Los Angeles DUI Attorney Blog

September 23, 2011

Long Beach Celebrity DUI Stories: Do They Help or Harm the Public?

From Perez Hilton on downwards, bloggers and other media players who cover stories about driving under the influence in Long Beach (and elsewhere in SoCal) love to obsess over, speculate on, and pontificate about celebrity DUI arrests. The blogosphere lights up whenever a politician in Oregon is busted for riding his lawn mower while DUI, a pop star princess is busted for a Long Beach drug DUI on a return trip from Vegas, or a football player embarrasses his franchise by hitting three parked cars in one night after partying with his pals at a fancy South Miami club.

Obviously, these cases are entertaining, though theories abound as to why. Some deep thinkers suggest that the whole “let’s take a celebrity down a notch or two” attitude has its roots in the nature of the American myth. Others point to more simplistic Freudian and other physiological reasons. Irrespective of why we engage in voyeurism over celebrity DUI arrests, we do it.

A better question is: Is this media coverage helping people, harming them, doing both or doing neither? Let’s take a look at each of these possibilities.

Helping People

When the blogosphere exposes the latest careless or negligent celebrity, he or she is often painted as a clown or a danger to society. In other words, you don’t want to emulate that person. Thus, one can argue that Long Beach celebrity DUI news serves as a social deterrent.

The coverage also raises discussions about the perils of DUI driving by ruminating over the punishments (jail time, license suspensions, destruction of reputation, you name it), and thus these stories can serve as cautionary tales.

Hurting

On the flipside, one could make a compelling argument that these stories cheapen the problem of DUI. Since these stories circulate so often, our impression is that this is a relatively common thing to do. If people we look up to are doing it, we can probably do it ourselves.

Then there is also the problem of celebrities “getting off” relatively easily. For every story about Lindsay Lohan being tearfully condemned to a jail sentence, you can find three or four Long Beach celebrity DUI stories about football players, politicians, pop stars, etc. getting off with a proverbial slap on the wrist. Readers might be led to believe that driving DUI is (relatively) inconsequential.

The Neutral

Some readers might think this analysis is unnecessary, that a news story is just a news story. Drivers don’t really “take their cues” from what celebrities do or do not do on the roads. And there might be some truth to this side as well.

All of the Above

We also need to consider that there might be some truth to all three positions. Depending on the circumstances –the celebrity involved, the nature of the offense, your ability to relate (or not) with the celebrity, etc. –a news story might be helpful, harmful, or neutral to you.

For practical help with a Long Beach DUI, turn to an experienced attorney: Mr. Michael Kraut of Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454). Attorney Kraut is a Harvard Law School educated former prosecutor who can give you powerful advice about how to deal with any charges, no matter how complex.

September 21, 2011

Choosing the “Best” Beverly Hills DUI Lawyer Can Drive You Insane

by Michael Kraut

You or someone close to you recently got in trouble for driving under the influence in Beverly Hills. You know you need an attorney to manage your burgeoning legal crisis. But who should you choose, and how might you know when you’ve found the “best” person or legal team for the job?

This seems like a relatively simple question to answer. But it’s a question that can provoke a tremendous amount of anxiety. In fact, when you search for Beverly Hills DUI lawyers online, you will encounter dozens if not hundreds of options. Sifting through the websites of prospective attorneys can leave your head spinning. On the surface, this should be a good thing: the more choices you have, the better, right?

Perhaps. But maybe not, depending on the circumstances.

Social scientist Barry Schwartz described a powerful concept about choosing that might have serious relevance to your frustration. In his book The Paradox of Choice, Schwartz destroys one of the most common myths in our consumer-oriented society. Most of us believe that “the more choices, the merrier.” In other words, when we have more options, we will be more likely to find the “best fit” for our needs, whether we are shopping for shoes, a new house, or a Beverly Hills DUI lawyer. Instead of choosing from six choices, we would rather choose from 60. This kind of optimization thinking has been drilled into our subconscious since childhood.

But Schwartz points out that superabundance of choice leads to analysis paralysis and dissatisfaction with the final results. In other words, when you have to make a decision between 60 different options, even if you choose one that’s “better” than any option you might have gotten had you restricted your choices to six, you will feel worse about the outcome and ultimately less satisfied with your decision over the longer term.

This is the Paradox of Choice: the more choices you have, the less happy you will be with your final choice!

One reason is that when you are exposed to a lot of choices, you will constantly think about how your final choice compares to all the options you didn’t choose. On some level, we all intuitively recognize this problem. Think back to last time you went to Jerry’s Deli or another diner in Long Beach and got overwhelmed by the sheer size of the menu. No matter what you picked – the giant omelet, burger and fries, soup du jour, etc. – you “missed out” on hundreds of other meals you might have also wanted to try.

The solution, according to Schwartz, is to aim for “good enough” solutions to your problems. In other words, you don’t want to be careless and just eliminate choices for the sake of eliminating them. But you want to be choosy about how you choose. A “satisfactory” choice may ultimately leave you feeling better about your decisions than a “best” choice, ironically enough.

Fortunately for you, there is no reason to lower your standards. Attorney Michael Kraut of Beverly Hills’ Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935) is an experienced Beverly Hills DUI defense lawyer with the resources, wherewithal, unique experience (served as a prosecutor for LA for 14 years), educational background (Harvard Law School), and jury skills to get you excellent results.

September 19, 2011

Do You Have Multiple Glendale DUI Arrests? Maybe You Are Getting the Wrong Advice about How to Treat Alcohol Addiction

by Michael Kraut

Penalties for Glendale DUI convictions become harsher the more times you get arrested and convicted.

A simple misdemeanor DUI conviction – for the first time – might lead to a little bit of jail time, license suspension, mandatory alcohol school, significant probation, and a not-insignificant amount of embarrassment. But these penalties pale in comparison with the penalties associated with a third or fourth Glendale DUI conviction within 10 years. Depending on circumstances, you might face felony charges for what would only be a misdemeanor charge for a first-timer.

On some level, everyone recognizes this. Getting arrested multiple times for the same crime is not a good thing to do. Bad things will happen.

How do we break the cycle? It’s a simple question with a complicated answer. But new thinking in the addiction research community suggests that traditional methods to treat alcohol as an addiction might do a disservice to many people who desperately need help.

One of the most popular ways of treating alcoholism is to send the alcoholic to a 12-step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. One key step in this program is to “admit you are helpless” in the face of alcohol. Most take that as a given – that we have to “surrender” control to some higher power to reclaim our lives and our bodies.

But not so, says Harvard University psychiatrist Dr. Lance Dodes, author of The Heart of Addiction. He argues that addicts engage in their addictive/destructive behaviors as a means of self-empowerment. Dr. Dodes suggests that many addicts start to feel better as soon as they make the mental decision to go have a drink – NOT as soon as the alcohol touches their lips.

This suggests that there is a deep psychological mechanism at play that has less to do with the chemical effect of the alcohol on the brain than it does with the effect of the decision to consume alcohol.

Dr. Dodes’ thesis is basically that the 12-step approach is backwards. We should not disempower addicts by telling them that they are “helpless,” Dodes argues, but instead look for ways to re-empower them and help them understand the forces in their lives that make them feel out of control. The next step is to motivate them to reassert control in positive ways, which will help them stop self-destructive behaviors like drinking and getting into Glendale DUI accidents.

It’s certainly an interesting theory, and you can check out more about it at his website, www.lancedodes.com.

For immediate help with your Glendale DUI defense, connect with Glendale criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (121 W Lexington Dr, Glendale, CA 91203 Phone: (818) 507-9123) to explore how to manage your scary, frustrating, and overwhelming situation. As a former prosecutor and media expert on Glendale DUI matters, attorney Kraut has the credentials, wherewithal, knowledge, and compassion to deliver a powerful defense and fight for your freedom.

September 14, 2011

Bizarro Burbank DUI Arrests the Blogosphere Would Go Nuts Over

by Michael Kraut

Rabblerousers in the blogosphere (e.g. Perez Hilton) like to shake things up and make Burbank DUI news stories sound more bizarre then they often are.

Sure, occasionally some crazy news will cross the police blotter. A B-list celebrity might be arrested for driving 80 miles per hour on Olive at 2a.m. with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.24. Or a demented homeowner might jump on a riding lawnmower and putter off towards downtown Burbank while under the influence of homemade absinthe.

But most of the time, Burbank DUI news stories are fairly mundane examples of misdemeanor DUI stops, checkpoint arrests, and the occasional tragedy.

Obviously, in an ideal world, there would be no more Burbank DUI arrests, since people would no longer ever even think about driving under the influence. But we don’t live in a perfect world.

But sometimes it seems like the media would like more outrageous and hysterical stories, such as the following:

Fictitious Burbank DUI Blog Item #1: “Unicyclist Bikes DUI and Knocks Over a Clown Juggling Bowling Pins on Victory Boulevard”

“Police have detained 34-year-old unicyclist Booggoms McGooggoms after he recklessly rode his unicycle into a clown on stilts who was juggling pins while practicing for a circus performance. The police stopped McGooggoms on Victory Boulevard near Trader Joe’s and administered field sobriety tests. They reported that his breath smelled like alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked “spaced out.” The unnamed clown was reportedly uninjured, but he lost several pins and will now have to make use of Evian water bottles for his act.”

Fictitious Burbank DUI Blog Item #2: “Burbank Man Arrested For 345th DUI in Three Weeks”

“Dumbo McStupidpants, 52, of Burbank, was recently arrested for the 345th time for driving under the influence within just a span of three weeks. His latest stop occurred Saturday night near downtown, when police noticed his 1996 Chevy Impala tipped over on its side and saw that the driver was yelling obscenities at passersby. It was unclear at the time even how McStupidpants found the time to get arrested 345 times within a 21 day span, let alone how the legal system failed the community on this one.”

All joking aside, a Burbank DUI can carry extremely serious, life-changing penalties. If you injure someone, destroy property, or commit multiple driving infractions and other crimes while DUI, your legal battle could be that much harder and more emotionally challenging.

The team at Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) can help you understand what tactics are available for you and help you think more strategically about what you need to do (and what you should stop doing right now) to maximize your defense. Attorney Kraut is a Harvard Law School educated Burbank criminal defense lawyer with a rich and diverse track record and a demonstrated capacity to help even the most challenged defendants.

September 12, 2011

Long Beach DUI Hit and Run Nets Fire Captain 90 Days Behind Bars

by Michael Kraut

Last week, 30-year-old fire department captain John David Hines was convicted of an April Fool’s Day Long Beach DUI hit and run. According to an L.A. Times report, the captain had a blood alcohol concentration of nearly three times the legal limit for Long Beach DUI (according to California Vehicle Code Section 23152: 0.08% BAC) when he slammed into 47-year-old bicyclist Jeffery Gordon and sent the man flying more than 70 feet.

Hines will serve 90 days in a California prison and may face a jail sentence of up to six years, depending on how things go during his sentencing hearing on December 2.

According to the Times, “Hines pleaded guilty to felony driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury [in Long Beach], driving with a blood alcohol over the state limit and hit and run with injury. Because his blood alcohol level was so high, he was also convicted of several sentencing enhancements.”

This last bit of information – about how his sentence was increased because of his excessive BAC level – should be of interest to anyone recently arrested for a similar crime.

The public may believe that a Long Beach DUI is a Long Beach DUI is a Long Beach DUI. But that’s far from the truth. Innumerable factors can influence sentencing, including whether you hurt anyone, whether you fled the scene of the accident (hit and run), how far under the influence you were according to breathalyzer and blood tests, and so on.

In a “best case” scenario, your Long Beach DUI criminal defense attorney might be able to clip your sentence down or even get the charges dismissed altogether. But if you killed someone while DUI, depending on the circumstances, you could be face a DUI murder charge and wind up with life behind bars.

This is a huge range of possible punishments.

And while there is obviously no “one-size-fits-all” solution to Long Beach DUI charges, your choice of attorney can make an enormous impact on your ultimate outcome. Long Beach’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454 ) can clarify your options and develop a strong case for you. Attorney Michael Kraut served as a prosecutor for nearly a decade and a half – this fact gives the Harvard Law School educated attorney a huge advantage when building DUI defenses. He also can leverage his excellent jury trial record, status as a Long Beach DUI media observer, and relationships with the legal community to get you the results you crave.

September 9, 2011

Pasadena DUI Process and the News Media: When Is it Appropriate and Fair to Cover Someone’s DUI Arrest?

by Michael Kraut

If you have been recently tagged for driving under the influence in Pasadena, you might have had the quite unwelcome surprise of finding your face and the intimate details of your arrest plastered all around the internet on blogs and perhaps even on local news reports. Whether your arrest was highly publicized or not, the media and blogosphere needs to start a general conversation about what exactly constitutes a “newsworthy” Pasadena DUI arrest.

Factors that typically seem to be considered include:

• The defendant’s status e.g. – celebrity, politician, athlete, rich person, CEO of a major company;
• The severity of the charges – e.g. Pasadena DUI murder or manslaughter story is generally more newsworthy than a standard arrest for simple violation of CVC 23152(a);
• Whether anything about the story was bizarre, eclectic, or otherwise newsworthy – e.g. maybe the defendant was arrested for driving under the influence on a lawnmower; or maybe he or she was arrested for the seventh time in 10 years; or maybe he or she caused a 20-car pileup on a lonely mountain road.
• Story serves as a lesson to prove a political point, open a discussion about broader ramifications of Pasadena DUI policy, etc.

A small story out of the Kalamazoo Gazette, of all places, examined the criteria that the media and the blogosphere use to report on DUI stories. Last Tuesday, the Gazette took a closer look at the reporting done about the DUI arrest of a public school curriculum director, Denise Bresson. The arrest was her second DUI in four years.

Was Bresson’s arrest newsworthy or not?

Regular readers of the Gazette weighed in on both sides. Some argued that, of course, her arrest should have been newsworthy, since she is part of the public school system, and her behavior could impact the community’s educational system. Readers debated the pros and cons of exhibiting this official’s dirty laundry – what’s the ultimate purpose of this reporting? Should she be held to higher standards since she works in education? Is the Gazette “just picking on educators” or not?

While this blog obviously is not going to weigh in on the case, it is heartening to see vigorous “meta discussion” about the nature of Pasadena DUI coverage.

The news media filters the public’s understanding of DUI law, process, practice, and penalties. And everyone – especially Pasadena DUI criminal defense attorneys – wants to educate the public about the risks and dangers of driving under the influence. So the more that we can open up the discussion about how best to report DUI news, the better.

On a less heady level, if someone you care about has been arrested for DUI, attorney Michael Kraut of Pasadena’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101 Phone: (626) 345-1899) is here to serve you. Attorney Kraut is a widely respected Harvard Law School-educated former prosecutor who has the talent, skills, and tactical know-how to deliver optimized results for your case.

September 7, 2011

Beverly Hills DUI with Alcohol News – Happiest Night of Couple’s Lives Ironically Ends with Their Car Twisted around Utility Pole

by Michael Kraut

A Beverly Hills DUI accident is, almost by definition, an ironic affair. The public imagination associates Beverly Hills with luxury, the good life, and good health and spirits. Likewise, when we think of “DUI” we think of horror stories, cars wrapped around telephone poles, mothers and children crying, and other ghastly images. In other words, when we combine these two images in our minds, we get a kind of dissonance. It’s like thinking of chocolate-covered brussel sprouts – the two things don’t go together.

Likewise, when we think of people getting married, we think of happy occasions, such as singing, dancing, merrymaking, and jubilation. The last thing we think of is DUI. But a tragic accident in Western Pennsylvania highlighted how even life’s most happy events can be tarnished – suddenly and surprisingly – by things like a Beverly Hills DUI.

According to the Houston Chronicle, 56-year-old Billy Leroy Peroney was driving home from his own wedding reception with his blushing new bride, Kelly, when Paroney lost control of his vehicle while passing another car and slammed into a utility pole. The force of the impact was so powerful that it ricocheted the vehicle into a nearby house. The Houston Chronicle reported that Kelly was airlifted from the accident; as of the most recent report, there was no information on her condition. Billy Paroney was put through a field sobriety test; and he admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the accident.

Beverly Hills DUI sobriety tests – such as walk the line, finger to the nose, count backwards by threes, say the alphabet backwards, stand on one leg, and horizontal gaze nystagmus – are unpleasant and scary. But if you fail your Beverly Hills FSTs, you are guilty, right? Not so fast. Indeed, there are many reasons why you think you might underperform on FSTs that have absolutely nothing to do with the amount of alcohol you did or did not consume. These include:

• Your level of fatigue (if you are tired, you might stumble and fumble);
• Your level of fear or anxiety (who hasn’t done the equivalent of forgetting a big line in a play when they are under pressure?);
• Police error, overestimation, or misjudgment of your behavior;
• Your natural habits and tendencies (maybe you are just a klutz by nature);
• Interference from other, non-alcohol factors, such as illness, disease, or other medication that you are legally allowed to take.

A Beverly Hills DUI defense attorney, like the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc.’ Michael Kraut (9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210 Phone: (310) 550-6935), can help you unpack possible plans to fight back against the charges and make sure that you are treated justly and fairly. Attorney Kraut is an experienced former prosecutor, and he has the wherewithal and the resources to help you.

September 4, 2011

Burbank DUI Symptoms – Even the President’s Uncle Has ’Em. Will Obama be Deported?

by Michael Kraut

Last week, President Obama’s uncle, 67-year-old Onyango Obama, was arrested after he nearly hit an unmarked police car. According to a police officer, Obama exhibited “red and glassy eyes, slurred speech, and strong odor of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet” – identical symptoms of Burbank DUI that you, or perhaps a close relative, allegedly exhibited when you were stopped and arrested.

But unlike your Burbank DUI arrest, which likely did not get much news coverage beyond the local police blotter, the president’s uncle’s DUI has received international media coverage. This makes sense, since the defendant’s nephew in this case is the most powerful man on the planet.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Obama faces more than just Burbank DUI related problems. Authorities say Obama’s immigration status is far from clear. The Boston Herald reported that Obama does have a social security card and a drivers’ license, but he was initially denied bail per an immigration and customs enforcement’s detainer.

Who did Obama call after he got arrested? The White House.

(Or at least, that’s what the grapevine says. The actual White House has been mum on the subject.)

Officer Val Krishtal, who made the stop, said Obama was argumentative: “(he) would not allow me to speak and continued to interrupt me…I explained to him that I narrowly avoided striking his vehicle, and he told me he did not hear my tires screeching, so I was not being accurate.” Obama denied that he had consumed alcohol before driving. Then he changed his story and admitted to having two beers. His BAC test came back at 0.14% — as regular readers of this blog immediately understand, that’s well over the established limit for driving under the influence in Burbank (or in any U.S. city or state) of 0.08% BAC. In fact, it’s nearly twice that limit.

Obama’s arrest and possible immigration trouble raise dozens of questions, including:

• How will this impact the President, politically, if at all?
• If Obama puts up a sound defense and get exonerated – or even partially exonerated – will critics call “foul” and claim that his nephew offered subtle assistance?
• Did Obama actually call the White House after the DUI arrest?
• How might this influence President Obama’s ability to change immigration policy, if at all?

All these hypotheticals notwithstanding, you and your family want concrete answers and strategic guidance from a reputable Burbank DUI defense attorney. Michael Kraut of Burbank’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) will help you understand what to do and what not to do. Attorney Kraut spent nearly a decade and a half on the other side of DUI cases – fighting to put offenders behind bars and prosecute criminals. He was a very successful prosecutor, too, and racked up a terrific record at jury trials. Attorney Kraut will leverage his practical experience as well as his relationships and deep understanding of Burbank DUI law to help you resolve your situation and move forward with your life.

August 31, 2011

Burbank DUI Penalties: How Might They Measure up to Paris Hilton’s Ex’s DUI Plea Deal?

by Michael Kraut

If you have been charged with driving under the influence in Burbank, you are probably biting your nails, wondering what the law might have in store for you.

Meanwhile, last week, just one state away, Cy Waits, the ex-boyfriend of celebutante Paris Hilton, took a DUI plea deal stemming from a 2010 Las Vegas strip traffic stop. Waits was fined $585, ordered to attend victim impact classes, and given a suspended jail sentence of 30 days.

Not too bad.

Indeed, it could have been a LOT worse for the 35-year-old Waits. As the AP reports, “Waits was arrested August 27, 2010, after a Los Vegas police officer reported a ‘vapor trail’ of marijuana smoke lofting from a black Cadillac Escalade with Waits at the wheel. Hilton, a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested after the police said a small bag containing 0.8 grams of cocaine fell from her Chanel bag, as she reached for a tube of lip balm.”

Prosecutors originally leveled both felony and misdemeanor drug charges against Waits, but later dropped them.

Judge Kephart did warn Waits: “if you are arrested for another DUI during the pendency of this case, I don’t care if it is alcohol or drugs, you will do six months in the Clark County Jail.”

Without knowing the details of your Burbank DUI arrest, it’s difficult to predict what your outcome will be. If it was a standard misdemeanor DUI with no other complications (i.e. you didn’t injure anyone, you didn’t commit a hit and run, you weren’t considerably over the limit, etc), the penalties might be similar to those Mr. Waits faced. But you should still connect with an experienced Burbank DUI criminal defense attorney to plan your next steps.

On the flip side, if this is your second, third, or fourth arrest within the past 10 years, your Burbank DUI penalties are liable to be much more severe. You could face significant jail time, fines, fees, humiliation, and long-term problems – such as higher insurance rates, problems getting hired, loss of professional reputation, etc.

The moral is: Your decisions from here on out matter greatly.

Attorney Michel Kraut of Burbank’s Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (2600 West Olive Avenue, 5th Floor, Burbank, California 91505 Phone: (818) 563-9810) will help you work through your complex, scary situation and guide you toward a systematic, smart legal defense. Attorney Kraut has a fantastic track record and a nearly 100% success rate with jury trials. He has built a reputation as an aggressive, knowledgeable, strategic attorney and he has also been a regular pundit and commentator on local and national media as an expert in Burbank DUI Law.

August 29, 2011

Long Beach DUI Field Sobriety Test with Rodney King: How Did the Police Handle It?

by Michael Kraut

Last week, Rodney King – the man whose videotaped beating ultimately sparked race riots that left 55 people dead and $1 billion worth of property damaged in its wake – was charged with DUI near Long Beach.

Twenty years ago, King was stopped by LAPD officers and then beaten to near death – the tragic beating was captured on video, and it led to the indictment of four officers involved. When three of the officers were acquitted, the verdicts touched off race riots that tarnished Los Angeles’ name for over a decade.

So how did police handle the King near Long Beach DUI stop this time?

According to news reports: relatively smoothly. CNN reported this blow by blow: “A Moreno Valley traffic enforcement unit observed King commit “several traffic violations,” although he was not cited for speeding. After questioning King, a patrol officer noted King exhibited signs of behavior that might involve alcohol or drug consumption.”

King was asked to step out of the car and submit to a voluntary field sobriety test. He was “cooperative and compliant.” So no drama on either King’s part or the LAPD’s part.

Is that a sign that the LAPD has evolved or that race relationships have changed in the city?

Pundits can say what they will, but a single stop is a single stop. It’s hard to extrapolate patterns from single data points, as any good scientist would tell you.

It’s pretty amazing – given what King went through 20 years ago – that he managed to behave calmly and rationally. A Long Beach field sobriety test can be a very scary ordeal. You might be asked to engage in a series of physical and mental coordination tests, such as walk the line, finger to the nose, horizontal gaze nystagmus, counting backwards, and other balance tests. If you underperform – trip or stumble – officers might interpret your lack of coordination as a sign that you were indeed driving under the influence in Long Beach, and you could be arrested and charged pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) or 23152(b).

And that’s just if you were stopped without any other complications, such as an accident, injury, hit and run, or other traffic infraction.

If you or someone you love got pulled over for Long Beach DUI, you may be bedazzled by questions, like:

• What is the best way to navigate the Southern California legal system?
• How do you build your best defense?
• How do you make sure that the police and prosecutors treat you fairly?
• How do you avoid making mistakes or giving statements that could compound your legal woes?

A Long Beach criminal defense attorney at the Kraut Law Group Criminal & DUI Lawyers, Inc. (444 West Ocean, Suite 800 Long Beach, California 90802 Phone: (562) 531-7454) can help you understand what to do – and, possibly more importantly, what not to do. Attorney Michel Kraut spent over 14 years as a Senior Deputy District Attorney for the City of Los Angeles (a prosecutor of crimes like DUI), and he has a fantastic track record for developing strategic, effective, and aggressive defenses for DUI clients.