DUI Defense · Chula Vista
DUI Defense Attorney in Chula Vista
One traffic stop shouldn't decide the rest of your life. Get a DUI defense that questions everything from the stop to the breath test. Call or text 24/7.
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- 5.0 rating
- 151 reviews
- Bilingual — Se habla español
- Direct attorney access
- 24/7 text response
You are not alone
We've walked people through this since 1983.
A DUI arrest is scary and it moves fast. There's the license hold, the court date, and the worry about what your employer will think. You're not the first good person to end up here, and you don't have to sort it out alone.
What's at stake
The next moves matter.
A DUI conviction can cost you your license, your job, and thousands in fines and premiums. A second or a felony DUI raises the stakes fast. The choices you make in the first few days matter.
How we defend it
The defense we build for you.
- We check the traffic stop for real probable cause.
- We challenge how the field sobriety tests were given.
- We question the breath and blood testing, from calibration to chain of custody.
- We use our California DUI Lawyers Association membership to apply current defenses.
- We push for reduced charges, diversion, or dismissal where the evidence is weak.
How it works
Three steps to get your footing back.
- 01
Request your free strategy consultation.
Tell us what happened. No obligation, no judgment.
- 02
We build your defense.
We dig into the facts, the law, and every possible defense.
- 03
We protect your record and your future.
We fight to reduce or drop the charges — and keep your life on track.
“Richard treated my son's case like it mattered. He explained every step in Spanish for my mom, in English for us, and got the charges reduced. We can breathe again.”
What a DUI can cost you in California
California charges most first-time DUIs as a misdemeanor under Vehicle Code 23152. The legal limit is a 0.08% blood alcohol level for most drivers, 0.04% for commercial drivers, and effectively zero for anyone under 21 under the state's zero-tolerance rule. A conviction can bring fines and fees, a license suspension, DUI education classes, and a period of probation. Jail is possible even on a first offense, and the penalties climb with each prior. A DUI becomes a felony in specific situations, including a fourth DUI within ten years, a DUI that causes injury, or a prior felony DUI on your record. Those cases carry far heavier exposure, and they need a serious defense from day one.
- First DUI: usually a misdemeanor. Fines, license action, DUI school, probation, possible jail.
- Second and third: longer suspensions, mandatory jail exposure, longer DUI programs.
- Felony DUI: injury, a fourth within ten years, or a prior felony. State prison exposure.
- Under 21: zero tolerance. Even a small amount can trigger a license suspension.
The first 48 hours matter more than most people realize
There's a clock on your license that has nothing to do with your court date. After a DUI arrest, you generally have only 10 days to request a hearing with the DMV to fight the automatic suspension. Miss that window and the suspension can take effect no matter what happens in court. This is the single most common way people lose their license without a fight.
- Write down everything you remember about the stop while it's fresh.
- Don't post about it or discuss it with anyone but your attorney.
- Call us fast so we can request the DMV hearing inside the 10-day window.
- Keep every document they gave you, including the pink temporary license.
DUI defense built for Chula Vista courts
We defend DUI cases in the South Bay Division of San Diego County Superior Court in Chula Vista, and we know how these cases move here. That local footing matters. We've handled DUI stops along the 5, the 805, and the surface streets across Chula Vista, National City, Bonita, and Imperial Beach since 1983. If you were arrested anywhere in the South Bay, you get an attorney who knows the courthouse, the process, and the reasonable-fee defense that fits real life.
FAQ
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Call or text 24/7.
Free strategy consultation · Bilingual · Since 1983
Talk to a defense attorney today.
Free strategy consultation. Call or text 24/7. Weekend appointments available.
- · Direct attorney access
- · Bilingual — Se habla español
- · Reasonable fees
Tell us what happened
No obligation. We reply fast, day or night.