Matthew J. Ruff Law Blog

The South Bay DUI task force will be conducting sobriety checkpoints from: 7:30 tonight to 3 a.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of El Segundo Boulevard at Halldale Avenue in Gardena California.

seven this evening until 3 a.m. Saturday on Alameda Street north of Sepulveda Boulevard and on Avalon Boulevard north of Carson Street in Carson.  Various police agencies will be participating in the exercise.

7:30 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday at Rosecrans and Isis avenues in Haw... Read More

The answer to this question is an unequivocal no.  In fact, the police have every legal right to ask for your permission to search your car or home. However, you have every legal right to refuse. Unless there is probable cause to search, the police have no business looking through your personal items.    The United States Constitution mandates that all people shall be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. What type of governmental conduct is deemed unreasonable, and t... Read More

The cost of a competent DUI attorney will certainly vary, of course, by the reputation and experience of the lawyer and by the geographic location. As with doctors, generally, the more skilled the DUI attorney and the larger the city, the higher the fee as is the case of a Los Angeles DUI Attorney. A related factor is the amount of time a lawyer devotes to his cases: the better lawyers take fewer clients, spending more hours on each. Here are s... Read More

A new Federal program will seek to allow cops to draw a person's blood at the scene of arrest if NHTSA has its way. The federal program's aim is to determine if blood draws by police officers can be an effective tool against DUI and aid in their prosecution. If the results seem promising after a year or two, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will encourage all local state police nationwide to undergo similar blood draw training... Read More

California DUI law is complex and often confusing.   In California, persons arrested for a DUI will often see two separate charges contained within the ticket or booking sheet they are given after release.  As a Compton DUI Attorney, I am often consulted by folks unfamiliar with the fine points of California DUI laws.  Here is a brief explanation of the two counts.  The "a" count is act... Read More

For many years the prosecution in DUI blood test cases were able to admit the laboratory report showing the actual blood alcohol level at trial without actually calling the analyst that performed the test to testify.  Generally, the DA would merely have a supervisor testify about the analysis and the results.  That has now changed with a new case, People of the State of california vs. Virginia Lopez.  In that case the woman accused was charged with manlaughter involving alcohol an... Read More

As a Torrance DUI Lawyer I am very frequently consulted about the various forms of alcohol testing methadology.  In California you have a choice of breath, blood or urine (Urine is allowed only after you complete a breath test). If you choose breath, many jurisdictions permit you to have a second test of blood or urine; this is because a breath sample is not saved and so cannot later be re-... Read More

When rolling into a sobriety checkpoint a few things can make the difference between coming out in your car versus going out in a police car.  First, understand that most police checkpoints for DUI are structured in an area where there may be only one turnout or place to make a U turn.  The officers know that this is a fertile area to make arrests and will therefore post chase officers to detect and pursue those that use the turnout.  Though arguably illegal, they do it and will f... Read More

In most sex crime cases there is evidence of the crime however the crux of that evidence is statements from victims that may or may not be sufficient to get a conviction.  As a result. most prosecutors will seek some additional evidence that the crime occured.  This evidence is known as corroboration.  Put simply, this will usually require that someting more than the victim's statements exist to prove the crime. 

... Read More

Domestic Violence arrests in many counties continue to climb in 2009 to concerning heights for local law enforcement. So far in 2009, county and city police report an increase in domestic violence arrests.  What exactly has spiked the increase is up to interpretation, however it is clear that the numbers are up and the local authorities are concerned says Domestic Violence Lawyer Matthew ... Read More