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This page was written, edited, reviewed & approved by Karren Kenney following our comprehensive editorial guidelines Karren Kenney, the Founding Partner, has 30+ years of legal experience as a criminal defense attorney.
The city of Orange is located in central Orange County. It is home to Chapman University and Orange historical downtown area. Catering to a college crowd means that Downtown Orange has many bars and often there are DUI's, drunk in public charges, as well as petty theft crimes. The Block, the only outlet mall in Orange County, has many restaurants and stores. Because of the high volumes of people that shop there, there are often theft and credit card offenses taking place. The restaurants that sell alcohol also contribute to DUI's and drunk in public charges. If you have been charged with a crime in Orange or the surrounding area, an experienced criminal defense attorney can explore the details of your situation and look for ways to fight the prosecution.
Unlike many other Orange Criminal defense attorneys who have worked as prosecutors, Karren Kenney has always worked on behalf of individuals facing charges. She has handled a wide range of criminal matters, including white collar crimes, domestic violence, drug offenses, DUI, and shoplifting.
When people are charged with a crime such as drunk driving or drug possession many feel as if they would plead guilty because of the potential strength of the evidence against them. However, even in those situations in which the evidence against them is strong a guilty plea may come back to haunt them in ways that are unforeseen. The guilty plea may lead to future effects on educational opportunities, job prospects and even housing options. It is important to always remember that there may be ways to attack the prosecutors case and prevent the negative affects in the future regardless of the strength of the evidence against you.
In California, as well as in other states across the nation, drivers are not permitted to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Due to the no-tolerance law, in California, if you are under 18 you may not drive with even a drop of alcohol in your system. If you are someone who has more than one DUI charge or someone who is between the age of 18 and 21 then you may not drive with a BAC of .01 or more.
Under California's Code of Regulations Title 17, there are many requirements that police must follow when pulling someone over for suspected drunk driving. Police must observe the driver for 15 minutes, employ properly trained personnel to conduct chemical tests, regularly calibrate and maintain testing equipment, and properly collect, handle, and store blood or urine samples in the event of a suspected DUI. If the police fail to follow even one of the above listed requirements it may be possible that your attorney can call the entire case into question or that they can get the DUI reduced to a lesser charge.
Oftentimes, prosecutors present police officers to testify that they believed you were under the influence because you had red of watery eyes, your speech was slurred, or you couldn't walk at a steady pace or in the straight line. In order to call that testimony into question, your attorney may provide some other plausible explanations for the officers observations that does not have anything to do with you consuming alcohol. Also, if you failed a field sobriety test, your attorney can address other factors that could affect your balance or coordination.
The Central Justice Center is located in Santa Ana and is where crimes committed in Santa Ana, Orange, Villa Park, and Tustin are addressed.
Drunk driving and other criminal charges can lead to harsh penalties. For a first-time misdemeanor DUI, you may face fines, a jail sentence or license restriction, a mandatory three-month alcohol treatment program, and the loss of your driver's license followed by a period of restricted driving. If you caused a bodily injury or death by drunk driving, or you are a repeat offender, the penalties may be much harsher. However, an experienced criminal defense attorney can make a big difference to an individual in Orange who is facing DUI charges. We may be able to negotiate an appropriate plea bargain or take your case to trial. Contact the Kenney Legal Defense Corporation at (949) 536-7762 or via our online form.
