DUI Defense

A DUI arrest in California is not one case — it is two, running at the same time. There is the criminal case in court, and there is a separate administrative action against your driver's license through the DMV. The two are decided by different bodies under different rules, and the DMV case moves first: you generally have only about 10 days from your arrest to demand a hearing, or your license is suspended automatically. Most people do not learn this until it is too late.

Boyadzhyan Legal Shield defends drivers throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley against DUI charges under Vehicle Code § 23152. Founding attorney Knarik Boyadzhyan is a former Deputy Public Defender who has handled DUI and criminal matters at every stage — she understands how the prosecution and the DMV build these cases, and where they break down.

A first-offense DUI is usually charged as a misdemeanor, but the consequences are real and lasting: fines and penalty assessments that reach well past the base fine, a license suspension, mandatory DUI education, and a conviction that stays on your record for 10 years and counts as a prior if it ever happens again. Penalties climb steeply with each prior, and aggravating facts — a BAC of 0.15% or higher, an accident, a refusal, or a child in the car — make everything worse. A DUI charge is not a lost cause. From the first call, we work to protect your license, challenge the state's evidence, and pursue a dismissal, a reduction, or an acquittal.

California does not have a single DUI law — it has several, and prosecutors often charge more than one at the same time. Vehicle Code § 23152(a) makes it a crime to drive while actually impaired by alcohol or drugs, regardless of your exact blood-alcohol number. Vehicle Code § 23152(b) is the “per se” law: it makes driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher a crime on its own, whether or not you seemed impaired. A first-time driver is frequently charged under both, so beating the number is not always enough — and neither is being under it.

The limit is not the same for everyone. It is 0.08% for most drivers, 0.04% for commercial drivers and drivers-for-hire under Vehicle Code § 23152(d) and (e), and 0.01% for anyone under 21 under California's zero-tolerance law. Vehicle Code § 23152(f) covers driving under the influence of drugs — including cannabis and prescription medication — where there is no reliable per-se limit at all, which often makes those cases very defensible.

Certain facts turn an ordinary DUI into a far more serious case: a BAC of 0.15% or higher, a refusal, an accident, excessive speed, or a child under 14 in the vehicle. Any of these can add mandatory penalties or push a misdemeanor toward a felony. Understanding exactly what you are charged with — and why — is the first step in taking the case apart.

The criminal court decides guilt; the DMV decides whether you keep your license. Because the DMV action is automatic and fast, protecting your license is the first thing we do — we request the APS hearing within the deadline and appear on your behalf.

A first-offense suspension is generally four months, but most drivers qualify for a restricted license that lets them drive to work, school, and DUI classes, often after installing an ignition interlock device (IID). After a conviction you will also need an SR-22 certificate to reinstate. We walk you through every step so you are never guessing about whether you can legally get to work tomorrow.

One of the most common questions is simply “how much does a DUI lawyer cost?” — so here is a straight answer. DUI defense is typically handled on a flat fee, quoted up front after we understand your case, so you are not billed by the hour or surprised later. For qualifying situations we offer payment plans.

Weigh that against the true cost of a conviction over the years that follow — the numbers below are general estimates, not a quote, but they show why skilled defense frequently pays for itself in what it prevents.

Boyadzhyan Legal Shield is based in Encino on Ventura Boulevard and defends DUI cases throughout the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles — Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills, Studio City, Northridge, and beyond.

If you were arrested in the Valley, your DUI is very likely to be prosecuted at the Van Nuys Courthouse, which handles criminal cases for the San Fernando Valley. Knowing the local court, its prosecutors, and how these cases are actually resolved in the Valley is an advantage a downtown-only or out-of-area firm cannot offer. We appear in Van Nuys and the surrounding Los Angeles County courts regularly.