Parker Law Center Breaks Down the California DUI Checkpoints

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, California, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) December 1, 2011 --

Any person who finds themselves on the wrong side of the law with regard to a DUI arrest or impending trial will need to call upon the experienced services of a law firm like the Parker Law Center. With a strong and growing satisfied client base, the dedicated lawyers working at the Parker Law Center know all too well about the rules and regulations of California DUI checkpoints. These guidelines were developed based on the California Supreme Court case Igersoll vs. Palmer, and police must adhere strictly to them. If these guidelines aren’t followed, then any evidence gathered at a DUI checkpoint could be deemed inadmissible in court.

As explained on the Parker Law Center’s website, the California Supreme Court put forth a series of eight factors with the goal of “minimizing the intrusiveness on the individual while maintaining the needs of society to keep drunk drivers off the road.” Among these factors is how a supervisor will determine the location of the checkpoint and the establishment of a neutral mathematical formula to determine exactly which motorists will be stopped. That formula could determine that it will be every motorist, every other motorist, or every fifth motorist. The moment a checkpoint steps outside of those bounds is when an officer can get into trouble in terms of admissible evidence.

Even factors like not maintaining proper warning signs or lighting can conceivably call into question the validity of a DUI checkpoint’s results. As for the location of the checkpoint, the Parker Law Center explains that the selection of a checkpoint should be “most effective in actually finding drunk drivers.” A key stipulation in a checkpoint exam is probable cause. If an officer doesn’t immediately see any evidence of a DUI, then the driver should be allowed to leave the checkpoint right away. Again, this is an issue of compliance which will determine how far a case can proceed in a criminal or DUI hearing. Another factor is that the police need to inform the public at large of the impending roadblock. This doesn’t mean giving up the specific location, but just providing disclosure.

Finally, the Parker Law Center points out that just because a driver avoids a roadblock doesn’t mean there is probable cause for a DUI. Obviously, the best course of action is to never drink and drive. However, even sober drivers can benefit from understanding how DUI checkpoints are supposed to be maintained.

About the Parker Law Center: The Parker Law Center specializes in defending DUI and DUI related matters on behalf of clients living in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, or Ventura Counties. The Parker Law Center offers free consultation for anyone arrested for, convicted of, or under investigation for a DUI offense.

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