Top-rated Fresno DUI Attorney Jonathan Rooker blends his knowledge of science and the law to defend his clients in Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Kings County, Tulare, and Visalia
Do you need help for a DUI arrest or citation?
Many good people wake up in the morning, in jail or at home, and have to tell their work, their spouse, their children, and their friends, "I got a drunk driving (DUI) last night." They worry about their job, their marriage, and their future. Criminals, such as career criminals, street gang members, or drug addicts who steal to support their habit expect to be arrested, charged, and spend time in jail or prison. Good people, law abiding citizens who are young adults coming home from a college party, bar, or other rite of passage into adulthood don't expect to be locked in a jail cell with criminals. Young adults early in their professional life who have never been in trouble don't expect that a dinner date along with a couple glasses of wine over a fancy meal while courting a new romance will end in a jail cell. Middle aged professionals with decades of being a productive member of society and climbing the corporate ladder to success don't foresee a couple drinks at a business dinner ending with a prosecution and loss of a driver's license that they depend on having for their career. DUI's are scary for good people. Good people need quality representation.
DUI's are some of the most common charges faced by some of the best people. Lets face the facts: a hardened criminal doesn't care about getting a DUI. Who does care about being arrested or cited for DUI? Teachers, Administrators, Businesspeople, individuals who have earned a California State License, such as nursing, and students who are about to enter the job field. Good people care, and that is why helping people with DUI's is one of my favorite aspects of practicing law. A common question is, "I got a DUI, what's going to happen to me."
DUI's which are most commonly prosecuted as a violation of VC 23152(A) and 23152(B) (DUI). These laws are aggressively enforced in the Fresno area and greater Central Valley Region, with Fresno being one of the leaders in the nation for DUI enforcement.
BUI: Boating Under the Influence is also common in the Fresno and Madera. We are fortunate to have many recreational lakes and rivers in proximity: Shaver Lake, Millerton Lake, Kaweah Lake, Kings River, San Joaquin River, and many other recreation boating areas within driving range.
Fresno Criminal Defense & DUI attorney Jonathan Rooker is a lawyer scientist trained to help defend good people against DUI or BUI charges. If you are going to hire an attorney to defend your DUI charges, you should know what their education and experience level is.
Fresno DUI Attorney Jonathan Rooker's Education
Attorney Jonathan Rooker is one of the few Fresno DUI Lawyers who has graduated from Axion Laboratories Forensic Chromatography X: Theory and Practice course in Chicago. He has also graduated from Basic Reserve Police Academy Level III at Fresno City College. Fresno Defense Attorney Jonathan Rooker has earned a B.S. Degree in Criminology, M.S. in Ed. Counseling, M.S. in Forensic Toxicology. There are very few Fresno DUI attorneys who have received a certificate from a Standardized Field Sobriety Test Course, but Jonathan traveled from Fresno to Southern California to take part in the four-day student course, then went back again to complete the three-day Instructors Course. Upon returning to Fresno, he was asked to return as an instructor, something he plans to do at some point in the future. As an Attorney, practicing in a highly competitive field, such as Fresno County and the surrounding counties, Jonathan sets himself apart, as he is earning a Forensic Science Masters Degree at this time.
How Does Forensic Toxicology apply to my DUI?
The law reads that the .08 BAC must have been at the time of driving. For a VC 23152(B) to apply, the prosecution must prove that the BAC was above .08 at the time of driving. Forensic analysis can help determine if you were in the absorption, distribution, Metabolization, and/or elimination phase at the time of the stop, time of driving, and time of testing. Retrograde extrapolation is a complicated science and your attorney must be able to recognize the possibilities and likelihoods before determining if it is worth it to you to spend money to hire an expert at trial or the DMV.
Drunk Driving, DUI, Drinking and Driving are all common names for the crimes described in the vehicle code VC 23152(A) and VC 23152(B). Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% by weight or higher is a violation of VC 23152(B), or the Per Se charge of Driving Under the Influence. The methods officers use to determine if you are impaired Field Sobriety tests and a chemical test. You should remember that as the officer performs his investigation you have the right to refuse to perform the field sobriety tests, and you don't have to answer the officer's questions. In California the DMV, as a condition for obtaining a drivers license, requires that you consent to a chemical tests if you have been lawfully arrested for DUI. A refusal to submitted to a chemical test will result in an automatic suspension of your drivers license.
Minors may not operate a vehicle with a BAC of 0.01% by weight or higher. If you are under the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages, then you will be subjected to a zero tolerance policy for minors. If you are driving a vehicle, and 0.01% of alcohol or more is in your system, then you can be arrested. By refusing to provide a sample for chemical testing, a minor may have their driving privilege suspended for up to three years. Forensic Science and Criminal Defense Blog
You Can Fight your DUI Charges
I am an attorney who has a unique education geared to defending DUI charges. My job is to look out for your best interests, represent your best interests in a court of law, and fight for you. Even if you have failed your field sobriety tests (FSTs), had a chemical test in excess of .08%, took a blood test, or refused, you can still fight your DUI charge. There may be options, and a qualified Fresno DUI lawyer might be able to help you. Many times a DUI charge does not end with a DUI conviction.
Get a Defense Attorney Who Defends Your Rights
Don't take a DUI charge lightly. People often believe that they can pay a fine and be done with it. However, DUI charges often end with Jail, Adult Offender Work Program, GPS monitoring, SCRAM monitors, Ignition Interlock Devices, and sometimes even in loss of employment or employment opportunities.
If you choose to hire an attorney, they should be able to view the report, and see if the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) where properly administered and scored. In order to do this, the attorney must know how to administer and score the tests. Jonathan Rooker several days over two courses at a National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration approved course in southern California earning a certificate from La Pier and Associates from first the student course, and later the Instructor Course. He is qualified to review your SFST clues, report, and performance, and cross examine the officer as to his knowledge of the subject. If you performed SFSTs, make sure any attorney you hire has been educated specifically on the subject. The SFSTs are the only validated FSTs used to determine if a person is impaired.
If you provided a blood sample for testing for BAC at the time of your DUI arrest, you should make sure that any attorney you hire has been properly trained on the method of analysis. Blood is analyzed by Gas Chromatography. The procedure is more prone to error, miscalculation, and uncertainty than most people understand. Mr. Rooker attended a hands-on course in Chicago's Axion Laboratories specifically to learn gas chromatography. He spends thousands of dollars of his own money so he would be better able to help you with a blood sample DUI accusation.
We can fight for you at the DMV hearing, and look into the details of the stop, arrest, and chemical test to assist you with the best opportunity to gain a set aside at the DMV Hearing. If your license has been suspended as a result of a DUI, we can guide you through the process you must take in order to regain your license.
There are many reasons why innocent people are charged with DUI's.
Your future is important, and if you are facing charges of DUI, drinking and driving, driving while impaired (DWI), your future could be in jeopardy. Without proper legal assistance, you could be convicted of a crime that you did not commit. It is important that you understand that there is no evidence brought in a DUI case that cannot be fought against by a skilled and professional Fresno Criminal Defense DUI attorney. If you are looking for a skilled DUI attorney, please contact our office.
I hear this question, "Can you help me with my DUI?"
The honest answer is I can help you evaluate your options. One option is to help keep people out of jail or from having to work several days on the side of the road picking up trash. Each case is unique, by in many cases I can achieve that result. Other people want to keep their license. Many there are circumstances where a DUI charge will not result in a license suspension.
CALL TOP RATED FRESNO DUI DEFENSE LAWYER JONATHAN ROOKER FOR HELP
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