San Diego Criminal Defense Attorneys

San Diego Criminal Defense Attorneys

San Diego Criminal Defense is a firm for people who have been accused of a crime to be represented in a strictly confidential environment. People facing criminal charges need a devoted and loyal advocate, and our lawyers give them what they need.
We have the experience and knowledge to help anyone accused of a crime in San Diego County. Our two attorneys have over 30 years of combined experience in criminal defense, and excellent credentials such as the Outstanding Trial Lawyer award won by Timothy J. Richardson.

Helping San Diego Residents and Tourists

We regularly work for both residents of San Diego County and visitors to our area. Many of our cases involve DUIs or domestic violence accusations, but we defend people accused of everything from sex offenses to white collar crimes. Regardless of the charge, we offer free initial consultations to all potential clients.
Our attorneys commit themselves to each client, searching for ways to minimize punishments or get acquittals. One case, detailed on our Case Studies page, serves as an example of our determination to help our clients: After extensive investigation, we got a full acquittal for a man accused of armed robbery, residential burglary and assault with a deadly weapon.

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Hiring a San Diego DUI Lawyer

If you've been arrested for DUI, you need to take deliberate action on both the criminal and DMV side of your case. You have only ten days to request a hearing to prevent the automatic suspension of your drivers license.

Due to the many complex factors resulting from California DUI legislation and progressive lobbying by special interest groups, it is imperative that anyone arrested for drunk driving in the region consult with a competent and qualified San Diego DUI attorney with a proven track record of successfully defending drunk driving cases in the local court systems who is familiar with the judges, prosecutors, and unique technicalities and scientific defenses regarding DUI cases.

Our specialization and focussed attention as drunk driving advocates has earned us nationwide recognition for unprecedented DUI case result victories and favorable DMV Hearing outcomes.

A good DUI defense attorney will effectively challenge tests that were administered at the time of your arrest, including but not limited to, the qualifications and credibilty of the administering police officer, breath or blood sample contamination, appropriate use and accuracy of instruments employed.

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San Diego Drunk Driving Arrests

San Diego drunk driving arrests are unique in that they can arise in a number of different ways. Amber alerts signs are now being used on San Diego freeways directing motorists to report other drivers they suspect of drinking and driving. A common scenario is the sobriety checkpoint, or DUI roadblock, where drivers are stopped and questioned as to whether they've been drinking. Involvement in a car accident where police are summoned is another instance of coming under suspicion for DUI and being subjected to sobriety testing . Another method of finding and arresting drunk drivers is aerial surveillance by a police helicopter in search of impaired motorists. The San Diego Police Department employs a specialized DUI Task force, or DUI squad, who work closely with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and other law enforcement agencies to increase the number of DUI arrests in the county. The San Diego Police DUI Task Force is trained to look for specific drunk driving patterns and behaviors associated with DUI. The City of San Diego, in compliance with federal and DUI actiivists' guidelines for penalization and deterrence of DUI, has no shortage of funding for this purpose.

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California DUI Law

Californians use the acronym DUI in reference to Driving Under the Influence of an Intoxicant (or intoxicants); alcohol and/or drugs, including prescription medication if it impairs ability to drive. It is often termed as DWI, or Driving While Intoxicated, in other states, thus operating a motor vehicle while impaired, or with a blood or breath alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit of .08% for adults 21 years of age or older. The laws are much stricter for minors accused of DUI who are under the legal drinking age.

In San Diego County, A MISDEMEANOR DUI is typically charged for a a first DUI offense involving no injury, property damage, or other DUI penalty enhancements, and is punishable by up to one year in jail and heavy fines.

A FELONY DUI in San Diego County is usually charged when the the drunk driving case involves a penalty enhancement, such as causing bodily injury to another, a prior felony conviction, refusal to submit to a chemical test, or another "aggravating" circumstance; the punishment for a felony DUI conviction could be a sentence of several years in a state prison.

Under California legislature, a drunk driving arrest triggers two cases; the DUI criminal court case as stated above, AND a California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) case to enforce automatic suspension of your drivers license. You actually have two separate counts / cases to fight.

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