Former Prosecutors. Now Defending You. Best Los Angeles DUI Attorneys

Nima Haddadi, is a Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer, and one of the founding members at the H&M Law Firm. Nima is an intricate part of our law firm, and helps each client individually when accused of a DUI. As a former prosecutor, Nima has a unique perspective on how the justice system DUI suspects, and knows how to fight the system.


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Nima Haddadi, our founding partner, and a top rated DUI lawyer. His goal at H&M Law Firm is creating a firm that provides concierge customer service to each and every single client.

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About Our Los Angeles DUI Attorney

Nima Haddadi, our founding partner, is a top rated DUI lawyer. He’s an intricate part of the firm-and most clients typically work with him after contacting us. As a former prosecutor, Nima has an intricate understanding of the legal justice system, and how DUI suspects are treated/convicted. Moreover, his unique experience enables him to help give you a truthful assessment of your situation-and the ability to create a formidable legal defense. Our dui law firm believes in providing each client the best possible defense-this is in large part because of Nima’s philosophy and belief that each client deserves justice.

Our Los Angeles dui attorneys focus on providing the wrongfully accused the best possible defense. We are believers in our clients, and do our level best to help ensure you don’t get wrongfully prosecuted by an overzealous prosecutor. Our team consists of talented, and skilled, DUI lawyers all over California.


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Can you get a DUI on prescription or over the counter drugs?

When you think about a DUI, you might think about driving while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. You can also be charged with a DUI if you drive while on prescription or over the counter drugs if you take enough of the medication to alter the judgment that you have while driving. Even if you take a small amount, you can still be charged with a DUI if an officer believes that you are putting yourself and other drivers in danger while on the road. The medications might be legal for you to take, but your driving can be impaired because of the impact that the medications have on your mind and the rest of your body as your reflexes are often slowed. There is also a possibility that you could fall asleep behind the wheel after taking medications. Most medications have warnings on the container that tell you not to drive or operate heavy machinery while taking the medication.There are a few elements that an officer and members of the court will look at regarding a DUI charge. One is that you have to be observed driving a vehicle on a roadway that is maintained for use by the public. Another element is that you must be observed or proven to be influenced by either over the counter medications or prescriptions. You can also be charged with a DUI if you have been drinking or have been taking illegal drugs and an officer of the law can show that you have been taking these substances. At times like these, it’s critical to hire a Los Angeles dui lawyer.


The laws regarding DUI charges are often applied in all 50 states because officers want to keep the roadways as safe as possible for everyone who is driving or who is a passenger in a vehicle. Most medications that are prescribed or that are purchased in a store will impair your coordination in some way depending on the dosage and the ingredients that are present in the medication as some have more of an impact than others. Side effects that you might experience include dizziness, blurred vision, and the inability to stay awake for long periods of time.

Penalties for a DUI charge are usually the same for each state. However, the court will look at your criminal history as well as other factors involved to determine the exact penalty that you will receive. A Los Angeles dui lawyer can offer assistance if you have been charged with a DUI to try to get the charges reduced or to try to keep the penalty to a minimum sentence.

What Is the Penalty for Refusing Breath-alyzer Test in California?

If you are worried about getting pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in California, you are probably wondering what rights you have during the stop.

You also want to know if you can refuse a Breathalyzer test on the side of the road. The answer is not as straightforward as some people would like, but the information you are about to get will point you down the right path. You will know your rights and how you should respond to minimize the damage.

Know Your Rights

A police officer can pull you over if he has reasonable suspicion that you have committed a crime or traffic violation. Police officers often use traffic stops to fish for additional crimes with which they can charge you. To do so, they will start asking you questions in hopes that you will give incriminating answers.

Even seemingly innocent statements can hurt you if the police decide to charge you with a crime. If an officer asks you if you have been drinking or any other questions, politely decline to answer. The only information you are required to give is on your driver’s license, insurance card and registration paperwork.

Preliminary Alcohol Screening

Police officers will ask you to submit to a preliminary alcohol screening when they suspect you of driving while under the influence of alcohol. They administer these tests with portable Breathalyzers they keep in their patrol cars. If you are over the age of 21 and are not on probation for a DUI charge, you can refuse the test without penalty. Breathalyzers are not always as accurate as the police want you to believe, so taking them when you don’t need to do so is always a risk.

Post-Arrest Testing

If the police have enough probable cause to place you under arrest, they can require you to submit to a post-arrest alcohol screening. At this point, failing to comply will automatically cause you to lose your license and face enhanced penalties. Also, the police can use your refusal against you if you take your case to trial.

You will, however, have the option to take a breath, chemical or urine test. The tests the police use at the station are much more accurate than roadside tests, so the path you choose does not matter.

If the police stop your vehicle, you have the right not to answer questions and to refuse a roadside Breathalyzer test. You must only submit to pre-arrest alcohol screenings if you are under the age of 21 or on probation for a DUI-related offense.

The police can legally force you to take a test once they have enough probable cause to arrest you. If you have recently been charged with a DUI and need solid legal support, nothing comes close to the guidance of a caring Los Angeles DUI attorney. The dui attorney you hire will look for holes in the state’s evidence and strive to get you the best possible outcome.

Can you refuse a breathalyzer if you’re not driving?

If you’re not the person driving the vehicle, then you would think that you can refuse a breathalyzer. In most situations, you can refuse.

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Angelo, the attorney I worked with, was very professional. Angelo helped me understand everything. In his initial consultation, he explained to me about what a DUI means, and what legal penalties I could face. He also mentioned, that many of their attorneys were former DUI prosecutors – and explained how their defense was going to help me avoid jail time. Also, they explained all of my questions, and I am very happy to tell you I went with them – and got a significantly reduced punishment.

Damian S.

I had a DUI consultation with Angelo, and I learned a lot of information I didn’t know before. I was able to learn a lot of information. The other DUI attorneys I spoke to did nothing to inform me about what was going on. They ignored my requests for information, and assumed I should just trust them. This is the first time I was in a DUI situation, and Angelo educated me a lot. When you need a high qualified los angeles dui lawyer, you should speak to Angel, and the H&M law firm

Kevin R.

Frequently Asked Questions

A person will be charged with Driving While Intoxicated or DWI if he or she is found to have a blood alcohol content or BAC of 0.08 or higher. Police officers may use other evidence of intoxication as well. If the motorist is someone who drives a truck, bus or other vehicle for work, he or she can be arrested on a DWI charge with a 0.04 BAC or higher.

The penalties were considered to be too lenient for this charge, so the state added the Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated or Aggravated DWI to the books to take this infraction much more seriously.

In order to be charged with Aggravated DWI, you must have been determined to have a BAC of 0.18 percent or higher. This charge is more serious than a regular DWI charge, so the penalties are more severe. It is even more difficult to enter into a plea bargain when arrested on this charge.

The First Offense

For a first offense, a conviction on a DWI charge gives you the possibility of receiving a jail sentence, a fine between $500 and $1,000, suspension for six months of your license and the installation of the Ignition Interlock Device or IID. The IID is installed in your vehicle to prevent you from being able to drive after consuming alcohol. Before the car will be able to start, you will have to breathe into the device so that it can determine your BAC. The car will not start if your BAC turns out to be higher than the level that was programmed into the device.

With the new charge of Aggravated DWI, you may receive a jail sentence of up to one year plus three additional years of probation. The fine also increases to between $1,000 and $2,500, and your license may be suspended for up to one year. You may also be ordered to attend a Victim Impact Panel that will help you understand how driving while intoxicated impacts the community.

The Second Offense

In the event that you receive a second Aggravated DWI within 10 years of your first one, the penalties will be even higher. Your first Aggravated DWI would be a misdemeanor, but a second Aggravated DWI would be a Class E felony. If convicted, your jail sentence could last as long as four years, and you may be ordered to pay a fine of up to $5,000. Your license may even be revoked for 1 ½ years.

The Third Offense

The harshest penalties are reserved for a conviction on a third Aggravated DWI charge. If you are convicted for a third time within 10 years of your first conviction, you will receive a Class D felony. The maximum jail sentence that you could receive is 7 years. The fines increase to between $2,000 and $10,000, and your license may be revoked for 1 ½ years for this charge as well.

The criminal penalties are not the only ones that you will be subjected to with an Aggravated DWI conviction. You may have to pay $250 a year for a DMV assessment, but this will only last for three years. The court may also charge you a court surcharge of $395.

Many people might think that drunk driving is only a traffic violation. They would be wrong because drunk driving is considered a criminal offense. You can spend time in jail if you are charged with a DUI depending on your criminal background and the nature of the incident. Any property damage, accidents, or injuries resulting from drinking while driving will be taken into consideration when you are charged and sentenced for the crime committed.
The state of California has enforced tougher penalties regarding drunk driving to try to make a point that it will not be tolerated in the state and to try to make a point that it’s dangerous to drink and drive. Even though drunk driving can result in a DUI charge, you can also receive a DUI charge if you’re caught driving while under the influence of drugs, prescriptions, or over the counter medications. You can be charged with a criminal offense if you’re driving and drinking even if you have never been arrested before or if you have been drinking a minimal amount.

Fortunately, a DUI is often charged as a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Even though it is a criminal offense, it usually doesn’t carry the same weight during the sentencing process as a felony would and doesn’t result in as many points on your license and insurance. The fines and the time spent in jail, if any, is often less than the time you would spend if you would be charged and convicted of a felony.

A first DUI usually results in at least a few days in jail to about six months in jail depending on if there were any injuries or if there was any property damage. Your license can be suspended for at least four months, and you can be ordered to pay high fines. A second DUI can be punished by up to a year in jail and the suspension of your license for two years. You will usually have to take alcohol classes before getting your license reinstated. If you are charged with a third DUI, then you could lose your license for up to three years and spend up to a year in jail. Each charge results in high fines that only increase with the number of charges you receive. A fourth DUI is usually charged as a felony. You can also be charged with a felony DUI if a death occurs as a result of drinking and driving or if there are any injuries that occur.

Breathalyzer devices are used to test the amount of alcohol in the blood of a driver in order to determine if the person is legally intoxicated. However, some legal defense strategies can be used to argue that the device is not admissible as evidence in a DUI case. The breathalyzer device can tip the balance in the case if it is allowed into the court as evidence that the person was driving under the influence of alcohol. This article will cover the basic issues related to the way the legal system in California treats breath testing devices.

Breath Testing Devices

The breathalyzer is considered to be a brand, so there are other ways to test the concentration of alcohol in the blood of a driver. There are other testing devices available as well, so the question of admissibility is an important one. When an officer stops a driver, they are permitted to demand that the driver take a breath test; however, there are some conditions and exceptions to this rule. In order to be used as evidence in a court, the officer must follow certain rules while conducting the breath test. This test is done when the officer is questioning the driver in order to determine if there is a possible case of drunk driving. However, prosecutors do not prefer to use this type of test as evidence.

In addition to the issue of how the evidence was gathered during the arrest, the law also considers the type of breath test performed. Since there are several ways to test the breath, the question of admissibility becomes central. It is also important to understand that there are two main categories for breath tests. The first is called the preliminary alcohol screening, or PAS. This test is done before the officer arrests the driver, and the driver has the right to refuse to take this test. After the arrest, another type of breath test can be done using equipment that is more accurate and will be in compliant with the strict Title 17 rules that are in effect in California. This test is mandatory, but the driver can request to take a specific type of test. Urine or blood tests can be requested if they are available, for example.


Although breathalyzer devices can be used as evidence in a court, there are differences in the way the law treats the different tests for blood-alcohol concentration. Prosecutors will usually prefer to use the types of tests that occur after the arrest because this evidence is considered to be more reliable. It is possible to neutralize the effects of a breath test during the legal arguments if you work with a qualified DUI attorney. For example, if the officer violates any of the rules that exist in Title 17 for chemical testing, the evidence will not be admissible in court. The officer is also required by law to inform the driver if the test is optional or mandatory. Contact our office if you need legal assistance.

The legal system in California allows DUI offenders to request a DMV hearing. It is important to understand that this is completely different from the DUI charges brought against you by the arresting officer. The DMV hearing can have an impact on your case, but winning at the hearing will not necessarily help you win the DUI case in the courtroom. This article explains the connection between the DMV hearing and the DUI charges, which can result in you losing your driving privileges temporarily or even permanently. Understanding how this process works can help you to make informed decisions about when to hire a legal professional to assist you in fighting to keep your license.

DMV Hearing in California

The DMV hearing is a process that is automatically triggered in this state. Once an arrest is made, the police report goes to the DMV, and this agency initiates the process of carrying out an administrative suspension against your driving privileges. It is important to notice the difference between a criminal procedure and the administrative process. This is not a criminal procedure at this point, but it is unusual to experience a penalty before any conviction is obtained through the courts. This is why some DUI driving cases seem confusing. If you assume that the 30-day mandatory suspension is a criminal procedure, then you do not yet understand the difference between criminal and administrative processes in this state. The DMV hearing is the only opportunity you have to challenge this automatic suspension known as the Admin Per Se, or APS. However, the hearing must be requested within 10 days of the arrest, and many people fail to understand that they have an obligation to request it.

Once you attend the DMV hearing, you can regain your driving privileges until you appear in court. Even if the DMV hearing goes in your favor, you will still have to appear, but you will have your driving privileges back during this period. This is a temporary victory, and the DMV hearing does not directly affect the outcome of your case. The reason this is not admissible as evidence in the court has to do with the lack of authority the DMV possesses over issues of guilt or innocence. The DMV hearing creates no legal leverage, and the outcome of the hearing cannot be used by either the defense or the prosecution in the court. Winning the DMV hearing will allow you to avoid the automatic administrative suspension of your license, and this is why you should always request the hearing.

Legal Assistance, DUI California

Legal advice is helpful when you are navigating the complex legal system in California. Many defendants will let their lawyer request the DMV hearing, for example. This is a good way to ensure that all procedures are correctly followed, and it can help you to determine the best strategy to use for your particular situation. Although the DMV hearing does not directly affect the DUI court process, it is an important step to take when protecting all of your legal rights.

If you’re convicted of DUI, you may face a number of different penalties. Possible consequences include a fine, a jail sentence, and the suspension of your driver’s license. The exact punishment for DUI varies on a case-by-case basis, though.

The judge will consider the details of your case and your prior criminal record to decide whether you will lose your license and how long you will lose your license for. Your DUI penalty will also vary based on your state’s laws. Almost everyone convicted of DUI has their license suspended for at least three months.

All states have slightly different DUI laws, but many states will suspend your license for 90 days for your first DUI conviction, one year for your second conviction, and three years for your third conviction. Some states have harsher penalties, though. For example, in Colorado, you can lose your license for nine months after your first DUI conviction. In Delaware, you can lose your license for one to two years.

Some states have strict mandatory suspension times, and other states allow judges to use their discretion. If you have other misdemeanors or felonies on your record, the judge may decide to suspend your license for longer than your state’s minimum suspension time.

License Suspension for Aggravated DUI

The penalty for an aggravated DUI is harsher than the penalty for a normal DUI. You’ll receive an aggravated DUI if your blood alcohol concentration is more than twice the legal limit, which is .08 percent in every state. You can also be charged with an aggravated DUI if there are minors in the vehicle, if you’re driving with a suspended license, if you’re speeding, or if you have previous DUI convictions.

In some states, your license will be suspended for a minimum of three years if you have an aggravated DUI. Some states will revoke your license for life.

Hardship Licenses

Most states offer a hardship license to people convicted of DUI who need to drive to work or school while their license is suspended. You will probably still have to complete a hard suspension, which is typically 30 to 45 days without any driving. After that time, you may be able to apply for the hardship license. The license will have strict requirements for which routes you can drive and which hours of the day you can drive.

A DUI is a costly conviction that can affect your life for years. If you’ve been arrested for DUI, it’s important that you speak to a lawyer as soon as possible, so you can be properly represented in court and receive a fair sentence.

After a DUI arrest, the law in California will automatically suspend your license for 30 days. However, there are also other rules that go into effect. You should be aware of them because they will affect the total amount of time that your license is suspended. In California, the laws for DUI offenses can be complicated. Many exceptions can be applied to the rules, and there are few cases where the outcome is completely certain. Even in the case of the automatic 30-day suspension after an arrest, there are ways to take action and stop the suspension from going into effect.

California’s DUI Laws

In California, there are two different types of penalties that will make you lose all driving privileges. The first type is known as the administrative suspension, and this is an automatic suspension that goes into effect immediately after you are arrested. It lasts for 30 days unless you manage to successfully challenge it. During the automatic suspension period, the police will seize your driver’s license and provide you with a paper that functions as a temporary license. In this situation, you will still be able to drive, but you must request a hearing within 30 days in order to prevent the suspension from going into effect. Most people will hire a DUI lawyer to request the hearing because procedures will be followed correctly when there is a legal professional involved.

Requesting a hearing is an important step, but it does not guarantee that the suspension will not go into effect. The presence of a DUI lawyer can help you to win the DMV hearing. This is a critical step in the process of fighting to keep your driver’s license. If you succeed in winning this hearing, you will be able to keep your license until your case goes to court. If you are convicted, you can lose your license at that time. The best way to understand how this works is to observe that you can fight for your license during each stage of the legal process. Even when you are fighting the case in court, you can use the services of a legal professional who understands how to bargain for a lesser charge in order for you to be able to keep your license. The defense lawyer can also attack the methods that were used by the prosecutor to get evidence against you, and this is an effective strategy.

Legal Representation, DUI

If you have been charged with a DUI in California, your driving privileges can be suspended or even revoked in particular cases. There are many ways to fight back, but you can only do it effectively when you are using reliable and accurate information. The services of a qualified DUI attorney can be helpful. This will allow you to gain access to information that will help you to make the best decisions for your particular case. Contact our law office if you require additional information or wish to make an appointment.

There are a number of reasons why your license can be suspended in California. Your license may be suspended if you have a DUI conviction, if you failed to appear in court after getting a traffic ticket, if you failed to pay child support, or if you were pulled over without proof of car insurance. You should be notified if your license is suspended, but you may not be.

If you are arrested for DUI, the police should give you a 30-day temporary license as well as a written notice explaining that you have 10 days to request a DMV hearing. Unfortunately, the police sometimes fail to give people this paperwork. Notices of license revocation can also get lost in the mail or be sent to the wrong address, so it is possible for your license to be suspended without your knowledge.

If you’re not sure whether or not a judge suspended your license, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands and search for the answer yourself. The penalty for driving with a suspended license in California ranges from a small fine to six months of jail time. To avoid these consequences, you can try one of these three methods to discover whether or not your license is suspended:

1. Request Your Record Online

You can request your driver record from the California DMV website. You’ll need to create an account and pay a $2 printout fee. To get your driver record, the DMV will ask you for the issue date of your driver’s license, the last four digits of your social security number, your license plate number, and your car’s vehicle identification number.

This is usually the fastest and easiest way to find out if your license is suspended. However, the record you’ll receive is not an official document. If you need your driver record for legal reasons, you’ll have to go to your local DMV office or request your record by mail.

2. Visit Your DMV Office

To get your driver record from your local DMV, you’ll need to fill out a form INF1125. You can print this form out for free from the California DMV website, and filling it out in advance will save you time at the DMV office. It costs $5 to request your record in person, but the document you’ll receive is considered official.

3. Request Your Record By Mail

To request your driver record by mail, you can print and fill out a form INF1125 and mail it to the California DMV headquarters. The DMV’s mailing address is listed on the form INF1125. You’ll need to include the $5 fee with the form, but the record is considered official.

If you discover that your license has been suspended, you should note that it won’t automatically reinstate when the suspension period ends. You’ll need to apply for reinstatement to get your license back, which may involve paying a fee depending on the reason for the suspension. It’s important to do your research about your license suspension, so you can easily get your driving privileges back when the time comes.

The legal system in California can be complicated when it comes to DUI cases. Many of our clients have asked if their driver’s license can be permanently revoked if they are convicted of a DUI. There is no simple way to answer this question because there are many rules that could go into effect. The circumstances of each case will often determine the outcome. However, we can outline some of the most influential factors that might decide the issue for each defendant. There are always exceptions and other conditions that can be applied to each case. The situation for each arrest will determine the outcome, and there are many rules that must be followed in order for a prosecutor to successfully obtain a permanent revocation of the driver’s license.

Permanent Revocation, California Laws

In California, it is possible to have your driver’s license permanently revoked; however, this will only happen under certain circumstances. After an arrest, you will experience an automatic suspension of your driving privileges. When the evidence is gathered at the scene of the arrest, the officer must follow specific procedures in order to gather the type of data that will be allowed into the courtroom. This is the first line of defense for the legal team because if errors or violations are discovered, the evidence will be useless against the driver. This is the best way to defend against the possibility of a permanent revocation. However, you should also understand that there are certain circumstances that actually require the law to permanently revoke the driver’s license. For example, if the defendant is found guilty of committing a DUI murder, the license will be permanently revoked. There are other situations where the revocation might also go into effect, but this is the most serious one.

There are also certain steps that can be taken to avoid the strictest penalty, which is the permanent revocation. To understand how this works, consider that there are different degrees of punishment in California law. For example, the lightest penalty is called an administrative suspension, and this goes into effect automatically once you are arrested. It lasts for 30 days after the arrest date, and this is a unique type of penalty because it is applied before the conviction. This is never a permanent condition. Once the case goes to court, the legal system can apply various degrees of suspension to the offender.

Legal Defense for DUI, California

In most cases, only a suspension will apply, and this simply means that the driver will be able to get these privileges back. Everything depends on the context of the case and other legal rules. The driver might experience a temporary suspension, which can be either absolute or conditional. Exceptions are sometimes made to allow the person to continue driving to work, for example. Restricted driving licenses can be obtained as well, and this allows the defendant to drive in order to meet their legal obligations and certain other activities. If you have any questions, contact our legal office.








The First Offense

When In Doubt, Hire a Los Angeles DUI Attorney








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