Fighting Criminal Charges for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs
While driving under the influence of alcohol is the most common DUI charge in California, you can also be convicted of DUI for driving under the influence of an illegal drug like marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin; a prescription medication; or a legal drug like kava.
If you have been charged with a drug-related DUI, an experienced lawyer may be able to help you avoid or reduce serious criminal consequences. San Mateo drug DUI attorney Charles B. Smith — a former police officer and former prosecutor — has extensive experience in this area.
Working Diligently to Defend You Against the Prosecutors' Claims
Simply proving that you drove after using drugs is not enough to convict you of drug DUI. The prosecutors need to prove that your driving was impaired by your drug use. This is hard to prove, because minimal research has been done on the effects of drugs other than alcohol.
Attorney Charles B. Smith will work diligently to prepare your defense case, employing qualified expert witnesses if necessary. He will carefully examine issues such as the following:
- Whether the results of a urine test accurately reflect what was in your blood
- Whether you had enough drugs in your system to impair your driving
- Whether you actually drove in a way that suggested that you were impaired
You should never plead guilty to a drug DUI simply because you knew you had drugs in your system. While past results cannot predict the outcome of your case, we have been very successful at defeating drug DUI charges at trial and getting them dismissed.
Call a San Francisco Impaired Driving Lawyer at 650-425-7703
If you have been charged with drug DUI in California, it is important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 650-425-7703 or e-mail us. We accept credit cards, are available outside of regular business hours, and regularly visit our clients who are in jail.
