Our Orange County DUI attorneys employ every defense strategy available with the aim of getting our clients’ drunk driving charges dismissed and saving their driver’s licenses. And most of our legal victories are won without the time and expense of a trial.
Below, our Orange County drunk driving lawyers give you information on various California DUI law topics and how our legal team can help your case:
- 1. Do I have to surrender my license?
- 2. What is the criminal sentence?
- 3. Where is Orange County DUI School?
- 4. Who makes DUI arrests in Orange County?
- 5. Where is the jail?
- 6. Where is the Orange County DUI courthouse?
Even sober driver face DUI charges whenever their blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08% or higher.
1. Do I have to surrender my license?
When DUI suspects get arrested for driving under the influence in California, they not only have a criminal case to deal with — they also have to fight the Department of Motor Vehicles. The moment they are taken into custody, the law enforcement officer will swap their driver’s license with a 30-day temporary one.
Defendants then have to reach out to the DMV within ten days of the arrest to request a DMV hearing at the Irvine Drivers Safety Office – which is like a small-scale trial – to argue against the license revocation. When defendants hire a criminal defense attorney right away, the lawyer can request this hearing and appear on their behalf to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses like the arresting officer.
Note that first-time offenders who do lose the DMV hearing can usually continue driving as long as they install an ignition interlock device (IID) for the length of the suspension period.
2. What is the criminal sentence?
For a typical first-time misdemeanor DUI conviction in Orange County, defendants should expect the following sentencing:
- Three years of informal probation to the court
- Fines and court fees of approximately $1,800
- A three-to-four month California DUI school
- A six-month driver’s license suspension (though defendants should be able to continue driving without restrictions if they agree to get an ignition interlock device installed)
- Two-to-six months of jail time, which is usually suspended
DUI penalties are harsher if there are prior DUI convictions, if the defendant had a high BAC or refused to take a chemical test, or if a bad accident resulted. In any case, our Orange County DUI criminal defense lawyers can often negotiate for lower penalties with the judge or prosecutor.
Note that people arrested for DUI in the OC generally face two criminal charges: Vehicle 23152(a) for driving under the influence, and Vehicle Code 23152(b) for excessive BAC. If the defendant’s BAC falls below .08% – or if he/she is accused of DUI of drugs only – then probably just Vehicle Code 23152(a) will be charged.
See our related article on Orange County DUI penalties.
3. Where is Orange County DUI school?
An alcohol safety and education class is a standard penalty following a drunk driving conviction. And the length of the class depends on the defendant’s criminal history and BAC level. Three OC DUI schools are:
School Ten, Inc.
Programs: First Offender, Eighteen Month
1136-B North Gilbert Street
Anaheim, CA 92801
(714) 772-3620
National Traffic Safety Institute
Programs: First Offender
23141 Verdugo Drive, Suite 101
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 830-1494
ABC Traffic Programs
Programs: First Offender
3400 W. Warner Avenue, Suite D
Santa Ana, CA 92704
(714) 429-9909
4. Who makes DUI arrests in Orange County?
DUI arrests in Orange County are made by police officers from any of the twenty-plus law enforcement agencies in the O.C. And for incidents that occur on the highway, the arresting officers will likely be from the California Highway Patrol.
Note that Orange County police officers generally write DUI arrestees’ BAC level on the court citation if they took a breath test. If arrestees submitted to a blood test, they can check the blood result online using their last name and vial number. The Orange County Sheriffs Department Forensic Services usually take about 10 days to analyze the blood and publish results.
5. Where is the jail?
There are several detention centers in Orange County. Convicted DUI defendants typically serve their sentences at either:
Central Men’s and Women’s Jail
550 N. Flower St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703
(714) 647-4666
Theo Lacy Facility
501 The City Drive South
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 935-6940
Search online for inmates here.
6. Where is the Orange County DUI courthouse?
The OC has several courthouses that hear DUI cases, including:
Central Justice Center
700 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(657) 622-6878
Department CJ1
Orange County Men’s Jail
550 N Flower St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703
(657) 622-6878
Harbor Justice Center
Newport Beach Facility
4601 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, CA 92660-2595
(657) 622-8459
North Justice Center
1275 North Berkeley Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832-1258
(657) 622-8459
West Justice Center
8141 13th Street
Westminster, CA 92683-4593
(657) 622-8459
Orange County is widely regarded as one of California’s toughest and most conservative counties when it comes to drunk driving enforcement. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office hesitates to reduce DUI charges to dry reckless or non-alcohol related offenses.
Call our criminal defense law firm for legal advice on your criminal charges. Our trial lawyers have years of experience fighting misdemeanor and felony DUI charges.
Have you or a loved one been arrested for drunk driving, DUI with injury, vehicular manslaughter, or any driving-related crime in the OC? Contact our Orange County DUI lawyers immediately. Our team of Orange County DUI defense attorneys, private investigators, forensic toxicologists, and accident reconstruction experts takes a very proactive approach.
To that end, we need to scrutinize each piece of evidence and develop DUI defenses that make you more likely to win if the case goes to trial. Building up the strength of your case can convince both the court and the DMV to give you a more favorable result. Many OC DUI cases rest on faulty police investigations by poorly trained officers as well as breath and blood testing equipment and techniques prone to error.
Phone our experienced DUI attorneys at (714) 288-9455 to schedule a free consultation. The law office of Shouse Law Group is located at:
333 City Blvd. West
Suite 1750
Orange, CA 92868
Our criminal defense attorneys also provide legal representation to DUI / DWI clients in Los Angeles County, Costa Mesa, the San Francisco Bay Area, Berkeley, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Riverside, Orange County, San Bernardino County, West Covina, Inland Empire, Ontario, Pleasanton, Hayward, and elsewhere in north, central, and southern California state.
We defend against all types of charges, from traffic tickets and drug crimes to sex crimes and white collar crimes and domestic violence. Our legal team practices personal injury and family law as well as criminal defense. We have perfect ratings on AVVO, and our testimonials speak for themselves.
Go to our Orange County criminal defense attorneys main page.