Downey, CA DUI Lawyer
The California Highway Patrol lists Downey among the cities served by its Santa Fe Springs Area office.
DOWNEY DUI DEFENSE
Downey, Norwalk, and the Southeast District
Downey is in the Southeast District of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. That district lists four courthouses: Norwalk, Bellflower, Downey, and Whittier.
DUI cases from Downey are generally heard at the Downey Courthouse on East Imperial Highway. The City of Downey also lists the Norwalk Courthouse, so read the court named on your citation.
Our published results include one case at the Downey Courthouse, from 2010. Our only office is in Los Angeles, at 3810 Wilshire Blvd.
TWO COURTHOUSES AND THE DMV
Downey and Norwalk courthouse details
Courthouse
Downey Courthouse
7500 East Imperial Highway, Downey, CA 90242
Main phone: (562) 658-0500
- Building hours: 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, except court holidays. The clerk’s office opens at 8:30 a.m.
- Criminal matters: the court lists a criminal phone line, (562) 803-7050, answered from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Case types listed for this building: criminal and traffic.
- Everyone is screened at the entrance. Weapons, recording devices, and cameras are not allowed without prior authorization.
- Parking: public lots in front of the courthouse.
Also in the district
Norwalk Courthouse
12720 Norwalk Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650
Main phone: (562) 345-3700
- The building keeps the same hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays.
- Criminal Clerk’s Office: Room 714 on the seventh floor, phone (562) 345-0896. Phone hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Case types listed: civil, criminal, mental health, and unlawful detainer.
- Security screening is required for all visitors.
- Parking: a paid City of Norwalk structure east of the courthouse, entered from Avenida Manuel Salinas.
Prosecutor
District Attorney offices
Misdemeanors in Downey are prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney, not by a city prosecutor.
The District Attorney’s Downey Area Office is in Room 324 of the Downey Courthouse. Its Norwalk Branch Office is in Room 201 of the Norwalk Courthouse.
Your license
DMV Driver Safety
The DMV case is not heard at either courthouse. A DMV Driver Safety hearing officer handles it.
Request a hearing within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice. That notice is usually given at the arrest.
The DMV lists (833) 543-7703 for Driver Safety, and its online portal can be used to schedule hearings. Hearings may be held remotely or in person.
WHO MAKES THE ARREST
City police and CHP Santa Fe Springs
On city streets, DUI arrests are usually made by the Downey Police Department, 10911 Brookshire Avenue, phone (562) 861-0771.
Its Traffic Unit has a sergeant, seven motorcycle officers, one traffic detective, two accident investigators, and six parking enforcement officers.
The department received a $300,000 California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant that ran through September 2023. The grant was to fund DUI checkpoints and patrols for suspected impaired drivers.
In 2026, the department announced DUI checkpoints for January 30, April 23, and August 27. Each was set for 8:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at an undisclosed location. The department says it chooses checkpoint locations using data on impaired-driving crashes.
Freeway arrests are usually made by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Its Santa Fe Springs Area names Downey among the 13 cities it serves.
The Area’s freeways include Interstate 5, Interstate 105, Interstate 605, State Route 60, and State Route 91. Its office is at 10051 Orr and Day Road, Santa Fe Springs, phone (562) 649-6800, open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
A 2013 CHANGE
What happened to Whittier’s criminal cases
The court announced on April 24, 2013, that the Whittier Courthouse would stop hearing criminal cases. From June 3, 2013, that building no longer handled felony, misdemeanor, or infraction cases.
Cases started by the Whittier Police Department were sent to the Bellflower Courthouse. Cases started by any other agency were sent to the Downey Courthouse.
Today, the court lists only family law cases at the Whittier Courthouse.
If the arrest happened in the Whittier area, check which courthouse your notice names. That court is the one to follow.
FROM OUR SUCCESS STORIES
One case at the Downey Courthouse
Our Success Stories page lists one case at the Downey Courthouse, from 2010. The DUI charge was dismissed, and the client pleaded to reckless driving (Vehicle Code 23103). The Success Stories page calls this a “dry reckless” plea. Reckless driving is still a conviction. In the case details, PAS means the roadside preliminary alcohol screening test.
2010
DUI charge dismissed; reckless driving plea
Allegation: Refusal + 0.14 PAS
Disposition: DUI dismissed; Dry Reckless plea
The results described above were dependent on the facts of each case. Results will differ if based on different facts. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
YOUR ATTORNEY
Talk to Attorney Jeff Yeh
Attorney Jeff Yeh focuses his practice on DUI defense and DMV hearings. He stays responsible for your case from start to finish, working with experienced co-counsel when a case calls for it.
Attorney Jeff Yeh speaks English and Mandarin Chinese, along with basic Japanese and Korean; a Japanese-speaking secretary and a Korean interpreter can help when needed.
Call (213) 446-2495 any time, 24/7, for a free consultation.
20+
Years of DUI Defense Experience
2,000+
DUI Cases Handled
DOWNEY QUESTIONS
Questions about these courthouses
How many DUI arrests does Los Angeles County have, and how do they end?
Is there a night court at the Downey Courthouse?
The officer suspected drugs, not alcohol. Is that still a DUI?
Can a lawyer attend the Downey hearings for me?
NEARBY PAGES
Pages for nearby areas
Long Beach DUI Lawyer
DUI defense for Long Beach arrests.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
DUI defense for arrests in the City of Los Angeles.
El Monte DUI Lawyer
El Monte Courthouse on East Valley Blvd., the El Monte police jail, and its Pay-to-Stay program.
RELATED DUI DEFENSE
DMV Hearing
Ask for a hearing within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice, which is usually given at the arrest.
Drug DUI
Cases involving cannabis, prescription medication, or other drugs.
Alcohol DUI
Breath and blood test cases under Vehicle Code 23152(a) and (b).
ABOUT THIS PAGE
Prepared by the Law Office of Jeff Yeh (Attorney Jeff Yeh, State Bar of California No. 240430), 3810 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.
Last updated: September 29, 2026. The local facts on this page were checked against the official sources listed here on that date.
Reviewed by Attorney Jeff Yeh on October 6, 2026.
This page is general information about California DUI cases, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Court locations, phone numbers, and procedures can change. Check the official sources listed here or call us.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
- Downey Courthouse listing in the court directory
- Norwalk Courthouse listing in the court directory
- Whittier Courthouse listing (family law only)
- Court rules, Chapter 2: the Southeast District courthouses
- Los Angeles Superior Court news release, April 24, 2013: Whittier Courthouse cases reassigned (archived copy)
- City of Downey: Judicial Courts and Legal Documents
- District Attorney: office FAQs on misdemeanor jurisdiction
- DA office directory: Downey Area Office
- DA office directory: Norwalk Branch Office
- Downey Police Department contact information
- Downey Police Department: Traffic Unit
- Downey Police Department: press releases (OTS grant, DUI operations)
- Downey Police Department: DUI checkpoint release, January 30, 2026 (PDF)
- Downey Police Department: DUI checkpoint release, April 23, 2026 (PDF)
- Downey Police Department: DUI checkpoint release, August 27, 2026 (PDF)
- California Highway Patrol: Santa Fe Springs Area
- California DMV: Driving under the influence
- California DMV: Driver Safety offices
- California DMV: Driver Safety portal
- California DMV: 32nd Annual Report of the DUI Management Information System (2021 arrests; 2020 outcomes)
- California Vehicle Code 13558 (DMV hearing request)
- California Vehicle Code 23152 (DUI, including drugs)
- California Vehicle Code 23103 (reckless driving)
- California Vehicle Code 23612 (chemical tests; preliminary alcohol screening)
- California Penal Code 977 (appearance through counsel; version repealed as of January 1, 2032)
Arrested or charged with a DUI in Downey? Talk to a lawyer now
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