Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance

It is illegal in California to operate a moving vehicle or appear in public while under the influence of a controlled substance. A controlled substance is defined as any drug or substance in which the prescription, use, or possession is controlled by state and/or federal law. Some of the more widely used controlled substances are:

  • Marijuana
  • Anabolic Steroids
  • LSD
  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Opium
  • Methamphetamine
  • PCP
  • Ecstasy
  • Morphine
  • Prescription Medications


Driving Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
It is illegal in all 50 states for a person to operate a moving vehicle while under the influence of a controlled substance. A moving vehicle can include automobiles, trucks, boats, sea crafts, motorcycles, etc.

Public Intoxication
It is illegal for a person to be in a public place while under the influence of a controlled substance.  A public place is considered any location or place of business that is open and available to the general public. In most cases, in order for a person to be charged with public intoxication, he/she has to be intoxicated to the point where he/she has lost control and can no longer take care of themselves.

Contact Our Orange County Drug Crimes Attorneys

If you are found guilty of public intoxication or driving under the influence in Orange County, you will be charged with a misdemeanor offense and serve 90 days to one year in county jail. This will leave a permanent mark on your personal record, and you could be subjected to steep fines, probation, community service, rehabilitation, driver’s license suspension, drug or alcohol monitoring, or registration as a drug offender.

A skilled Orange County drug crimes attorney can skillfully negotiate with judges and prosecutors to get your charges reduced or dropped. At Coffey & Coffey, our attorneys have successfully defended hundreds of individuals throughout Orange County with their drug charges, and know the most effective ways to obtain a favorable result.  Furthermore, our attorneys exhaust all possible resources to provide each client with viable options, multiple resources, and relentless negotiation.

Coffey & Coffey has represented individuals in cities throughout Orange County, including Anaheim, Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Orange, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Yorba Linda, Brea, San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Tustin, Buena Park, Placentia, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Westminster, Stanton, Fountain Valley, La Habra, Los Alamitos, and many more.

If you have been charged for being under the influence of a controlled substance, contact our Orange County drug crime attorneys at Coffey & Coffey today for your free case evaluation at 1-800-706-7888  

Because We Specialize in Orange County Cases Only, We Have a Huge Advantage Over All Other Attorneys!