Posts by Zachary Merliss

Will the new California sex offender law get me off the registry?

November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

Written by Susan Gellman September 22, 2021; reviewed by Zachary Merliss November 22, 2023. Since the passage of SB 384, many convicted sex offenders want to know about the California sex offender laws of 2021 and how to get off the sex offender registry in California. Continue reading →

Keeping Your License After a DUI License Suspension

December 13, 2022September 15, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

If you are arrested for a DUI, then the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will suspend or revoke your license (know your rights if you are pulled over for a DUI). This happens if you take a chemical test and are found to have a BAC of .08% or more, or if you refuse to take the test at all. Continue reading →

Know Your Rights If You Are Pulled Over for a DUI

August 3, 2022September 15, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

It’s important to know and protect your rights when you are pulled over for a DUI. During a DUI traffic stop, be sure you take the time to understand what to do so you retain your Fourth Amendment Rights to remain free from unreasonable search and seizure, as well as your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. Continue reading →

Can You Refuse a Breathalyzer After Being Arrested for DUI?

April 12, 2021September 15, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

Can You Refuse a Breathalyzer After Being Arrested for DUI? If you are lawfully arrested for a DUI in California, you are required to take a Breathalyzer or blood test. You may get a longer jail sentence and/or a longer DUI class if you are convicted for both the DUI and refusing the Breathalyzer or blood test. Continue reading →

Why a Failed Field Sobriety Test Might Not Mean a DUI

February 22, 2021November 10, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

When people learn I am a DUI attorney, they often ask me: “Do you really go to jail if you can’t say the alphabet backwards?” Field sobriety tests like this one are often portrayed on TV as impossible tests, designed for failure. Continue reading →

When a Blood Alcohol Level of .10 After Driving Is Not a DUI

December 2, 2020September 15, 2023 by Zachary Merliss

As one of my clients would tell you, it is not illegal to have a .10 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) 30 minutes after driving. What matters for a DUI is your BAC being below the California limit of .08 at the time of driving. Continue reading →