Call Matt Direct at 661-327-7833
How do you challenge a Santa Clarita DUI or Drunk Driving charge?
With 25 years experience of defending well over 3000 DUI cases and an equal number of DMV
hearings in the state of California. Attorney Matthew Ruff uses time tested methods that comes
from representing more clients charged with a Drunk Driving in the Santa Clarita Valley than
most other so-called "DUI Lawyers". Matthew's clients who are law abiding, good people who
unfortunately have been arrested after consuming alcohol and driving, perhaps just a glass of
wine with dinner or a couple of beers after work. Matthew has personally fought all types of
cases and challenge all DWI arrests, under 21 alcohol citations, probation cases, refusal
allegations, persons that have multiple DUI priors, even those made at DUI Checkpoints. He
defends Valencia driver's license hearings on a regular basis and teaches seminars to other
members of the California State Bar on how to challenge a DWI. Our office has a team of blood
alcohol experts available to pick apart the breath test or blood sample in any given case. Experts
such as forensic toxicologists, medical doctors and investigators.
Call Attorney Matthew Ruff Toll Free 1-877-281-5010
Many lawyers believe in a policy of plea-bargains and quick guilty pleas. But Matthew is a true
advocate for his clients. A true advocate that fights for your best interests, knowing that what
happens in the case will determine your future record. The state of California has scores of
police, attorneys, and scientific experts representing their cases. Who do you have to represent
your case? Do you have a lawyer who has worked for the state district attorney's office and
knows what the strategies are on the other side of the aisle? Do you have someone that also has
defended Drug Possession charges that also arise from the arrest? Do you have someone who
has published articles on how to defend DUI cases? Do you have someone who has actually
gone to trial on the issues in your case and obtained NOT GUILTY verdicts? What if a Hit and
Run was involved? Do you have a Lawyer familiar with how to defend driving under the
influence cases involving drugs, such as marijuana ? Matthew can provide answers to all of your
legal questions and present a solid defense for someone charged with a Los Angeles County,
Valencia, Canyon Country and Santa Clarita Drunk Driving case.
Call or Text Matt Direct at 310-686-1533
Actual Case Results
Matthew was retained by a young man arrested by Newhall CHP after they responded to a
collision on Little Tujunga Canyon Road. They contacted the client and detected an odor of
alcoholic beverage, they administered some FST tests and he was arrested. His breath was .19
and .19 BAC. Matt determined there was a significant issue pertaining to the time of the
collision and he pursued that, both in Court and at the DMV. After a full hearing and
presentation of evidence Matt convinced the hearing officer to dismiss the case-set aside of the
suspension was granted. Subsequently, in Court he was able to get the District Attorney to drop
the DUI charges.
Matt was hired to defend a young client stopped for speeding on Soledad Canyon Road by the
CHP. He was asked to exit his car where the officers smelled alcohol on his breath and saw
other symptoms consistent with intoxication. He took a breath test in the field which showed a
.12, .12 and later at the station with similar results. Matthew obtained the MVARS of the
incident and filed a motion challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, after the hearing the DA
offered to dismiss the DUI charges for a lesser charge.
Attorney Matthew was retained by a 20 year old client facing a one year loss of his driver's
license, attendance of a DUI school, hefty fines and points on his driving record that would
haunt him for years to come. He was charged with Vehicle Code 23140 and zero tolerance with
the DMV following his detention along the 5 freeway back in March of 2014. The lawyer
immediately set a trial date and postponed the DMV hearing while obtaining a stay of the
suspension, allowing the client to continue to drive pending the litigation. A trial was held on
July 8, 2014 in Div 1 of the Santa Clarita Courthouse where Matt was able to exclude the breath
test results of .07% and .06% BAC, according to the CHP officer that issued the violation. The
Court adjudged the defendant NOT GUILTY of all charges once the attorney closed his case
and argument.
Another recent example of a case Matthew Ruff defended is as follows: Our client was stopped
on the freeway in the San Fernando Valley by the CHP for weaving. He was given a number of
field sobriety tests and a preliminary alcohol screening test which displayed a .14% blood alcohol
level. He was then arrested and transported to the LAPD station for a breath test which again
showed results of .14 and .13. He was subsequently booked on charges of VC 23152(a) and
23152(b) and issued a pink temporary license. He was initially reluctant to hire a Lawyer but he
had a prior DUI conviction 4 years earlier and learned that he was facing mandatory jail time and
a 2 year license suspension. We were retained and immediately requested a DMV hearing and
obtained the arrest reports. Our investigation revealed a potential problem with the breath test so
we hired a toxicologist and worked up the case. Initially we went to Court and encountered a
resistance from the City Prosecutor to dismiss the charges. However, not deterred we filed a
motion to dismiss on constitutional grounds and prior to the hearing on our motion we were
approached by the same prosecutor who agreed to dismiss both DUI charges and work a plea to,
among other things, "blocking a sidewalk". At the DMV hearing we presented our expert and the
hearing officer set aside the suspension.
Our client, a truck driver was arrested in Newhall and blew a .22% on the breath machine in the
field and a .21% on the Breathalyzer back at the Santa Clarita Sheriff station. Matthew took the
case to trial and the client was ACQUITTED on all counts after a 4 day trial in Division 3 of the
Valencia Court. The District Attorney put on 4 CHP officers and the lawyer took apart each one
of their statements one by one. After finding our client NOT GUILTY, the jurors said that they
did not accept the testimony of the officers that our client was DUI, even though their was an
alleged confession.
Matthew Ruff represented a driver with a commercial license, employed by a large utility
company in the state. The client was concerned about the impact a DUI conviction would have
on his job, he was right to be concerned. Matthew fought the case, won the DMV hearing
despite the breath test of .11% BAC. He did so by presenting expert testimony that the accused
was in the "absorptive state" at the time of the test and his true blood alcohol level was much
lower at the time of driving, he won the DMV hearing. In Court Matt attacked the officer's
observations and presented a video of the arrest showing the CHP officer was incorrect in the
report. The case was reduced to a reckless driving in mid 2014 which saved the commercial
license.
In yet another recent DUI case we defended we were able to avoid jail for our client after he
was stopped in the Hungry Valley off road recreational area. Following a questionable stop, the
client was arrested and blew a .21 % on the breath machine at the Santa Clarita Sheriff station.
We went to Court for the client and negotiated a disposition which did not require any jail even
though the client had multiple prior DUI convictions, the last one less than four years before the
current arrest. Our client never had to appear in Court to answer to the drunk driving allegations.
Another recent case win was for a client who resides in Simi Valley but was visiting the Santa
Clarita Valley and was involved in a solo vehicle roll over accident near the outskirts of town.
The client was located by a LASD Deputy who responded to the scene and arrested the client
for drunk driving after observing symptoms of intoxication. He later submitted to a blood test
that showed a result of .18 BAC. Matt got hired and immediately arranged a DMV hearing to
save the client's license. At the hearing Matt showed that the arrest was unlawful due to lack of
evidence. The LICENSE WAS RETURNED and the suspension SET ASIDE!
Matt FIGHTS TO SAVE YOUR LICENSE from the DMV after a drunk driving arrest.
Matthew wins more DMV Hearings for high BAC, Refusal, .01 Zero Tolerance Under 21 and all
APS suspensions. Matt has the highest success rate. If you have been arrested for a DUI and
your breath test was over .08%, or if there was a blood sample withdrawn or a refusal reported,
the police probably took your license and issued you a notice of suspension and 30-day
temporary license. A first offense DUI involves a four-month suspension; a refusal or a second
offense within ten years will result in a two year suspension. These suspensions can be
successfully contested by an experienced DUI attorney, but it is critical that the individual or,
preferably, his attorney, CONTACT THE DMV WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE ARREST. The
importance of this cannot be overstated; without a properly submitted request, there will be no
hearing and the suspension will automatically take effect 30 days after the arrest.
For example, in one recent DMV case Matt defended a client arrested near the Old Road for
DWI after he rear ended a car. The client was taken into custody after he failed numerous field
sobriety tests and he was brought to Henry Mayo Hospital for a blood draw. The blood later
came back .25 and the DMV sought to suspend his license. Matt demanding a formal hearing
and presented evidence and argument that the blood test results were inadmissible due to
mistakes in the collection process, the DMV agreed and returned the license in March 2021.
Lastly, in a recent case, our client was arrested in Canyon Country after the deputy observed the
client weave and lane straddle. The client was visiting the area from out of state and did not
possess a California driver's license, she was also a nurse in her home state. If if could not get
any worse, the client had two prior DUI arrests that were alleged by the District Attorney,
therefore she was facing a third drunk driving and was looking at a mandatory 120 days in jail by
statute. Matthew filed various motions and set the case for a hearing in the Santa Clarita Court.
In court the lawyer managed to work out a deal for no jail and got both priors dismissed.
The bottom line is no one in the criminal justice system will have any sympathy for you and
your case. You must act to minimize the consequences of the arrest. Mistakes made today will
forever haunt you and your driving record. Do the smart thing, hire a professional to fight the
case.
Because of Matt's level of experience he is able to navigate both the Criminal Justice System and
the DMV Administrative system and achieve the best possible results in your case. Whether you
are arrested for impaired driving due to alcohol or drugs such as marijuana, Matt has the skills to
fight and beat your case.
Call Matt today for a Free Consultation at 661-327-7833
Matt Wins DMV Hearing for Canyon Country Resident
Matt Wins Acquittal in Santa Clarita DUI Case
Matt Wins DMV Hearing For DUI probation Case
Matt Wins DMV Hearing on DUI Arrest
Matt Wins DMV Hearing for Simi Valley Resident
Matt Wins NOT GUILTY on Santa Clarita DUI Case
Matt Wins DMV Hearing .25 Blood Test