Law Office of Sara Azari

Los Angeles Drunk Driving and DUI Lawyer

Los Angeles DUI lawyer Sara Azari knows how profoundly a charge of driving under the influence can impact a person’s life.  Jail time, over a thousand dollars in fines, loss of driving privileges, hefty probationary terms including lengthy DUI classes, hours of labor-intensive community service including a visit to the local morgue, and even a reduction of future employment opportunities are all very real consequences for those convicted of DUI.

What most people don’t know, however, is that a charge of driving under the influence does not always lead to conviction.  In many cases, the counsel of an experienced DUI attorney can help individuals avoid a DUI conviction. If you live in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, or anywhere in the U.S. and have been charged with DUI or drunk driving, lawyer Sara Azari can offer you knowledgeable and aggressive representation that will allow you to pursue the best possible resolution to your case.

Understand Your Rights

If you are pulled over for driving under the influence, it is very important that you are aware of your rights.  You do not have to answer any questions without a lawyer present, though you should never lie to police officers; doing so could damage your credibility in the event that you testify in your own defense. Remember that in California, you may refuse all field sobriety exercises/tests as well as the preliminary alcohol test (PAS test).  Nevertheless, at the police station, you are required by law to submit to a chemical test of your choice (breath or blood).  Your failure to do so may be deemed a “refusal” and subject you to jail time and suspension of your driver’s license.  Most importantly, you have the right to an attorney.  If you have been arrested anywhere in the U.S. for DUI or drunk driving, contact lawyer Sara Azari as soon as possible to make sure that you have serious and dedicated legal counsel on your side.

[ Back to top ]

Independent Investigation

As part of her handling of every DUI case, Sara Azari conducts a thorough investigation of her client’s alleged blood-alcohol content by examining the maintenance records of the arresting agency’s breath-testing machine and the training records of the arresting officers who administered the tests.

Police departments often fail to properly maintain their blood-alcohol testing equipment, provide required training to staff members who run the machines, or keep a sample of blood taken from defendants, which is required by law. Proof of inadequate maintenance, training or other common procedural mistakes by the police can be sufficient evidence to invalidate blood-alcohol content findings and get a client’s case dismissed from court or justify a reduction of DUI charges.

[ Back to top ]

Other Traffic Offenses

In addition to DUI charges, Sara Azari also handles cases for clients who have been charged with traffic offenses that are not directly related to alcohol or drugs, but frequently stem from a DUI arrest or accident.

Hit-and-run can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony charge and involves even the slightest movement of a vehicle from an accident scene. If you suspect you may be under investigation for hit-and-run, it is crucial that you contact an experienced attorney like Sara Azari immediately, before you have been contacted by police if at all possible. In many cases, an attorney who is involved early in the police investigation can prevent hit-and-run charges from ever being filed.

When you have previously lost your drivers’ license because of a DUI conviction but continue to drive, you face stiff penalties if you are caught. While it is most often handled as a misdemeanor offense, driving with a suspended license after a DUI conviction can subject you to jail time, costly fines, impounding of your vehicle and, in the most serious cases, the seizure of your vehicle, which is then auctioned off by authorities. 

[ Back to top ]

DMV Hearings

In addition to representing clients in all criminal DUI proceedings, Los Angeles DUI lawyer Sara Azari is also dedicated to representing clients in DMV administrative hearings stemming from their criminal charges. When a person is charged with driving under the influence, he or she must attend a separate DMV hearing to decide whether their driving privileges will be suspended or revoked.  This independent proceeding is entirely separate from your court dates and is not designed to determine whether the accused is guilty of a criminal act.

One important thing to note: In California, a DMV administrative hearing must be requested by the arrested person within 10 days of their arrest. If the driver fails to request a hearing, their drivers’ license will automatically be suspended after 30 days have passed. If a hearing is requested within 10 days of arrest, however, the driver will retain their driving privileges until the hearing is held and resolved, which most often is longer than 30 days. In most cases, if the DUI finding is the only one on the driver’s record in the last 10 years, a restricted license is issued after the suspension is lifted to permit driving to and from work, school and any court-ordered education programs.

Making sure that you meet the 10-day DMV hearing request rule is one reason why speaking with an experienced DUI attorney such as Sara Azari as soon after your arrest as possible is critically important. Waiting too long can result in unnecessary loss of your driving privileges, among other things.

As a part of her “A-to-Z representation” policy, drunk driving lawyer Sara Azari accompanies clients to DMV hearings to ensure that they understand their rights and that their best interests are protected. Ms. Azari also makes sure to coordinate the timing of the DMV hearing with the ongoing court proceedings so as to satisfy the requirements of both in a timely manner and avoid undue penalties.

[ Back to top ]

First and Multiple DUIs

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense in any state and at any level.  Even a first-time conviction of driving under the influence poses serious consequences for the driver, as it carries with it a minimum sentence of jail time. Additional consequences may include a suspension of driving privileges and mandatory DUI program.

Multiple DUI convictions are treated harshly by courts. People who have been convicted of DUI in the past ten years face longer mandatory jail terms than first-time offenders.  Furthermore, a repeat offender will likely see his or her driver’s license suspended for at least one year.  Drivers who rack up multiple DUI convictions are likely to have their license revoked, which is much more serious than a suspension.  Drivers whose licenses have been revoked must reapply for new licenses after the revocation has been lifted and are likely to face additional restrictions if they are granted a new license. 

Avoiding such consequences, if possible, is therefore crucial. If you have been charged in Los Angeles or anywhere in the U.S. with one or more counts of DUI, lawyer Sara Azari is prepared to offer you aggressive representation to ensure that your rights are protected. 

[ Back to top ]

Contact DUI and Drunk Driving Defense Lawyer Sara Azari

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence, the decisions you make immediately after your arrest are often the most crucial to the outcome of your case.  It is imperative that you acquire competent legal counsel as soon as possible, as a favorable resolution to your case will depend upon effective DUI defense.  Contact Los Angeles DUI / drunk driving lawyer Sara Azari for knowledgeable and aggressive defense.

[ Back to top ]

The best time to hire an attorney to handle your DUI case is before you have given a formal statement to police or appeared in court.

If you are considering hiring an attorney to assist you with your DUI case, contact Sara Azari for a free case evaluation. For aggressive legal assistance in Santa Monica or elsewhere in California or the U.S., look to Los Angeles DUI and drunk driving lawyer Sara Azari for high quality and aggressive defense.






8961 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 2C
Los Angeles, California 90069

Toll Free: 866.421.4225
Fax: 310.246.0880

Click here for map and directions