San Francisco DUI Attorney Robert Tayac

Welcome to the website for San Francisco DUI lawyer and DMV attorney Robert Tayac. If you, a relative or someone you know and care about has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in San Francisco, or the surrounding counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma, or has received a letter from the California Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Safety Office threatening a driver's license suspension or driving privilege suspension, please read the material presented in the "What to Do First" and "DUI Overview" sections of this website, then seriously consider hiring an experienced and locally based lawyer who specializes in DUI defense and California driver's license suspension matters.

California DUI Laws are complicated. A San Francisco DUI arrest most often initiates two separate driving under the influence cases. The first DUI case is the criminal case, while the second DUI case is the DMV case. Those arrested for drunk driving who hold professional licenses (attorneys, physicians, nurses (registered nurses or licensed vocational nurses), physical therapists, teachers, certified public accountants (CPA's), pilots, stock brokers, bankers, veterinarians, x-ray technicians, or other professionals) are at risk of having an additional case initiated by the board or commission which issued the license which may impact their ability to practice their profession. Individuals who hold positions of trust, such as police officers, fire fighters, airline pilots and commercial truck drivers will also be presented with specific issues requiring special consideration.

Out of state drivers are presented with additional legal issues because the state which issued them a driver's license (home state) can be expected to initiate an additional case against their driver's license which may carry additional consequences in addition to those which may result from the California Department of Motor Vehicles DUI suspension case.

If a person is not a citizen of the United States, the risk exists of deportation, denial of naturalization, exclusion from admission to the United States, exclusion from readmission to the United States following travel outside of this country, denial of an extension of an H1B work visa or an upgrade to Lawful Permanent Resident (also called, Resident Alien Permit Holder or Green Card Holder) or other upgrade of status with the United States.

From the moment a person is stopped by a California Highway Patrol Officer, local San Francisco Police Officer, United States Park Police Officer or other law enforcement officer, they are being subjected to a DUI investigation and incriminating evidence is being collected. A driver's physical appearance and performance on so-called field sobriety tests will be recorded on a police report, as well as the result of a Preliminary Alcohol Screening device, evidential breath test, or evidential blood test.

While serious, the consequences of a first offense DUI arrest in San Francisco are less severe than those of a second offense DUI arrest. Multiple driving under the influence cases such as a third arrest for driving under the influence or even a fourth arrest for drunk driving will lead to increasingly serious DUI penalties which may include mandatory jail time or even a state prison commitment. Additionally, it is important to understand that special rules, procedures and penalties apply to Federal DUI cases stemming from arrests in the Presidio National Park or on other Federal property by the United States Park Police or other law enforcement agency. Federal DUI cases are prosecuted by the United States Attorney's office and upon conviction result in formal supervised probation by the United States Probation Office who will come to your home and may contact your employer.

Additionally, the consequences of a San Francisco DUI accident or a DUI accident causing injury or death are very severe and may lead to an actual jail or prison sentence. Although there are DUI defenses which may apply to particular cases, many inexperienced DUI lawyers overstate the extent to which these defenses may be available to a particular individual's DUI case.