Samantha Ronson Needs a California DUI Defense Attorney

August 11th, 2011 Posted in Criminal Defense, DUI, Real Life, Traffic
Aug, 11 2011
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I’ve said before that I don’t spend a lot of time on this site discussing celebrity gossip, but apparently that is not the case, as I’m about to talk about celebrities again. The fact is, celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton make for great criminal law stories, and people love to read about them.

Case in point, Samantha Ronson, the DJ who dated actress Lindsay Lohan from 2008 to 2009, who was arrested at 10:30 am on August 2nd for DUI. According to police, her blood alcohol level was found to be above .08. Ronson was pulled over doing 90 mph in a 70 and hauled off to San Bernardino County Jail after failing field sobriety tests. Ronson was cooperative enough to make it out of jail by 6 pm, but now she faces a fine of $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail. No doubt she will be lawyering up with a California criminal defense lawyer for her September 23rd hearing!

So how do you know when you need a California DUI lawyer?

  • You are arrested for DUI
  • You were in a car accident caused as a result of your drinking
  • You are in an accident where someone was injured or killed

You should know that you are facing especially serious consequences if :

  • Your BAC was over double the state limit
  • You are facing other charges in addition to the DUI
  • You have one or more other DUIs on your record.

A California criminal defense attorney can help you understand the charges you are facing and aggressively counter them in order to minimize the damage and keep you out of jail.

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Do I Have to do the Field Sobriety Tests When I’m Pulled Over for DUI?

August 1st, 2011 Posted in Criminal Defense, DUI, Real Life, Tactics, Traffic
Aug, 01 2011
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Nope.

Many people don’t know this, but the field sobriety tests are entirely optional. Also, field sobriety tests are designed for you to fail, and the science behind them is dubious. Is anyone really good at standing on one leg on the side of the highway and reciting the alphabet backwards? Of course not.

However, if you do choose to take the tests, everything that you say and do is later going to be used against you. Even if we assume that you complete the tests flawlessly, the officer will likely disagree. One day soon, he or she will be in court testifying about how you were swaying, slurring your speech, and generally acting like you were bombed out of your mind. Not good.

So what should you say or do? Here’s my suggestion: “Officer, I know that you are doing your job, but I respectfully decline any field sobriety tests, including the preliminary breathalyzer. I’d like to assert my right to remain silent.” Then, remain silent. If the officer believes he has probable cause to arrest you for DUI without the field sobriety tests, he will then arrest you and take you to the station.

At the station, in the vast majority of cases, it makes sense to take the blood or breath test at the police station or medical center. There are some exceptions, but that’s a topic worthy of another post.

While you probably should take the test at the police station or medical center, that doesn’t mean that you should start talking. Be cooperative and follow their directions, but don’t start talking. They’re still in the process of collecting evidence against you, and anything you say is going to come back to haunt you.

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