San Francisco DUI Lawyer California DMV Hearing Attorney

• Free Case Evaluation
• Misdemeanor DUI Case
• License Suspension
• Field Sobriety Tests
• Sobriety Checkpoints
• Criminal Punishment for DUI
• Contact Our DUI Law Firm

California Drunk Driving Defense by Lawrence Taylor
and Robert Tayac

San Francisco Bay Area DUI Lawyer and California DMV Attorney

If you or someone you care about has been arrested for driving under the influence in the  San Francisco  Bay Area counties of Alameda,  Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Sonoma, you should immediately contact an attorney who specializes in DUI defense.  Most California DUI arrests initiate two cases.  The first case is a criminal case, while the second case is a California Department of Motor Vehicles driver's license or driving privilege suspension case.  (Notice: A  DMV Hearing must be requested within ten (10) calendar days of the DUI arrest and an attorney should set up the Hearing to ensure it is done properly.)

California DUI lawyer Robert Tayac has been an attorney for more than twenty-five years and is recognized as being among the most experienced and most effective driving under the influence (DUI) defense lawyers in California. With offices in San Francisco, Redwood City, San Rafael, and Walnut Creek, investigators and experts working with this highly qualified DUI attorney represent clients accused of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or driving with a blood alcohol level (BAC) at or above the legal limit in the criminal courts of San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Sonoma and Napa counties and the Federal DUI Courts for the Northern District of California in San Francisco and San Jose. 

As well, Mr. Tayac represents existing or former clients in DUI cases throughout California and new clients in serious DUI cases.  Simply stated, Mr. Tayac is the choice for those who need the absolute best result in their case.

Additionally, Mr. Tayac's office represents clients accused of driving with blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08% or greater stemming from California driving under the influence arrests before the Department of Motor Vehicles’ Driver Safety Offices in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Santa Clara. This law office accepts only a California driving under the influence case and a related California Department of Motor Vehicles license suspension action.

Each investigator and expert working with this office is highly trained and specializes in drunk driving defense. As well, Mr. Tayac is a present or past member of professional organizations whose focus is directed at representing individuals who are accused of driving under the influence, including the National College for DUI Defense, California DUI Lawyers Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Life Member), California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (Life Member), and California Public Defenders Association. As well, Mr. Tayac is a member in good standing of the The State Bar of California and is licensed to practice law in all California criminal courts and United States Federal courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts of California.

Criminal Case

In the California driving under the influence criminal case, the District Attorney of the county in which the driving under the influence arrest occurred will most often charge the driver with two separate criminal violations . The first criminal charge is for driving under the influence of alcohol, medication or drugs in violation of California Vehicle Code section 23152, subdivision (a). The second criminal charge is for driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or greater in violation of California Vehicle Code section 23152, subdivision (b). (Please note, a driving under the influence offense case will be prosecuted in the United States Federal Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco or San Jose by a lawyer working for the United States Attorney’s office if the arrest occurred within the geographic boundaries of the Presidio National Park in San Francisco, Fort Mason, Moffett Federal Airfield in Santa Clara County or other land under the jurisdiction of the United States Federal Government.)

Driver's License Suspension Csae

The second driving under the influence case is a California Department of Motor Vehicles administrative per se license suspension (APS) action, in which a person is at risk of having their California driver's license (if licensed by the State of California) or privilege to drive in California (if licensed by another state) suspended. As noted above, drivers arrested for driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater in California have only ten (10) calendar days from the date of the driving under the influence arrest to request a DMV administrative per se (APS) hearing. If a hearing is not requested within ten (10) calendar days of the DUI arrest, the person's California driver's license (if licensed in California) or privilege to drive in California (if licensed by another state) will automatically be suspended thirty-one (31) days from the date of the arrest for a minimum of four (4) months.

California Department of Motor Vehicles license suspension hearings are technical. For this reason, DMV hearings should only be handled by a lawyer with specialized experience in DUI defense and California DMV cases. To suspend a driver’s license following a California drunk driving arrest, the Department of Motor Vehicles need only prove by a preponderance of the evidence (a legal standard meaning slightly more than fifty percent) that the police had reasonable cause to believe a violation of Vehicle Code Section 23152 or Section 23153 was committed, that the driving under the influence arrest was lawful, and that the driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or greater at the time of driving. California DMV administrative hearings can be won, or their impact minimized, but usually only by an attorney with knowledge of the administrative per se hearing process, the type of evidence presented and familiarity with the possible legal defenses in drunk driving and DMV cases.

Call a Qualified Attorney Now!

The stakes are high in a California drunk driving case and the consequences are severe. A driving under the influence arrest in California may result in jail, large fines, driver’s license suspensions, mandatory alcohol education classes, ignition interlock devices, and other punishment. For that reason, it is important to have a  qualified driving under the influence defense lawyer handling your case as soon after the arrest as possible.

If you, a relative, or someone you know and care about has been or may be accused of driving under the influence, read the information contained in this website and call the office to discuss your case with an experienced DUI lawyer. If you prefer, you may submit a confidential case questionnaire which will be reviewed by a lawyer and receive a prompt response.

Robert Tayac's office may be reached at 415-552-6000, or 800-254-0000 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. any day of the week and in an emergency at any time.