Riverside DUI Defense Lawyers

Penalties for a DUI conviction depend heavily on the circumstances, but they’re never light. For a first drunk-driving conviction in Riverside County, you face six months in jail or several years of probation; more than $1,000 in court fees and fines; months of mandatory alcohol education classes; and a four-month driver’s license suspension. Those punishments increase if you’re under 21, if it’s not the first offense or if you had a special circumstance like a very high blood-alcohol concentration. And then there are the non-criminal penalties, which include thousands of dollars in auto insurance rate increases, loss of your driving privilege and more.

Wallin & Klarich can help. We have defended clients throughout Southern California from DUIs and related charges for more than 30 years. As experienced Riverside DUI defense attorneys, we know a number on a breathalyzer machine doesn’t automatically make you guilty -- and we won’t let you plead guilty on that basis alone. We understand what prosecutors must prove to convict you, and we know how to counter their arguments with evidence of flaws in your test and other circumstances that could throw the results into doubt. If you must plead guilty, we can work to lower your penalties to a level most appropriate for your circumstances.

Even non-drinkers know that everyone reacts to alcohol differently. But many people accused of driving under the influence don’t realize that breath tests can be extremely inaccurate. Not only is each individual’s size and fitness level difference, but breath tests can be thrown off by circumstances as minor as the humidity in the air or what medications the test subject is taking. The field sobriety tests (such as walking a line) are even worse, which is why Wallin & Klarich always recommends that our clients politely decline to take these if there’s any doubt about passing. Breath or blood tests are required to avoid a penalty in California, but our Riverside driving under the influence defense attorneys will aggressively challenge breath test results we believe are inaccurate.

After a Riverside DUI arrest, many drivers are surprised to see that the police are allowed to take away their driver’s licenses on the spot. After a 30-day grace period, all DUI arrestees are subject to an automatic suspension of their driving privileges -- often an overwhelming burden in car-centered Riverside County. You can stop it if you act quickly to request a license suspension hearing from the DMV, but you have only ten days. Wallin & Klarich can defend you at that hearing as well as in your Riverside DUI case, coordinating your defense.

At Wallin & Klarich, we approach each case with the belief that we could easily be defending one of our own family members. Because we’ve defended DUIs in California for more than three decades, we’ve seen firsthand how stressful the charge can be to our clients and their families. That’s why we’re committed to always being available when our clients call: 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every day of the year. And we offer free initial consultations, so there’s no risk to you in calling Wallin & Klarich for an expert opinion on your case. We promise to be there when you call.

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