Ventura County DUI Lawyer
Ventura County DUI cases are prosecuted by the District Attorney and are usually heard at the Hall of Justice in Ventura.
DUI DEFENSE FOR VENTURA COUNTY
From Oxnard to Simi Valley, one court system
Ventura County Superior Court has three divisions under its local rules. Their main offices are the Hall of Justice in Ventura, the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley, and the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard.
Apart from small claims, the rules say each division’s venue covers the whole county. They do not assign criminal cases to a courthouse by city or ZIP code.
This page covers Oxnard, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, and the rest of the county. Our only office is in Los Angeles, at 3810 Wilshire Blvd.
COURTHOUSES AND THE DMV
Where the case and the license case go
Check the courthouse, date, and time on your citation or court notice. Both courthouses share one criminal and traffic phone line.
Main courthouse
Hall of Justice, Ventura
800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93009
Criminal and Traffic Department: (805) 289-8545
- The building is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
- The Criminal and Traffic lobby takes filings from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The walk-up payment windows stay open until 4:30 p.m.
- Phone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- The court lists criminal, traffic, civil, family law, and small claims cases at this building.
Limited days
East County Courthouse, Simi Valley
3855-F Alamo Street, Simi Valley, CA 93063
Phone: (805) 289-8545
- The walk-up windows are open for payments on Monday and Tuesday only, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Phone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- The court lists criminal, small claims, and traffic cases here. Its judicial directory shows one department at this courthouse.
- The court’s 2026 special calendars list that department for small claims on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Your license
DMV Driver Safety
The license case is decided by a DMV Driver Safety hearing officer, not by the court.
For a hearing before the suspension begins, make the request within 10 days of receiving the DMV notice. It is usually given at the arrest. For a mailed notice, the DMV allows 14 days from its date.
Requests can go through the Driver Safety line, (833) 543-7703, or the DMV’s online portal. The DMV’s current list of Driver Safety offices includes one in Oxnard. Hearings may be held remotely or in person.
COURT PROCEDURES IN 2026
Setting dates in person
Since July 13, 2026, the court no longer sets criminal matters on calendar by telephone. Anyone asking for a date must submit form VN279 in person.
This applies to all parties, including people without a lawyer. Self-represented people can get help with the form in the Criminal Business Office, Room 118.
Under its current policy, the office sets felony and misdemeanor dates in the Ventura courthouse no more than two weeks from the request.
Court clerks cannot grant extensions in misdemeanor or felony cases. If you were arrested and posted bail, the clerk cannot change the date or time of your appearance.
The court’s FAQ says a person with a misdemeanor ticket must appear on the date and time listed. It tells people to check in at the Criminal and Traffic walk-up window to confirm they are on calendar.
PROSECUTOR AND AGENCIES
Who charges and who arrests
Prosecutor
District Attorney: Misdemeanor and DUI units
The DA’s Misdemeanor Unit handles most misdemeanor prosecutions, including driving under the influence of alcohol. The office says the unit prosecutes over 10,000 cases a year.
A separate DUI Unit is funded by an Office of Traffic Safety grant. It handles all cases of driving under the influence of drugs and all felony alcohol DUI cases.
Contract cities
Sheriff’s Office in five cities
The Sheriff’s Office provides police services for five contract cities: Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks. It also patrols the unincorporated areas.
Its stations include Camarillo (3701 East Las Posas Road), Moorpark (610 Spring Road), and Thousand Oaks (2101 East Olsen Road).
City police
Oxnard, Ventura, and Simi Valley
These three cities have their own police departments.
- Oxnard Police Department
- Ventura Police Department, 1425 Dowell Drive, Ventura
- Simi Valley Police Department, 3901 Alamo Street, Simi Valley
CHP
CHP Ventura Area
4656 Valentine Road, Ventura, CA 93003
Phone: (805) 662-2640
The CHP says this Area includes the city of Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Santa Paula, Ojai, and nearby unincorporated areas. It describes State Route 1 and U.S. Route 101 as major roads there.
CHP
CHP Moorpark Area
610 Spring Road, Moorpark, CA 93021
Phone: (805) 553-0800
It patrols U.S. Route 101 from the Los Angeles County line to Camarillo Springs Road, and parts of State Routes 23, 118, and 126.
The CHP describes its area as including Oak Park, Newbury Park, Lynn Ranch, Somis, and Piru. The office shares a building with the Moorpark Police Department, which is contracted with the Sheriff’s Office.
AFTER THE ARREST
Early milestones
AT RELEASE
Your first court date is set
Under the court’s Local Rule 11.00, an arresting agency that releases someone on bail sets the appearance date. In a misdemeanor case, that date is no more than 60 days away.
ARRAIGNMENT
Reports and the DA’s recommendation
In most cases, the first court date is the arraignment. There, the charges and your rights are explained, and a plea is entered.
The District Attorney’s Office says the complaint and police reports are available at the arraignment to defense counsel, or to a defendant without an attorney. A calendar deputy district attorney tells defense counsel the outcome the office recommends.
IF SET FOR TRIAL
Trial assignment
The DA says that once a misdemeanor case is set for trial, it is assigned to a deputy district attorney.
The court says jury trials are not heard at the Simi Valley courthouse at this time. Jurors report to the courthouse in Ventura.
COUNTY NUMBERS
DUI arrests by year
In 2021 (DMV DUI-MIS report), Ventura County had 2,929 DUI arrests, about 2.7% of the California total. Of those, 147 were felony arrests, 2,775 were misdemeanor arrests, and 7 were juvenile arrests.
The same report counts 3,105 DUI arrests in the county in 2019 and 2,474 in 2020.
YOUR ATTORNEY
Discuss your Ventura County arrest with 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.
Call (213) 446-2495 any time, 24/7, for a free consultation.
20+
Years of DUI Defense Experience
2,000+
DUI Cases Handled
VENTURA COUNTY QUESTIONS
Answers for local situations
My son or daughter is under 18 and received a DUI citation. Which courthouse handles that?
Can I avoid traveling to Ventura by using video or sending my lawyer?
Where can I check my Ventura County case online?
Does the court provide an interpreter in a DUI case?
NEARBY PAGES
Pages for neighboring areas
Santa Clarita DUI Lawyer
Santa Clarita Courthouse in Valencia, the Sheriff’s Santa Clarita Valley Station, and CHP Newhall.
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.
Drug DUI
Cases involving cannabis, prescription medication, or other drugs.
Felony DUI
DUI charges that can be filed as felonies, such as some injury cases and some repeat offenses.
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
- Ventura Superior Court: Criminal and Traffic Information
- Ventura Superior Court: Hall of Justice location page
- Ventura Superior Court: East County Courthouse
- Ventura Superior Court Local Rules (revised July 1, 2026), Rules 2.02, 2.03, and 11.00 (PDF)
- Ventura Superior Court: Directory of Judicial Departments (PDF)
- Ventura Superior Court: Special Calendars 2026 (PDF)
- Ventura Superior Court: VN279 calendaring FAQ (PDF)
- Ventura Superior Court: Frequently Asked Questions
- Ventura Superior Court: Remote Appearances
- Ventura Superior Court: Interpreting Services and Language Access
- Ventura Superior Court: Online Public Access
- Ventura County District Attorney: Justice Services (Misdemeanor Unit, DUI Unit)
- Ventura County District Attorney: Criminal Prosecutions
- Ventura County Sheriff’s Office: Patrol Services
- Ventura County Sheriff’s Office: Patrol Stations
- City of Oxnard: Police Department
- City of Ventura: Police
- City of Simi Valley: Police Department
- CHP office page: Ventura Area (765)
- CHP office page: Moorpark Area (770)
- California DMV: Driver Safety hearings, FFDL 26 (revised April 2026)
- California DMV: Driver Safety portal
- California DMV: Driving under the influence
- California DMV: 32nd DUI-MIS Annual Report (PDF)
- California Vehicle Code 13558 (DMV hearing request)
- California Penal Code 977 (appearance through counsel; choose the version “Repealed as of January 1, 2032”)
- California Courts Self-Help Guide: Arraignment
Arrested or charged with a DUI in Ventura County? Talk to a lawyer now
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