Matthew Ruff, DUI Defense Lawyer

I hired Matthew for my DUI case and he completely handled everything for me. This was my first time ever being pulled over and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. My panic and nerves made them suspect I was under the influence of something and I refused the breathalyzer because I have a heart-related condition and those forced-exhale tests (like an FVC spirometry test) make my heart race and make me lightheaded. It feels like a stress test to me, so they took me in for a blood test instead. Months went by and the DMV still didn’t have my blood results, and I was stressing out, but Matthew stayed on top of everything. When the DMV tried to continue the hearing, he showed up ready and fought it using all the rules and deadlines they’re supposed to follow. I didn’t even know any of those laws existed. Because of him, the DMV hearing officer set aside the whole suspension and reinstated my license like nothing ever happened. Honestly couldn’t have asked for better help. If you’re dealing with the a DUI, he’s the guy you want in your corner.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the way Matthew handled my case. I was hit with an erroneous "public intoxication " charge, and he took care of everything from start to finish. I never had to step foot in a courtroom, he went twice on my behalf and ultimately got the entire charge dismissed. From day one, he was straightforward, responsive, and on top of every detail. He kept me informed without ever overwhelming me, and he treated my situation with respect, not judgment. What could’ve been a stressful, time-consuming ordeal turned into a smooth, painless process because of his professionalism and experience. If you’re looking for a lawyer in Santa Monica who truly knows what he’s doing and actually fights for you, this is the one. Absolutely deserving of five stars

Matthew had literally pulled a rabbit out of a hat in my case. I was stopped and arrested in Mojave for drunk driving in the most outrageous situation, but Matthew somehow managed to reduce 2 DUI charges to 1 reckless driving charge. I came to court fearing the worst but ended up leaving with a 1 year probation and a very reasonable fine. Matthew was very responsive all thru the case, very calming and knowledgeable and the results can be seen clearly in my case. I am extremely happy with his advise and his work and I would highly recommend using him Ilan.

I highly recommend this attorney. He was retained to represented a family member for a Underage DUI which occurred in El Segundo. The officers involved were from there and Hermosa Beach, because it was at a sobriety checkpoint. He took a breath test which was way above the legal limit and was arrested and spent the night in jail. At the time, we thought it would be a good lesson for him but once we realized the consequences it was going to have on his license and record we decided to hire this attorney. Right from the beginning the lawyer laid out his approach to the case and told of his experience in these cases, he really knew what he was talking about. The case went to court and we were kept informed all the way along, he gave us a range of possibilities and likely outcomes which was reassuring. The day of trial he was able to get the charges dropped and got an acquittal of the DUI by presenting legal arguments to exclude the breath test results. He then took that evidence to the DMV and won a return of the drivers license that the officers confiscated on the night of the arrest. In the end, the entire incident was removed from his record. The experience with this attorney was very excellent. The California DMV did follow suit and erase the entire suspension and arrest from the record. Thanks again

Matthew did an excellent job representing me in my case. He was thorough, professional, honest, and walked me through every step of the way. Earned my trust right from the start and followed through with every detail of the process. I definitely recommend him! Worth every penny. Saved me a ton of money and headache. He was able to end my dmv suspension and I was able to keep my drivers license.

Mr Ruff has made this legal process a lot easier and is helping me quickly get back on track with my life and goals 🙏

Very responsive. Very clear about the process. Explained with great care as to what should be expected and choice in direction on strategy. No pressure. No upsell. Good person. Best attorney I ever dealt with. Thank you Mr. Ruff