Okabe & Haushalter
Call Today! 310-543-7708
Call Today! 310-543-7708
Okabe & Haushalter

Los Angeles Underage DUI Attorney

Los Angeles Underage DUI Lawyer

Juvenile DUI Defense Attorney In Los Angeles

DUI (driving under the influence) committed by a driver under the age of 18 may be referred to as juvenile DUI, underage DUI or under 21 DUI. Different laws apply to drivers who are below the legal drinking age in California, in regard to drinking and driving.

A Los Angeles underage DUI attorney at Okabe & Haushalter may be able to help your child if he or she has been arrested in conjunction with a drinking and driving charge.

Minors And Drunk Driving

Under California’s Zero Tolerance law, a minor cannot operate a motor vehicle with any amount of alcohol in his/her system which can be measured at .01% or greater (the legal limit for adults over 21 is .08%). A violation of this offense may result in the suspension of the minor’s driver’s license for up to 1 year.

Additionally, a minor may face typical drunk driving charges and penalties if his/her blood alcohol concentration is .08% or higher. This may include incarceration, probation, alcohol treatment, DUI school, community service, and fines. As with many juvenile offenses, the parents may be held responsible to pay the fines on behalf of the minor.

What Is Minor In Possession?

The charge listed as Minor in Possession includes the possession of alcohol for any person under the age of 21. It is illegal to consume or purchase alcohol for an individual under 21, and law enforcement is sure to crack down on anyone who has allegedly offended this law. A person may even be charged with a minor in possession if he or she is pulled over for underage drunk driving. Due to the zero-tolerance policy in California, a person under the age of 21 who has consumed any alcohol and then gotten behind the wheel of a vehicle will immediately be charged with DUI.

Los Angeles Juvenile DUI Defense Lawyer

One day your underage child comes home to inform you that he or she has gotten in trouble with the law. You immediately begin to panic, worrying that this will ruin your reputation as a parent and most importantly, your child’s future. However, as a seasoned law firm that has served the Los Angeles community for many years, we at Okabe & Haushalter urge you not to worry, but instead immediately speak to our firm. We have handled dozens of juvenile crime cases in the area and we may be able to defend your case as well.

Defending any juvenile offense, including DUI, is best carried out when a juvenile defense attorney is involved as early in the process as possible. By consulting an attorney at our firm immediately, we can begin working right away to defend your child’s rights and work to have the drunk driving charges dropped before the case reaches juvenile court.

Contact a Los Angeles underage DUI attorney at our firm today to find out how we can help to protect your child’s rights!

What to Look For in a Los Angeles Underage DUI Lawyer

When the need arises for a Los Angeles underage DUI lawyer for your minor child, you will likely be overwhelmed with the entire process. There’s so much at stake when your minor child is arrested and charged with DUI. It’s important to understand that your juvenile still has their entire life ahead of them and you should fight the charges as strongly as possible with the help of a criminal defense attorney. Here’s what you should look for when your juvenile needs an underage DUI lawyer:

  • Criminal law experience specific to the charges against your child
  • Specific experience with local DUI laws
  • Experience with the juvenile justice system
  • Know who it is you are hiring

The last point is important. You will want to know who will be handling your child’s case. You want to make sure that the case will not be handed off to someone else within the firm after you’ve met with one attorney multiple times. Keeping the same lawyer on the case makes it easier to move forward and build a solid defense against the underage DUI charges levied by the local prosecutor.

Don’t Risk Your Child’s Freedom

Finding an experienced Los Angeles underage DUI lawyer is vital to your child’s record and freedom. You don’t want to represent your child at any of the hearings when experienced criminal defense attorneys from Okabe & Haushalter can fight for your child’s rights. You don’t know the local laws to the extent that our attorneys do, which means you could miss a significant aspect of the law that could benefit your child and their record. When you work with an experienced criminal defense attorney, your child will be in good hands from the minute they are arrested to the minute the case is officially resolved in court.

How to Find a Los Angeles Underage DUI Lawyer

When the time comes to find a reputable Los Angeles underage DUI lawyer, you should do the following:

  • Seek a referral from a trusted family member or friend who has used the lawyer in the past
  • Request testimonials from the lawyer’s clients
  • Read through the lawyer’s website to find their qualifications and some cases they’ve won
  • Request an in-person interview with at least three different criminal defense attorneys
  • Bring someone with you to those interviews to take notes while you ask questions and pay attention to the answers
  • Shorten your list of possible lawyers to your top three
  • Ask all three attorneys about their communication policies for clients
  • Find out how much the attorney charges and if there are any additional fees associated with your case

Defending the rights of your underage child is of the utmost importance. Call Okabe & Haushalter to schedule a consultation with a Los Angeles underage DUI lawyer today. We will ensure that your child is represented from the minute he or she is arrested to the arraignment hearing to the trial so you can focus on keeping them calm.