you are over age 21 and your blood alcohol content
is over .08%*, you will be arrested and allowed to request an attorney.
Before you consult with a criminal defense attorney, you are advised not
to answer any questions. Less than 70% of DUI arrests in Riverside County
result in a conviction, so an experienced DUI attorney can request alternative
sentencing or case dismissal, resulting in little to no jail time. Call
us 24 hours a day for a free consultation.
*If you are under 21 years old, it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle
on a public roadway with a blood alcohol content of over .01%, meaning
that even one drink may put you over the legal limit.
We thank you for visiting the website of Rizio & Nelson - Riverside Drunk Driving
Lawyers - Riverside DUI Attorneys .
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