Public defender suspected of DUI

An Orange County public defender is scheduled to be in court next month after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Newport Beach, police said.

Heshmat Ali, 33, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday after Newport Beach police pulled him over for a vehicle code violation near 23rd Street and Balboa Boulevard, Sgt. Jon Lewis said.

Ali, an attorney in the county’s public defender’s office, submitted to a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer test just before 3 a.m. and was then arrested, authorities said.

Police released him later that morning on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 29, but may appear before that.

Ali continued to act as a defending attorney in court Wednesday and did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Officials in the public defender’s office weren’t sure what action, if any, would be taken against Ali.

“I don’t think there is a policy on this because it doesn’t happen very often,” said Brian Ducker, a senior assistant public defender. “This is more like a private law firm. I think it depends on whether it affects your ability to do a good job.”

Arrests don’t necessarily exclude someone from practicing as a public defender, Ducker said.

“Getting arrested isn’t necessarily the end of it,” he said. “We want to know if he did it. There’s a lot of issues like that to be worked out.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.