San Diego DUI Defenses - Court Process

A charge of DUI in San Diego, California consists of 2 entirely separate and independent processes. These are the criminal court process and the DMV hearing.

The criminal court process can seem confusing to those unfamiliar with legal jargon and procedure, making it advisable to secure the services of a competent San Diego DUI attorney. It is possible to represent yourself but the consequences of a procedural mistake in this complicated criminal process can be very damaging to your DUI defense.

San Diego DUI lawyer who is familiar with the local DUI laws will also make sure that you are fully aware of all your rights and will be your absolute best chance of beating your DUI charge.

criminal court process for a charge of driving under the influence consists of the following stages:

An arraignment is the first step in the criminal process whereby the judge informs you of your DUI charges and you enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. You have the right to a fair and speedy trial so the arraignment should usually be heard within 3 court days of you being arrested for drunk driving.

Hearing After the arraignment your lawyer can then file pretrial motions, such as the suppression of certain evidence or other actions upon which to build your DUI defense. It is also possible for the prosecution to offer you a plea bargain at this stage.

San Diego DUI Trial

At the trial the court will hear arguments from the prosecution and from your DUI defense attorney before delivering a guilty or not guilty verdict and sentencing. As with all criminal cases, in a San Diego DUI trial the burden of proof is on the state of California which must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you were driving under the influence and were guilty of the DUI offense for which you have been charged.

In San Diego County your trial will most likely be heard in one of the following Superior Court locations:

Central:

220 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101

El Cajon:

250 East Main Street El Cajon, CA 92020

Vista:

325 South Melrose Vista, CA 92081

Chula Vista:

500 3rd Avenue Chula Vista, CA 91910