San Luis Obispo Criminal Law Blog

Getting pulled over by a police officer puts an added stress on anyone's day. If the officer suspects that you consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel, the amount of stress you face in regard to the stop could increase, especially if the officer takes you into custody.

Typically, before an arrest takes place, an officer will conduct various actions in efforts to investigate the situation. When it comes to a potential DUI stop, the officer may ask you questions about your activities prior to the stop or may even ask you to get out of the vehicle to participate in standard field sobriety tests.

California has joined the growing number of states that have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. If you are like many people here in the state, you decided to take advantage of this new law for a variety of reasons. After all, the medicinal uses of this drug are well known. Even though you don't need to use it for medical reasons, you wonder whether it could improve your health anyway, or perhaps you just like the way it makes you feel and enjoy it.

Regardless of your reasons, you no longer have to worry about state authorities arresting you for recreational marijuana use. However, you should know that it is still illegal to drive while high.

When most people think of alcohol or drug-related offenses, they tend to think of driving under the influence or drug possession -- among a few other crimes. A lot of people do not think about public intoxication. What is it? What does it take to for prosecuting attorneys to achieve a conviction on such a charge in California?

If you are out in public and acting in a way that others might find offensive or out of character, to the point that you visibly seem drunk or otherwise impaired, police may arrest you for public intoxication. The primary purpose of this charge is to keep people from hurting themselves or others in a public setting. In California, this constitutes a misdemeanor offense with penalties that include fines and possibly jail time.

If a DUI arrest marred your recent holiday festivities, you may be wondering what to expect in the future. As the legal process unfolds, you are right to have concerns. A straightforward DUI, even a first offense, carries stiff penalties in California, not the least of which is a permanent mark on your record if a court convicts you. You may be especially worried if police charged you with aggravated DUI.

Numerous circumstances can result in the addition of an aggravating factor to your charges, and the result if you are convicted is the probability of facing harsher penalties for the offense. While each state has its own list of aggravating factors that lead to enhanced sentences, some are common to many. You would be wise to seek legal counsel from an attorney who is well familiar with the laws in California, if that is where your arrest took place.