Newport Beach DUI Attorney

2. What is the criminal DUI sentence in Newport Beach?

People convicted of a first-time misdemeanor DUI in Newport Beach can expect to be sentenced to the following terms:

• Two days to six months of jail time, but that is almost always suspendable
• Fines of about $1,800
• Three years or more of probation
• A six-month driver’s license suspension, though most defendants can continue to drive anywhere with an ignition interlock device (IID)
• Three months of California DUI School

Predictably, sentences get harsher in California for second- and third DUIs: Expect to pay higher fines, do longer DUI school programs, and install an ignition interlock device. A fourth DUI in ten years is an automatic felony.

Note that DUI defendants are typically charged under Vehicle Code 23152(a) for driving impaired and under Vehicle Code 23152(b) for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher. The courts usually draw out DUI cases for several months or more, and sometimes the first court date will not occur until weeks after the initial arrest.

Our Newport Beach DUI Defense attorneys take advantage of this time to study all the facts of your case, compile favorable evidence, craft the strongest defense possible, and negotiate with prosecutors in an effort to throw out your case or at least lessen the charges. Furthermore, you usually never have to appear in court — we go in your place.

3. What is DUI School?

The most standard sentence in DUI cases is a drug and alcohol education program. California DUI School typically lasts three months to 30 months, depending on the defendant’s blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of the arrest and if he/she has previous drunk driving convictions.

Two Newport Beach DUI Schools are:

Gold Coast Counseling Center
Programs:  Eighteen-month
1441 Superior, Ste. D
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 722-0893

Academy of Defensive Driving, Inc.
Programs:  First Offender
2000 Quail Street
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 752-0710

Defendants who plead to driving under the influence will be provided with information about local DUI schools by their courtroom clerk.

4. Who makes DUI arrests?

The Newport Beach Police Department usually conducts DUI arrests. The station is located at 870 Santa Barbara Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. The phone number is 949-644-3681.

DUI arrests on the Coast Highway may be made by the California Highway Patrol.

5. Where is the jail?

People arrested for DUI in Newport Beach will be booked at the Newport Beach Jail. It is located in the local police department at 870 Santa Barbara Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. The phone number is (949) 644-3672.

Any mandatory jail sentences for second or third misdemeanor DUIs will probably be served at either:

• Orange County Central Jail Complex at 550 N. Flower Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703 and reachable at (714) 647-4666
• Theo Lacy Facility at 501 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868 and reachable at (714) 935-6940
• James A. Musick Facility at 13502 Musick Road, Irvine CA 92618 and reachable at (949) 855-2600.

Arrestees under eighteen will likely be detained at Orange County Juvenile Hall, located at 331 City Drive, Orange, CA 92868. The phone number is (714) 935-6660.

Search for inmates here. Also see our article about California bail.

6. Where is the Newport Beach courthouse?

The Orange County District Attorney prosecutes DUIs at the Harbor Justice Center, located at 4601 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660.  The phone number is (714) 449-8100.

Several different departments in the courthouse hear DUI cases. Which one a defendant is assigned to depends on when the incident occurred and which judge has room in his/her schedule. If a defendant gets convicted of DUI, the courtroom clerk will provide him/her information about DUI School.

Note that detainees at Orange County Juvenile Hall will have their cases heard at the Betty Lou Lamoreaux Juvenile Justice Center, located at 341 City Drive, Ste. 307, Orange, CA 92868. The number is (714) 935-7578. Also visit our page on California DUI charges for drivers under 21 years of age.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, our Newport Beach DUI lawyers will do everything to achieve the best possible outcome in the case. Our legal team includes former prosecutors, and we have years of experience in lessening your charges or getting them thrown out while fighting to keep your driver’s license. We are also prepared to take your case all the way to trial.

Phone our Newport Beach Attorneys DUI Defense Office at (949) 644-0600 to schedule a free consultation. Our attorneys have five star Yelp reviews and perfect 10-point AVVO ratings.

Our criminal defense firm is located at:

4000 MacArthur Blvd.
Suite 600
Newport Beach, CA 92660

Our criminal defense attorneys also serve DUI / DWI clients throughout Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Corona del Mar, Fullerton, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Santa Ana, Orange, Garden Grove and Huntington Beach. We also create attorney-client relationships in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino County, West Covina, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside County, Long Beach, San Jose, Barstow, Inland Empire, Redwood City, Morgan Hill, Alameda, Fremont, Ontario, Campbell, San Francisco, and elsewhere in northern California, central California, and southern California state.

Our law offices defend against all types of charges, from traffic tickets, violent crimes, and drug crimes to sex crimes, domestic violence, and white collar crimes. Our legal team’s practice areas include personal injury and family law as well.