El Monte DUI Lawyer
The El Monte Police Department runs its own city jail, where bail bonds and cash bail are processed 24 hours a day.
EL MONTE DUI DEFENSE
Where an El Monte case is handled
El Monte is in the East District of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. The district has three courthouses: El Monte, West Covina, and Pomona Courthouse South.
DUI cases from El Monte are generally heard at the El Monte Courthouse on East Valley Boulevard. Always follow the court and date printed on your citation or release papers.
Our published results include two cases at the El Monte Courthouse, one in 2016 and one in 2026. Our only office is in Los Angeles, at 3810 Wilshire Blvd.
OFFICES IN AN EL MONTE CASE
The court, the prosecutor, the police, and the DMV
Courthouse
El Monte Courthouse
11234 East Valley Blvd., El Monte, CA 91731
Main phone: (626) 401-2200
- Hours: the courthouse opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, except court holidays.
- Criminal Clerk’s Office: Room 100 on the first floor, phone (626) 401-2298. Phone hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- The court lists two case types for this building: criminal and traffic.
- Expect security screening at the entrance. Weapons, recording devices, and cameras are not allowed without prior authorization.
- Parking: a paid parking structure stands next to the courthouse.
Prosecutor
District Attorney, El Monte Area Office
El Monte has no city prosecutor for misdemeanors. The District Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors in all but 10 cities of the county, and El Monte is not one of those 10.
The District Attorney’s El Monte Area Office is in Room 110 of the courthouse building. The District Attorney also files felony charges throughout the county.
Arresting agencies
El Monte police and the CHP
On city streets, DUI arrests are usually made by the El Monte Police Department, 11333 Valley Blvd. Its main number is (626) 580-2100. The lobby is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except major holidays.
On Interstate 10 and other state freeways, arrests are usually made by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The CHP pages for its Baldwin Park Area and its East Los Angeles Area both list Interstate 10. Neither page names El Monte.
CHP Baldwin Park Area office: 14039 Francisquito Avenue, Baldwin Park, phone (626) 517-8500.
Your license
DMV Driver Safety hearing
The license case does not go through the El Monte Courthouse. A DMV Driver Safety hearing officer decides it, not a judge.
Request the hearing within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice. Officers usually hand that notice over at the arrest. DMV Driver Safety can be reached at (833) 543-7703 or through its online portal. Hearings may be held remotely or in person.
AFTER AN EL MONTE POLICE ARREST
The city jail and Pay-to-Stay
The El Monte Police Department operates its own city jail, staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The city says about 3,500 people are booked there each year.
People who are not released are taken from the jail to court for arraignment. The city names two courts for this: the El Monte Courthouse and the Pomona courthouse at 400 Civic Center Plaza.
After that court appearance, people do not return to the city jail. They are either released or moved to the Los Angeles County Jail.
Under Penal Code 1270, a person arraigned only on misdemeanor charges is generally entitled to release on their own recognizance, without bail. The exception is a court finding about public safety or return to court.
The jail also runs a Pay-to-Stay program. It is an alternative for qualified people who have already been sentenced to serve time in the Los Angeles County Jail.
The sentencing judge must approve it, and applicants go through a prescreening. When we checked in September 2026, the city listed a fee of $136.86 for each 24-hour period, paid before the first day.
The city says the time can be served all at once or in shorter periods. Eligibility depends on the program’s conditions and on the court, so no one can promise a place in it.
OUR RECORD IN EL MONTE
Two cases at the El Monte Courthouse
Our Success Stories page lists two cases at the El Monte Courthouse, from 2016 and 2026. In 2016, the DUI charge was dismissed and the client pleaded to a “wet reckless.” That is a reckless driving plea (Vehicle Code 23103) with a statement on the record that alcohol or drugs were involved (Vehicle Code 23103.5). It counts as a prior if a new DUI happens within 10 years. In 2026, a charge of DUI causing injury (Vehicle Code 23153) was dismissed. The client pleaded to DUI under Vehicle Code 23152, which is a DUI conviction.
2026
Injury DUI charge dismissed; plea to DUI (VC 23152)
Allegation: 0.12 Blood + Collision
Disposition: VC 23153 dismissed; VC 23152 plea
2016
DUI charge dismissed; wet reckless plea
Allegation: 0.11 Blood
Disposition: DUI dismissed; Wet 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 with Jeff Yeh about your case
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
EL MONTE QUESTIONS
Common questions after an El Monte arrest
A family member was arrested by El Monte police. What can the jail tell me by phone?
I received a notice about a traffic matter at the El Monte Courthouse. Is that my DUI case?
The arrest happened on Interstate 10. How is the courthouse chosen?
Will I need to be at the El Monte Courthouse for every hearing?
NEARBY PAGES
Pages for nearby cities
Pomona DUI Lawyer
Pomona Courthouse South (North’s courtrooms closed in 2013), 2026 police checkpoints, and towed-car steps.
Alhambra DUI Lawyer
Alhambra Courthouse hears criminal cases; traffic tickets from its area go to the Pasadena Courthouse.
Pasadena DUI Lawyer
Pasadena Courthouse on Walnut Street and the Pasadena City Prosecutor.
Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
DUI defense for arrests in the City of Los Angeles.
RELATED DUI DEFENSE
DMV Hearing
Ask for a hearing within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice, which is usually given at the arrest.
Felony DUI
DUI charges that can be filed as felonies, such as some injury cases and some repeat offenses.
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
- El Monte Courthouse: hours, clerk, and parking (court directory)
- Court Local Rules, Chapter 2: Rule 2.2 districts and Rule 2.3 criminal filing
- Court notice of January 17, 2025: traffic cases move from West Covina to El Monte (PDF)
- District Attorney FAQ: the 10 cities with their own prosecutors
- District Attorney El Monte Area Office (address)
- El Monte Police Department (city website)
- City of El Monte: Police Department jail (custody, court transfers, Pay-to-Stay)
- California Highway Patrol: Baldwin Park Area
- CHP East Los Angeles Area office page
- California DMV: Driving under the influence
- California DMV: Driver Safety offices
- California DMV: Driver Safety portal
- California Vehicle Code 13558 (DMV hearing request)
- California Penal Code 1270 (release on own recognizance)
- California Penal Code 977 (appearance through counsel; version repealed as of January 1, 2032)
- California Vehicle Code 23103.5 (wet reckless; version repealed as of January 1, 2033)
- California Vehicle Code 23153 (DUI causing injury)
Arrested or charged with a DUI in El Monte? Talk to a lawyer now
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