DUI Defense at the Long Beach Courthouse

Reviewed by Ron Chini, Esq. · CA State Bar No. 263308 · DUI defense attorney in Irvine, CA since 2009.
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The Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach is the criminal court for Long Beach, Signal Hill, and the surrounding harbor area. Long Beach is unusual: it has its own elected city prosecutor, so who handles your DUI here depends on exactly where you were arrested.

Why your case is here

The Deukmejian Courthouse at 275 Magnolia Avenue — named for the former California governor — is the South District's criminal court. Its jurisdiction stretches from Long Beach and Signal Hill across San Pedro Bay all the way to Santa Catalina Island, and it takes in the City-of-LA harbor neighborhoods of San Pedro, Wilmington, and Harbor City. DUI enforcement clusters along the 405, 710, and 605 freeways and the coast.

Long Beach has its own city prosecutor

Here's the Long Beach twist: a misdemeanor DUI arrested within the City of Long Beach is prosecuted by the Long Beach City Prosecutor — an independently elected office, not the DA and not the LA City Attorney. But a DUI in San Pedro, Wilmington, or Harbor City (all City of LA) goes to the LA City Attorney, and felonies or unincorporated areas to the LA County DA. Three different offices can appear in this one courthouse.

The 10-day DMV deadline

Your Long Beach court case runs in parallel with the DMV's separate case against your license, and the DMV's 10-day deadline to request a hearing starts at arrest. How the DMV hearing works →

How Ron defends a DUI at the Long Beach Courthouse

Because three prosecuting offices appear here, a Long Beach-area DUI rewards an attorney who identifies the jurisdiction first. Ron works directly with you from his Irvine office — a short drive down the coast — tests the stop and the chemical evidence, deals with the right prosecutor, and runs the DMV hearing in parallel, in English or Farsi.

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Ron Chini, Esq.

DUI Defense Attorney · CA State Bar No. 263308

Ron defends DUI cases across Southern California from his Irvine office — and works directly with you, not a call center.

Learn more about Ron Chini →