If you have been charged with a misdemeanor DUI and given a court date in Van Nuys Superior Court, you need representation by a DUI lawyer with experience in how to deal with DUI cases in Van Nuys court. Procedures and policies with DUI cases vary from court to court and what works in Metropolitan court will not necessarily work in Van Nuys court. The City Prosecutor usually prosecutes DUI cases in Van Nuys as opposed to the County District Attorney.

For example, most courts in Los Angeles County do not require a Hospital and Morgue (HAM) Program for adult first offenders. In Van Nuys, it is the policy of the court to require a HAM program for defendants under the age of twenty five.

The City Prosecutors Office in Van Nuys have an open policy of offering their best "deals" in the arraignment court; department 103. Following a plea of not guilty, DUI cases are transferred to a different department in the court and the offer made at the arraignment is withdrawn. The offer made in the trial court can then be more punitive. Ofcourse, if a case is going to trial and the defendant is not interested in plea negotiation, this does not matter, but for a defendant and attorney who wish to negotiate a settlement, this policy can be a nasty surprise.

Jeffrey Gold of Gold and Witham is a well known Los Angeles DUI defense attorney with many years of experience in Van Nuys Superior Court. Please call him at 562 938 7771 for a free consultation.