Sonoma County DUI Court Information

Sonoma County has a population of 488,863 and it's seat of government and largest city is Santa Rosa, California.  Sonoma County is made up of the Santa Rosa-Petaluma metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland combined statistical area.  It is the northernmost county in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area Region.  Sonoma County's governing board and legislative body is the five member Sonoma County Board of Supervisors who are elected by district at the Consolidated Primary Election, and serve for four years.  The Supervisors also sit as directors of several local jurisdictions. The Supervisors appoint the members of 59 boards, commissions and committees.  

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement agency for the unincorporated area of the county.  It also contracts to provide the police forces of the City of Sonoma and the Town of Windsor.  The Department has more than one thousand employees, including 275 Deputy Sheriff's, in four bureaus. More than three hundred Correctional Officers and staff work in two jail facilities which are the Main Area Detention Facility and the North County Detention Facility, with a total daily population of nearly twelve hundred inmates. Police shootings are investigated by an independent civilian police review board which was established in 2015.

Sonoma County is comprised of the following cities listed in order of their population: Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Larkfield-Wikiup, Cloverdale, Sebastopol, Cotati, Boyes Hot Springs, Roseland, Guerneville, Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente, El Verano, Forestville, Penngrove, Graton, Temelec, Sea Ranch, Eldridge, Monte Rio, Occidental, Bodega Bay, Kenwood, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Fulton, Cazadero, Bloomfield, Bodega, Timber Cove, Valley Ford, Jenner, Sereno Del Mar, Salmon Creek, Stewarts Point Rancheria and Carmet.  

Most Sonoma County driving under the influence or DUI cases are investigated by the California Highway Patrol. The Santa Rosa area office of the CHP provides service to the majority of Sonoma County but the Sonoma Valley east of Trinity Road is patrolled by the Napa area office of the Highway Patrol.   The California Highway Patrol Office for Sonoma County is located at 6100 LaBath Avenue in Rohnert Park, California 94928 and their telephone number is (707) 588-1400.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs cases in Sonoma County are heard at the Hall of Justice in Santa Rosa.  Sonoma County DUI cases have both a DMV case and a criminal case.  The DMV cases for Sonoma County are generally heard at the Santa Rosa Department of Motor Vehicles Driver's Safety Office or DSO but they can also be heard in the San Francisco Driver's Safety Office at 1377 Fell Street.  A DUI defendant in Santa Rosa will normally be released from jail after he or she has sobered up.  Upon release from jail they should have a notice to appear in court or citation and a pink temporary driver's license.  The DMV Driver's Safety Office must be contacted within ten days of DUI arrest to request an Administrative Per Se hearing and a stay of the license suspension.  The first court appearance will be the arraignment and the defendant must personally appear unless represented by counsel.   If you or someone you know has been arrested for driving under the influence in Sonoma County, the best thing to do is to hire an experienced DUI defense lawyer within ten days of arrest so the attorney can take care of the DMV hearing request and appear on your behalf for the arraignment.  The police report and initial DUI case discovery will be provided at arraignment and then case will proceed through a number of pretrial conferences so the defense can conduct investigation and discuss possible case settlement with the District Attorney's Office.  Santa Rosa can be overly strict on first offense DUI cases so it's really important that you have an experienced attorney that you can trust to give you the best advise on how to handle your Sonoma County DUI case.  Sonoma County Superior Court information is provided below along with some of attorney Nors Davidson's recent Sonoma County DUI case results.

Hall of Justice
600 Administration Drive, Room 105J
Santa Rosa CA 95403
(707) 521-6620
Phone Hours: 8:00 AM to Noon Mon-Fri
Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM Mon-Fri
Court Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mon-Fri

Felony, misdemeanor, and certain infraction violations are heard in Criminal Court Monday through Friday.
Criminal Calendars are posted daily on the Room 105J Criminal Division windows. The courtroom location is indicated at the top of the calendar. In order to clear a bench warrant, you must appear in person at 8:00 AM Monday through Friday, for a same day appearance in court. Clear warrant calendars are heard at 8:30 AM for felony matters and at 9:30 for misdemeanor matters. If you were released from jail on a bail bond, you must submit a letter of reassumption of liability from the bonding agency with your request. Your case will not be scheduled for court without this letter.

SONOMA COUNTY DUI CASE RESULTS

Sonoma County Santa Rosa DUI First Offense DUI Refusal JURY TRIAL

Outcome: REFUSAL DISMISSED & MINIMUM SENTENCE

Description: Client had been previously represented by a different attorney who was unable to reach a favorable settlement with the District Attorney. I was subsequently retained to represent client for jury trial. As so many trials go, the client decided it was in her best interests to accept a plea bargain, literally the morning of trial. Ultimately, the DA agreed to dismiss the "refusal" allegation for a plea to a DUI. As a result, client received minimum sentence of three years informal court probation, fines of about $2,000, A THREE MONTH DUI SCHOOL, and 15 days of HOME DETENTION in lieu of jail or SWAP. Client got her license back with an SR22 and in the end, everybody won.

Sonoma County Santa Rosa DUI First Offense DUI Refusal

Outcome: REFUSAL ALLEGATION STRICKEN. Probation Granted 3 Month DUI School

Description: Today I settled an enhanced DUI for a plea to a standard first offense DUI. Client arrested by Sonoma County Sheriff and then turned over to CHP for DUI investigation. CHP claimed that client "refused" chemical test because he requested to speak with an attorney first. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL BEFORE SUBMITTING TO CHEMICAL TEST!!! That said, client faced DUI refusal offer from the DA which included a nine month DUI school and ten days of SWAP. I appeared multiple times for pre-trial conference and eventually convinced the DA to dismiss the refusal allegation which resulted in a highly reduced sentence of three years court probation, fine of $2,291, THREE MONTH DUI SCHOOL, and one day of jail which the client only served about two hours. DMV pending, but one year administrative suspension likely. Over all, an excellent result for a tough court.

Sonoma County Santa Rosa DUI .12% BAC First Offense DUI

Outcome: DUI CHARGES DISMISSED. Case Reduced to Reckless Driving

Description: Today I settled a first offense .12% blood test DUI case in Santa Rosa for a reduced offense of reckless driving pursuant to Vehicle Code section 23103.5. All DUI charges were dismissed. Client was stopped by the Sebastopol Police Department for driving too slow and not having a front license plate. Many DUI clients are stopped for not having a front license plate, so I encourage all individuals to make sure that they have a front plate affixed to all vehicles. Client appeared on his own behalf for his arraignment and was offered a first offense DUI. I was subsequently retained and was able to get the client a reduction. Client received a reduced sentence of 18 months of informal court probation, a 12 hour DUI school and a fine of $720. No Mandatory license suspension. DMV hearing remains pending with forensic toxicologist scheduled to testify.

Sonoma County DUI .18% BAC First Offense DUI Proving False ID to Officer

Outcome: Allegation Stricken, False ID charges dismissed

Description: Client charged with DUI w/special enhancement for high BAC and for providing false ID to officer. Enhancement stricken and false ID charge dismissed. Client received in Santa Rosa three years of probation, fine of $2000, 3 month DUI School. NO JAIL, SWAP OR COMMUNITY SERVICE. License suspended for thirty days, Restricted  by DMV for five months.

Sonoma County DUI .23% BAC First Offense DUI High BAC Enhancement

Outcome: Probation for three years, Fine $1,950 and THREE MONTH DUI SCHOOL

Description: Case settled today for three years of probation, 4 days of SWAP, fines and THREE MONTH DUI SCHOOL. The three month DUI school was a huge victory here since the client could easily have been ordered to complete the nine month DUI school as is standard for all first offense DUI cases with a BAC in excess of .20%.