Being arrested and charged with a Santa Barbara DUI is very serious. The police and prosecutors take driving under the influence extremely seriously, and they don’t mess around.
You face significant consequences for a Santa Barbara DUI charge, including license revocation, monetary fines, probation, DUI classes, increased cost of automobile insurance, and even prison.
But you don't have to go through this alone. Contact a DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible. Your only chance to beat these charges and get them dismissed is to have a knowledgeable and skilled DUI defense attorney at your side to fight for your rights.
You need a law firm with a focus on fighting for the rights of people charged with DUI. You don't need to look any further. We have the skills and the resources to take on and win tough cases.
At Chudnovsky Law, our Santa Barbara DUI defense lawyers act as strong legal advocates for their clients. We are all former prosecutors. We know how to play the game. If we can't get your charges dismissed, we will do everything we can to lower the charges so that they don't affect your life as much.
Don't take a chance with your freedom. You want DUI defense attorneys who judges and prosecutors know as honest but aggressive attorneys who understand the law and will work tirelessly to win your case.
For a free consultation, call us today.
Types of DUI Cases We Can Help You with
If police arrested you for a DUI, the smartest decision is to contact the Santa Barbara DUI defense lawyers at Chudnovsky Law.
Here are the types of DUI cases on which we focus our law practice:
- First DUI
- Second or multiple DUIs
- Felony DUI
- DUI with injury
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- DUI while driving a commercial vehicle
- DUI causing property damage
- DUI with immigration issues
- Vehicular manslaughter and “Watson murder” cases
It doesn’t matter if this is your first DUI or you’ve had many DUIs. Our firm has decades of experience successfully handling various DUI cases. We know what it takes to deal with tough DUI cases and get the job done.
Get Your DUI Charges Dropped or Reduced
No matter what level of DUI authorities charged you with, we fight to get the DUI charges dropped or reduced to as low a charge as possible. Because our DUI defense attorneys were former prosecutors, we know all of the tricks of the trade.
We know California's DUI laws and understand how the police work, how the DA's office works, what they try to get away with, and what they are looking for in a DUI case.
Because of this, we have successfully resolved thousands of DUI cases.
Our first goal is to try to get your DUI charges dropped. We will look at the details of the case and look for any mistakes made by the police. We’ll try to have the charges dismissed on a technicality if we find that the police didn’t do something they were supposed to.
We will also look at the evidence, including which roadside tests police performed, and examine if there are any evidentiary defects. If possible, we will attempt to suppress improperly obtained evidence that would require the DA's office to dismiss the case for lack of evidence.
Our DUI defense lawyers know, in detail, the science behind breathalyzers and blood tests performed at hospitals. If the police make any mistake, we will take advantage of it and help either get your DUI charge dismissed or—at the very least—get the charge reduced so it has less of a negative effect on your life.
First DUI in Santa Barbara
With your first DUI in Santa Barbara, here are the consequences that you will face:
- Fines of $390 to $1,000
- Penalty assessments and miscellaneous fees
- Jail time of up to six months
- License suspension from the court for up to six months,
- License suspension from the DMV for up to four months
- License suspension up to a year if you denied blood alcohol content (BAC) test
- Probation of three to five years
- DUI school for three months or (if your BAC was 0.20 percent) nine months
- Ignition interlock device for up to six months.
Many of these sentencing terms can be negotiated downward depending on the evidence.
Second DUI in Santa Barbara
With your second DUI in Santa Barbara, here are the consequences you will face:
- Fines of $390 to $1,000
- Penalty assessments and miscellaneous fees
- Jail time of up to one year
- License suspension from the court for up to two years
- License suspension from the DMV for up to one year with 0.08 percent BAC or higher
- Probation of three to five years
- DUI school for 18 to 30 months
- Ignition interlock device for up to one year
A DUI defense lawyer is key in navigating charges after a second DUI.
Third DUI in Santa Barbara
With your third DUI in Santa Barbara, here are the consequences you will face:
- Fines of $390 to $1,000
- Additional penalties could make your total fines as high as $18,000
- Jail time of up to one year or potentially up to 16 months in state prison
- License suspension from the court for up to three years,
- License suspension from the DMV for up to one year with 0.08 percent BAC or higher
- Probation of three to five years
- DUI school for 30 months
- Ignition interlock device for up to two years
Penalties increase after the third DUI charge.
Fourth DUI in Santa Barbara
If you have been arrested for your fourth (or more) DUIs within ten years (using the arrest dates), you will most likely be charged with a felony.
Here are the other consequences that you will face:
- Fines of $390 to $5,000
- Additional penalties could make your total fines as high as $18,000
- Jail time of up to 16 months to three years in state prison
- License suspension up to four years
- Potential to have your driver’s license permanently suspended
- Probation of three to five years
- DUI school for 30 months
- Ignition interlock device for up to three years (if you can regain your license)
- Convicted felon status
If it gets to this point, and you receive a felony conviction, you may lose many rights, such as voting and gun ownership. You will also lose the ability to work at certain jobs, and other rights may be similarly affected.
As you can see, if you have multiple DUI convictions on your record, the penalties can be substantial and completely ruin your life. Having the best legal representation is the most effective way to limit or lessen the effects of any prior DUI convictions.
Our DUI defense lawyers will leave no stone unturned to find evidence to help dismiss the charges or reduce them.
When is a DUI a Felony in Santa Barbara?
A DUI will be charged as a felony in California under three factual scenarios:
- Your DUI caused injury or death to another person
- You have three previous DUIs within the last ten years
- You have one prior felony DUI conviction on your record
Felony charges can have serious, long-term consequences.
Felony DUI Causing Injury or Death
If you are involved in a DUI accident where people were injured or died, prosecutors can charge you with a felony DUI for causing injury and death to another. There are three sections under California law where you can be charged.
California Vehicle Code 23513 VC deals with driving under the influence and causing serious injury. Penal Code 191.5(a) addresses gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, while Penal Code 191.5(b) deals with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Finally, Penal Code 187 addresses DUI second-degree murder (a "Watson Murder" charge).
Felony DUI Causing Injury Sentencing
If you face felony charges for causing injury under any of the above statutes, you could face:
- Fines of $390 to $5,000
- Additional penalties could make your total fines as high as $18,000
- Possibly pay an amount of restitution to the injured parties
- 16 months to three years in state prison
- License suspension up to four years
- Potential to have your driver’s license permanently suspended
- Probation of three to five years
- DUI school for 30 months
- Ignition interlock device for up to three years (if you can regain your license)
- Convicted felon status
These serious charges can greatly affect the rest of your life. An experienced DUI defense lawyer in Santa Barbara could make a difference in the severity of these consequences.
“Watson Murder” Charges
A “Watson” DUI case is where the evidence shows that the defendant’s actions regarding the DUI went beyond simple negligence and rose to the level of willful and wanton conduct.
This DUI charge arose from a 1979 case where the DUI defendant (Watson) killed two people in an accident. It was the first time prosecutors decided to charge a DUI defendant with second-degree murder, given the heinous actions.
Once the appeal upheld the charge and conviction, prosecutors began using "Watson Murder" charges.
For a Watson Murder charge, the defendant's actions have to rise to "conscious disregard for life." A prosecutor must prove that the defendant acted with implied malice.
Not just any lawyer should handle Watson murder cases. If the court convicts you, it can have a significant impact on the rest of your life. You might be looking at a second-degree murder charge.
The penalties for a second-degree murder charge can put you in prison for years and years. The penalties for a DUI in which someone dies range from one year in jail or 25 years to life in state prison.
High Stakes
These cases have high stakes and can put you in jail or state prison for years. You cannot take these cases lightly and must do everything possible to protect your rights and your liberty. That’s where we come in.
But don’t take our word for it. Take a look at some of our successful defenses of DUI cases from prior clients:
Sixth DUI Charge
A defendant was charged with a felony sixth DUI involving an accident with great bodily injury. They faced up to 16 years in state prison. The Chudnovsky result? Instead of 16 years, the defendant got 180 days in county jail.
A Non-U.S. Citizen
The defendant was a non-U.S. citizen charged with felony DUI charges, facing six months in jail and deportation. The Chudnovsky result? The felony was reduced to a misdemeanor, no jail time was given, and the defendant didn’t face any immigration or deportation consequences.
A First Time DUI with Extreme Consequences
The defendant was charged with a first-time DUI, but it was enhanced due to a high BAC.
The defendant was an international executive and faced six months in jail and termination from employment. The Chudnovsky result? The charges were reduced, no jail time was given, and there were no further immigration consequences or travel restrictions.
Powerful Aid from a Santa Barbara DUI Defense Lawyer
Being arrested and charged with a DUI can be an extremely stressful situation that can cause a lot of anxiety and fear. You feel alone and uncertain about your future. You may be wondering if your employer will fire you, how you will pay your bills, or whether you will have to go to jail.
Instead of getting yourself all worked up and anxious about questions without answers, contact the DUI defense lawyers at Chudnovsky Law today at (213) 212-5002! Your communications with us will be strictly confidential. You don’t have to go through this alone. We’ll help you through this tough time and get you through to the other side.