You’ll work directly with a senior DUI attorney who knows the Pasadena courts and the people in them. Our Pasadena office leader, Erick Munoz, is a former public defender who has tried more than 60 cases to verdict.
We keep our attorneys’ caseloads low so we can focus on every detail of your case — the body-cam footage, the reports, the tests, and the DMV paperwork — so nothing gets overlooked.
We have a 98% client satisfaction rate, a five-star Google rating, and a record of successful outcomes for our clients.
Cases arising in Pasadena and neighboring communities may be heard at the Pasadena Courthouse or another Los Angeles County courthouse, depending on where the arrest occurred and how the case was filed. We represent clients at courts throughout the area, including:
- Pasadena Courthouse
- Glendale Courthouse
- Airport Courthouse (LAX)
- Metropolitan Courthouse (DTLA)
- Van Nuys Courthouse
- Long Beach Courthouse
- Other Los Angeles County courthouses
DMV administrative hearings are handled separately through the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
We fight for dismissals and reductions by challenging illegal stops, flawed testing, unreliable evidence, and procedural mistakes. We move quickly because you generally have only 10 days to request a DMV hearing and protect your right to challenge the administrative suspension.
Most importantly, we know that when you have questions, you want prompt answers. We’re available 24/7; you’ll get your attorney’s direct phone number; we return most calls and texts on the same business day; and our team is honest and compassionate. We don’t believe in scare tactics. We offer clear guidance, real answers, and a team that treats you like a person, not a case number.
How Long Do You Have to Act After a DUI in Pasadena?
You have 10 days from the date of your arrest to request a DMV APS (Administrative Per Se) hearing. If you miss that deadline, your driver's license will automatically be suspended.
This process is separate from your criminal case.
Will You Lose Your License after a DUI?
It's possible, but there are sometimes ways to fight to stay on the road. If you miss the deadline to request your APS hearing, your license will likely be automatically suspended.
- 10-day deadline: Request a DMV hearing within 10 days, or your license is automatically suspended.
- This hearing is separate from your criminal case: The DMV decides your driving privilege; the court handles the criminal case. The DMV may impose an administrative suspension, and a later DUI conviction can trigger a separate court-related DMV suspension. Depending on the circumstances, the suspension periods may overlap, and eligible drivers may qualify for restricted driving privileges.
- Different legal standard: A DMV hearing officer evaluates the legality of the stop, arrest, and your BAC/refusal.
- Winning your hearing is possible: We can use evidence of faulty breath tests, blood contamination, illegal stops, rising BAC, and missing documentation to challenge your license suspension. If the DMV upholds the suspension, we can help you determine whether you qualify for an IID-restricted license or another restricted driving option.
Related: What is implied consent in California?
APS Suspension Lengths
Possible APS consequences include:
- First DUI involving a BAC of 0.08% or higher: Four-month administrative suspension
- Repeat DUI-related APS action: Longer suspension periods may apply
- Refusal to submit to chemical testing: One to three years, depending on prior DUI-related incidents
California DUI Statistics
California’s most recent published traffic-safety data shows that impaired driving remains a serious statewide problem. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety:
- 1,355 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in California in 2023.
- Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities decreased 4.5%, from 1,419 in 2022 to 1,355 in 2023.
- Alcohol-impaired crashes accounted for approximately one-third of California’s 4,061 traffic fatalities in 2023.
The California DMV DUI Management Information System reported the following statistics for 2021:
- California law enforcement agencies made 110,017 DUI arrests.
- Approximately 66.6% of DUI arrests resulted in a recorded DUI conviction within the DMV’s reporting period.
- Los Angeles County accounted for approximately 17.8% of California DUI arrests.
- The median reported BAC among convicted DUI drivers was 0.17%, more than twice the standard 0.08% per se limit.
Prosecutors take DUI cases seriously, and so should your defense.
Pasadena DUI Penalties
- Up to 6 months in jail
- $390–$1,000 fines (often $1,800–$3,000 total)
- 3 to 5 years probation
- A three-month DUI school program, or a longer program in qualifying cases, including certain elevated-BAC cases
- Six-month conviction-based license suspension, subject to applicable IID or restricted-license options
Related: Penalties for a first DUI in LA
- Up to one year in county jail, with the applicable minimum depending on whether probation is granted and which statutory sentencing option applies
- 18 to 30-month DUI program
- 2-year license suspension
- 1-year IID requirement
Related: Penalties for a second DUI in LA
- 120 days to 1 year in jail
- An 18-month or 30-month DUI education program, depending on the sentence, program availability, and applicable requirements
- 3-year license revocation
- Habitual Traffic Offender status
Factors That Can Enhance DUI Penalties
You may face additional or more serious consequences if your case involves:
How We Beat DUI Charges in Pasadena
We examine every potential weakness in the prosecution’s case, including:
- Illegal traffic stops by the Pasadena Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, or another agency
- Incorrectly administered or subjective field sobriety tests
- Faulty or improperly maintained breath-testing devices
- Blood-test contamination or chain-of-custody errors
- BAC testing and laboratory issues
- Violations of the required continuous observation period before a breath test
- Missing, inconsistent, or flawed police reports
- Body-camera or dashboard-camera footage that conflicts with the officer’s account
Depending on the facts, these issues may contribute to:
- Case dismissals
- Charge reductions (such as a wet reckless)
- Favorable negotiated resolutions
- Not guilty verdicts
Can You Beat a DUI in Pasadena?
Yes, a Pasadena DUI charge can be successfully challenged when the facts or evidence do not support the prosecution’s case.
Many DUI cases have weaknesses. California statistics show that not every DUI arrest results in a recorded DUI conviction.
Evidence problems frequently involve:
- The legal basis for the traffic stop
- Field sobriety testing
- Breath- or blood-testing procedures
- Laboratory analysis
- Police documentation
- Whether the prosecution can prove the person was driving
- Whether the chemical-test result accurately reflects the person’s BAC while driving
The outcome of any case depends on its specific facts and evidence.
What Happens After You Contact Michael & Associates?
- We provide a free consultation, and a senior-level team member reviews your case.
- If you retain us in time, we request your DMV hearing before the applicable deadline.
- We obtain and examine available police reports, videos, testing records, and laboratory evidence.
- We identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and challenge unreliable or unlawfully obtained evidence.
- We represent you in the DMV proceeding and criminal court case, subject to the terms of the representation.
- We work toward the best available resolution, which may include dismissal, reduction, a negotiated agreement, or trial.
Types of DUI Cases We Handle in Pasadena
- First-time DUI
- Repeat DUI
- High-BAC DUI
- Refusal cases
- Commercial driver DUI
- DUI causing injury
- DUI involving an accident
- Felony DUI
- THC & drug DUI (DUID)
- Hit-and-run DUI
- Probation violations
If it involves DUI in Pasadena, we handle it.
Sources: Michael & Associates research; California Annual Reports of the California DUI Management Information System from the California Department of Motor Vehicles; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
