When determining whether an officer lawfully stopped your vehicle, the key phrase is whether or not the officer had “reasonable suspicion” of unlawful activity. Understand that initially, an officer does not need probable cause to stop a vehicle. The probable cause standard is the standard used to determine the legality of an arrest. The initial stop of your vehicle and preliminary questioning by the officer is considered only a “detention” under the law.
A police officer needs reasonable suspicion of unlawful conduct to stop a motorist. The types of driving that may result in an officer’s reasonable suspicion of a DUI violation vary greatly. The reasonable suspicion standard is an imprecise standard for evaluating the lawfulness of a vehicle stop. As a result of the uncertainty, it’s imperative that you sit down and review the facts of your case with our DUI lawyers at Wallin & Klarich.
For over 30 years Wallin & Klarich has been defending thousands of clients charged with a DUI. There are many defenses to a DUI in California. If you or loved one has been charged with a DUI, call our law offices now for a free consultation, 888-280-6839. With offices in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura and Orange County, we can defend you no matter where you live. We will be there when you call.
