--- title: "Los Angeles DUI Lawyer for Court and DMV Defense" description: "You have 10 days from the DMV notice to request a hearing and protect your license. The court case runs separately, filed by the LA City Attorney or the District Attorney depending on where you were stopped." url: "https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-los-angeles" site: "H Law Group" --- # Los Angeles DUI Lawyer for Court and DMV Defense You have 10 days from the DMV notice to request a hearing and protect your license. The court case runs separately, filed by the LA City Attorney or the District Attorney depending on where you were stopped. - Downtown office access - High-volume LA court context - DMV and court strategy aligned early - **10 Days** DMV Hearing Deadline -- Counted from receiving the suspension notice, which for most drivers is the day of the arrest. - **4 Months** First-Offense DMV Suspension -- The DMV's administrative suspension for a first DUI with a chemical test, if the hearing is lost or never requested. - **3 to 5 Years** Probation -- The standard probation term when a court grants probation on a DUI conviction (VC 23600). - **Former Prosecutor** LA City Attorney's Office -- Nima Haddadi worked as a prosecutor in the office that files misdemeanor DUIs inside Los Angeles city limits. ## Every Los Angeles DUI arrest starts two cases The DMV case decides your license and moves first. You have 10 days from receiving the suspension notice, usually the pink temporary license handed over at arrest, to request a hearing. If you miss it, the suspension takes effect automatically. The criminal case decides jail, fines, probation and your record, and it runs through Los Angeles Superior Court. Which prosecutor files it, and in which courthouse, depends on where you were stopped. ## City Attorney or District Attorney: who files a DUI in Los Angeles Inside Los Angeles city limits, misdemeanor DUIs are prosecuted by the [Los Angeles City Attorney](https://cityattorney.lacity.gov/about), whose criminal branch handles misdemeanors committed in the city. Many central Los Angeles DUI cases are heard at the Metropolitan Courthouse downtown. Some other cities in the county have their own city prosecutors. Everywhere else, misdemeanor DUIs are filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney, and every felony DUI is filed by the District Attorney no matter where it happened. Nima Haddadi worked as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office before starting H Law Group, so he knows how that office works from the inside. ## California DUI penalties by offense Court penalties and DMV penalties are separate. The DMV suspension after arrest applies whether or not you are convicted, unless you win the hearing. The [DMV's own guide](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/dmv-safety-guidelines-actions/driving-under-the-influence/) lists the administrative periods. | Offense | Statute | County jail if convicted | License after conviction | DMV suspension after arrest | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | First DUI | VC 23536 | 96 hours (48 of them continuous) to 6 months | 6-month suspension | 4 months | | Second DUI within 10 years | VC 23540 | 90 days to 1 year | 2-year suspension | 1 year | | Third DUI within 10 years | VC 23546 | 120 days to 1 year | 3-year revocation | 1 year | | Fourth DUI within 10 years | VC 23550 | Felony or misdemeanor; up to 3 years under PC 1170(h) | 4-year revocation | 1 year | | DUI causing injury | VC 23153 | Felony or misdemeanor; see the felony DUI page | 1 to 5 years, depending on priors | 4 months or 1 year, depending on priors | | Refusing a chemical test | VC 23577, VC 13353 | Adds 96 hours on a second DUI, 10 days on a third, 18 days on a fourth | Set by the underlying DUI | 1-year suspension; 2 or 3 years with priors | Base fines are $390 to $1,000 for these DUI convictions, before penalty assessments that add substantially. A first DUI requires a 3-month DUI program, or 9 months with a BAC of 0.20% or higher or a refusal (VC 23538). A BAC of 0.15% or higher, or a refusal, is an aggravating factor at sentencing (VC 23578). Prior wet reckless convictions count as priors. ## How Los Angeles DUI cases usually end No lawyer can promise a result, and anyone who does is not being straight with you. What the defense can do is test the stop, the testing and the paperwork, then use what that review finds to push the case toward the best outcome the evidence supports. When the evidence is contested and no fair offer comes, the case goes to a jury. - Rejected or dismissed: If the stop was unlawful, the testing was flawed, or the evidence does not support the charge, a case can be rejected before filing or dismissed later. - Reduced to a wet reckless (VC 23103.5): A plea to reckless driving involving alcohol carries lighter penalties than a DUI conviction. It still counts as a prior if there is another DUI arrest within 10 years. - A negotiated DUI plea: Many cases resolve by plea. The defense work then shifts to the terms: jail alternatives, program length, and license consequences. - Winning the DMV hearing: The DMV hearing is a separate proceeding. Winning it sets aside the administrative suspension even while the court case continues. ## Local courthouses - [Van Nuys Court Guide](https://www.thehfirm.com/court-locations/van-nuys) -- One of the busiest DUI venues in Los Angeles County. - [Metropolitan Court Guide](https://www.thehfirm.com/court-locations/metropolitan) -- Downtown calendars and fast arraignment workflows. - [Santa Monica Court Guide](https://www.thehfirm.com/court-locations/santa-monica) -- Westside expectations and hearing cadence. - [LAX Airport Court Guide](https://www.thehfirm.com/court-locations/lax-airport) -- Airport-corridor stop patterns and timeline issues. ## Nearby areas we serve - [Ventura DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-ventura) -- Ventura County arrests and courts. - [Oxnard DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-oxnard) -- Oxnard and west Ventura County cases. - [Irvine DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-irvine) -- Orange County arrests and courts. - [Riverside DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-riverside) -- Inland Empire arrests and courts. - [San Diego DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/dui-lawyers-san-diego) -- San Diego County arrests and courts. - [California DUI Lawyer](https://www.thehfirm.com/california-dui-lawyer) -- Statewide DUI penalties, DMV deadlines, and every city page. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which Los Angeles courthouse will handle my DUI arraignment? It depends on where you were arrested and who files the case. Common venues include the Metropolitan Courthouse downtown, which hears many central Los Angeles DUI cases, Van Nuys for much of the Valley, the Airport Courthouse near LAX, and Torrance for the South Bay. The courthouse affects scheduling and which prosecutors handle the case. ### Do I really only have 10 days to save my license? Yes. You have 10 days from receiving the DMV suspension notice to request an administrative hearing. For most drivers the notice is the pink temporary license handed over at arrest. If no hearing is requested, a first-offense suspension of 4 months takes effect automatically, or 1 year with priors within 10 years. ### What happens if I refused the breath or blood test? A refusal brings its own DMV action: a 1-year suspension for a first refusal, or a 2- or 3-year revocation with priors within 10 years (VC 13353). In court, a refusal is an aggravating factor at sentencing (VC 23578), adds mandatory jail on second and later DUIs (VC 23577), and lengthens the DUI program on a first offense. ### Can a DUI in Los Angeles be reduced to a wet reckless? Sometimes. Under VC 23103.5 a DUI can be resolved as reckless driving involving alcohol, which carries lighter penalties. Whether it is realistic depends on the BAC, prior record, the courthouse and the strength of the evidence. A wet reckless still counts as a prior if you are arrested for DUI again within 10 years. ### How long does a DUI count against me in California? For sentencing, a DUI counts as a prior for 10 years: a new DUI within 10 years of an earlier DUI or wet reckless is punished as a repeat offense. The conviction stays on your criminal record after that, and an expungement under PC 1203.4 does not stop it from being used as a prior in a later case. ### Are DUI checkpoints legal in Los Angeles? Yes. California courts allow DUI checkpoints that follow set guidelines, such as supervisors choosing the location and neutral rules for which cars are stopped. A checkpoint that departed from those guidelines can be challenged, which may affect the evidence gathered there. ### What should I do in the first 24 hours after a DUI arrest? Write down what you remember about the stop, the field sobriety tests and anything you said. Keep your paperwork, including the pink temporary license. Do not post about the arrest online. Then make sure the DMV hearing is requested before the 10-day deadline. ### How much does a DUI lawyer cost in Los Angeles? It depends on the charge, your prior record, whether there is a DMV hearing, and whether the case goes to trial. H Law Group offers a free consultation, and the fee and payment planning are discussed once the scope of the case is clear. --- ## Contact H Law Group - Phone: (888) 499-4948 (phones answered 24/7) - Email: info@thehlawgroup.com - Free consultation: https://www.thehfirm.com/free-consultation - Contact form: https://www.thehfirm.com/contact-us ### Offices - Los Angeles Branch: 714 W Olympic Blvd Ste, 803, Los Angeles, CA 90015 -- (213) 985-4431 - San Diego Branch: 600 W Broadway, Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92101 -- (619) 716-0968 - San Jose Branch: 333 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95110 -- (408) 869-6572 - Orange County Branch: 2030 Main St, # 1300, Irvine, CA 92614 -- (949) 832-8057 - Riverside County Office: 41593 Winchester Rd, Suite 200, Temecula, CA 92590 -- (951) 418-3576 - Santa Barbara Branch: 1117 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 -- (888) 499-4948 ### Disclaimer This website provides general legal information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice about your specific situation, contact H Law Group directly.