Mindy H. McQueen has been practicing criminal law both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney for over 20 years. She has handled more than 70 jury trials with a 95% success rate, and has served as an instructor to police officers and police academy trainees. Mindy has also been trained and certified to conduct standardized drunk driving field sobriety tests according to the specifications laid out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Mindy enjoys a superior reputation as an aggressive and successful DUI Lawyer and receives many DUI referrals from other attorneys and past and current clients. Her practice is based in Ventura County, and is limited to DUI defense and DMV issues, including negligent operator hearings.
BEWARE: New California Law Adversely Affects Everyone Currently on Probation for DUI! You Could Lose Your License for Another Full Year if You Drive with a BAC of 0.01 or more! » Read More
A DUI arrest does not mean you are guilty.
Contrary to popular opinion, police officers make mistakes. Moreover, the hyper-technical laws surrounding the regulation of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are rife with ambiguities. You owe it to yourself to become educated about what to expect and what to do about it. Much depends on whether you are actually convicted of drunk driving. There are numerous defenses to a DUI charge.
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Can I still be in trouble if my BAC is below the legal limit?
Yes. It is also unlawful to drive with your normal faculties impaired (by alcohol and/or drugs). Normal faculties include the ability to walk, talk, judge distances, drive an automobile, make judgments, act in emergencies, and so on.
> learn about field sobriety tests
What about my license?
A typical DUI arrest results in two legal proceedings: One against the person (aka "the criminal case") and one against the person's privilege to drive in the state of California. Neither one bears much relation to the other. Even if your attorney gets the criminal case reduced or dismissed, you may still have to battle the DMV in order to keep your license. Similarly a win at the DMV hearing has no bearing on the outcome of your criminal case.
If you have a California license, the officer will have seized it and issued you a temporary license (the pink sheet). Although this license is valid for 30 days from your arrest, you only have 10 days to request a DMV hearing and a stay on the automatic suspension of your license that will start on the 31st day after the arrest.
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Why should I see an attorney about my DUI?
A DUI is a felony or misdemeanor, not just a traffic ticket. If you are convicted of DUI, there are mandatory legal penalties. Your license will be suspended by the DMV unless you fight, and if convicted on the DUI charge, the consequences for a first offense will include informal probation; suspended or actual jail time; heavy fines; and driving restrictions. You will have to take a DUI class, and your auto insurance rates will go up. If you hold a professional license, the conviction must usually be reported to the licensing agency. In short, you have a lot to lose. So it makes good sense to see if you can defend yourself against these charges.
> view the penalty chart
At Rosenthal Law, our Sacramento personal injury lawyers are passionate advocates to those injured due to negligence and have over 25 years of legal experience.