San Diego DUI Lawyer

In San Diego County, the ZIP code where the offense is alleged to have occurred generally decides which of four courthouses hears the case.

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DUI DEFENSE ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Four courthouses, two prosecutors

The Superior Court of California, County of San Diego hears criminal cases in four divisions. They are Central, North County, South County, and East County.

Who prosecutes depends on where the arrest happened. Inside San Diego city limits, a misdemeanor DUI is generally prosecuted by the San Diego City Attorney. Felonies, and misdemeanors from the rest of the county, go to the District Attorney.

This page covers the city and the whole county. Our only office is in Los Angeles, at 3810 Wilshire Blvd.

CRIMINAL COURTHOUSES

Addresses, hours, and areas served

The court says many business office phones are answered from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. Call early in the day.

Central Division

Central Courthouse

1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Criminal business office: (619) 844-2400

The criminal business office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays.
The misdemeanor business office and the Substance Abuse Assessment Unit are on the 2nd floor. The felony office is on the 1st floor.
Paid public lots are available around the courthouse. There are also street meters and a limited number of disabled street spaces.
The ZIP code list sends most San Diego city neighborhoods here, such as Downtown, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, and Rancho Bernardo.

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North County Division

North County Regional Center

325 South Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081
Criminal business office: Suite 500, first floor, (760) 201-8600

The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays.
The public parking lot is in front of the courthouse.
ZIP codes assigned here include Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Fallbrook, and Camp Pendleton.

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South County Division

South County Regional Center

500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Criminal business office: second floor, (619) 746-6200

The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays.
Park in the areas marked for the public around the courthouse. Metered street parking is also available.
ZIP codes assigned here include Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, Bonita, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa.

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East County Division

East County Regional Center

250 East Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92020
Criminal business office: first floor, (619) 456-4100

The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays.
A public parking structure stands in front of the courthouse.
ZIP codes assigned here include El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee, Lakeside, Spring Valley, Alpine, Ramona, Jamul, and Julian.

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THE ZIP CODE RULE

How a case is assigned

Under Local Rule 1.2.2, the prosecution must file a criminal case in the division where the crime is alleged to have occurred. The division comes from the court’s ZIP code list.

The rule has two written exceptions. Cases arising in the City of Coronado are filed in the South County Division. Cases arising in the City of Del Mar are filed in the North County Division.

The list uses the place of the alleged offense, not your home address. A ZIP code does not always follow city lines.

The court can also move a case to another division, for example when a criminal calendar becomes too congested. Always go to the courthouse named on your citation or court notice.

San Diego Superior Court ZIP code list, form ADM-254 (PDF)

WHO IS INVOLVED

Prosecutors, police, and the CHP

Inside San Diego city limits

San Diego City Attorney

The City Attorney’s Criminal and Community Justice Division prosecutes misdemeanors and infractions committed within city limits. Its list of cases includes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The office says a specialized team handles drug DUI cases through each step. The same team handles cases involving both drugs and alcohol.

Everywhere else, and all felonies

The county District Attorney’s Office

The District Attorney prosecutes felonies committed anywhere in the county. It also prosecutes misdemeanors that occur outside the City of San Diego, in the other cities and in unincorporated areas.

The office has branches in Vista, Chula Vista, and El Cajon. Its North County Branch lists DUI among the felonies and misdemeanors it handles.

Police

San Diego Police and the Sheriff

Inside the City of San Diego, city streets are patrolled by the San Diego Police Department (SDPD).

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office serves as the police department for nine contract cities. They are Del Mar, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, and Vista.

The Sheriff also patrols unincorporated areas. There, it says, the CHP has primary jurisdiction for traffic services.

Freeways

California Highway Patrol (CHP)

The CHP lists three Area offices in San Diego County with these coverage areas:

San Diego Area, 5902 Kearny Villa Road, San Diego, (858) 293-6000. It covers the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, and Coronado, plus Bonita, Otay Mesa, Lincoln Acres, and 4S Ranch.
Oceanside Area, 435 La Tortuga, Vista, (760) 643-3400. It patrols Interstate 5, Interstate 15, State Route 78, and unincorporated parts of State Route 76.
El Cajon Area, 1722 East Main Street, El Cajon, (619) 219-6900. Its major routes include Interstate 8 and State Routes 52, 67, 94, and 125.

AFTER THE ARREST

Three early steps

The DMV Hearing card near the end of this page links to more about the license case.

BOOKING

Jail and a temporary license

The Sheriff’s Office says men are booked at the San Diego Central Jail or the Vista Detention Facility. Women are booked at Las Colinas or the Vista Detention Facility.

An officer who takes your California license usually gives you a suspension order. That order usually also works as a 30-day temporary license.

WITHIN 10 DAYS

Contact the DMV

A hearing before the suspension starts is available only if you ask within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice. The notice is usually handed to you at the arrest. If it was mailed, the DMV allows 14 days from the date of the notice.

You can ask through the DMV Driver Safety line, (833) 543-7703, or its online portal. Hearings may be held remotely or in person.

The DMV’s current list of Driver Safety offices (revised April 2026) does not include a San Diego office.

FIRST COURT DATE

Arraignment

The first court date is usually the arraignment. The judge explains the charges and your rights, and you are asked to enter a plea.

If you attend in person, the court asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes early. At the lobby entrance, tell the sheriff’s deputy you are there for a criminal hearing.

ENFORCEMENT AND NUMBERS

Checkpoints and arrest counts

The SDPD Traffic Division announced DUI and driver’s license checkpoints for February 21, 2026, and April 24, 2026. Both were at undisclosed locations within city limits.

The department says it picks checkpoint locations based on the history of DUI crashes and arrests. A California Office of Traffic Safety grant, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, funded them.

In 2021 (DMV DUI-MIS report), San Diego County had 8,613 DUI arrests. That was about 7.8% of all DUI arrests in California that year.

Of those arrests, 8,034 were misdemeanor arrests, 546 were felony arrests, and 33 were juvenile arrests. The county counted 9,092 DUI arrests in 2019 and 6,954 in 2020.

YOUR ATTORNEY

Speak with Jeff Yeh before your court date

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.

Call (213) 446-2495

20+

Years of DUI Defense Experience

2,000+

DUI Cases Handled

SAN DIEGO COUNTY QUESTIONS

Local details people ask about

Poway is not part of the City of San Diego. Who handles a Poway arrest?

Is the Hall of Justice on West Broadway the place for my DUI case?

Can I appear by video if I live far from the courthouse?

How can I find my case number and courthouse?

What is the Substance Abuse Assessment Unit, and where are the DUI programs?

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES

Pages for nearby counties

Orange County DUI Lawyer

Which of four justice centers hears each of the 34 cities, who prosecutes, Local Rule 856, and DUI Court.

Riverside County DUI Lawyer

Five criminal courthouses by city, from Riverside to Murrieta and Indio, under the court’s filing order.

RELATED DUI DEFENSE

DMV Hearing

Ask for a hearing within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice, which is usually given at the arrest.

Alcohol DUI

Breath and blood test cases under Vehicle Code 23152(a) and (b).

Drug DUI

Cases involving cannabis, prescription medication, or other drugs.

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.

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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.