Los Angeles Felony DUI Lawyer

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Felony DUI charges are the most serious offense motorists can face when it comes to driving under the influence. Although punishment may vary depending on the circumstances involved in a case, all felony DUIs expose accused individuals to life-altering penalties, including minimum terms of imprisonment and severe driver’s license repercussions. Having a felony on one’s record also result in the loss of many civil rights, including your right to vote and own a firearm. For many convicted felons, the stain of a felony can create a lifetime of barriers.

Because the stakes are high in felony cases, it is critical that you work with proven lawyers who know how to effectively protect your rights, your freedom, and your future. At Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP, our award-winning criminal defense attorneys have extensive experience representing clients charged with felony DUIs involving a range of facts and aggravating factors. When there’s a lot on the line, you can trust that our proven team will leverage this experience to fight for the best possible result.

Charged with felony DUI in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas of Southern California? Call (800) 462-7160 to speak with our criminal defense attorney team.

Why Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP?

• Over 50 Years of Combined Experience
• Thousands of Cases Handled
• Hundreds of Case Dismissals Secured
• 24/7 Availability Throughout Southern California

Types of Felony DUI

Most DUI cases prosecuted in California are misdemeanor offenses. However, when certain aggravating factors are involved, state law elevates DUI charges to felonies and imposes much more severe penalties on convicted individuals.

Felony DUIs in California can result from the following:

• A Fourth DUI – Multiple DUI offenders face stiff penalties with each subsequent DUI in a certain time period. If you are stopped and arrested for a DUI, and have three prior DUI convictions on your record within the past 10 years, you can be charged with a felony. Under California’s Vehicle Code, wet reckless convictions and out-of-state DUI convictions are also considered priorable offenses and will count toward the prior conviction record if they occurred within the 10-year lookback period.
• A Prior Felony DUI – Being convicted of a felony DUI means that you can be charged with a felony for any new DUI offense, even if the offense is not typically a felony and even if there are no aggravating circumstances involved.
• DUI Causing Injury – Motorists who drive under the influence and cause accidents that injure others can be charged with felony DUI. In order to be charged with DUI causing injury, it must be shown that in addition to driving under the influence, you also violated a law or acted in a negligent manner, such as running a red light or rear-ending another vehicle. Prosecutors have the discretion to file DUI injury charges as misdemeanors, however it is not very common. If there are circumstances involved in your case that suggest it does not rise to a felony, an experienced defense lawyer may be able to compel prosecutors into reducing charges to a felony.
• DUI Resulting in Death – DUIs involving death are the most serious and harshly punished type of felony DUI. Depending on the circumstances, you can be charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, or gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, both of which carry lengthy terms of imprisonment. In some cases, prosecutors may charge drivers with DUI murder, or Watson Murder, particularly if a defendant has a prior DUI and were read a “Watson Advisement” by the judge when previously convicted. DUI Murder carries a 15 years to life prison sentence.

Penalties for any felony DUI are severe. They can also be impacted and elevated based on aggravating factors as they relate to the unique facts of the case, your BAC level, and your prior criminal history. Our attorneys can help you better understand your exposure to penalties upon further review of your case.

Contact Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP to speak with a Los Angeles DUI Attorney during a FREE and confidential consultation.