Choosing the best DUI attorney in Yuba City.
If you are looking for a DUI attorney in Yuba City, start with the question that matters most: who will actually be handling your case? I am Chris Parkhurst, Esq. I have been defending cases in Sutter County since 1999, and my State Bar number is 203402. You work with us directly rather than with an intake team or a call center.
What that means in practice is straightforward. I read your file before I tell you what I think of it, I explain what it actually supports, and I give you the realistic range of outcomes rather than the encouraging end of it. For the detail on the charge itself, see DUI defense. To find out what happens next in your case, call.
DUI charges I defend.
These are the dui matters I handle for clients in Yuba City and across Sutter County.
- First-offence DUI. The most commonly filed version, and where the licence consequence usually matters most.
- Second and third offence. Exposure changes once a prior falls inside the washout period.
- Felony DUI. A fourth offence, a prior felony DUI, or a case where someone was hurt.
- DUI causing injury. Vehicle Code 23153, chargeable as a misdemeanour or a felony.
- Chemical test refusal. A refusal carries its own longer licence suspension, separately from the DUI.
- DUI of drugs. Prescription medication included. There is no per se number, which changes how it is proved.
- DMV hearings. The administrative case, on a ten-day clock, run separately from the court case.
- Commercial driver DUI. A commercial licence is reachable by conduct in a personal vehicle.
If your charge is not listed, call me. Working out what you are actually facing is the first useful thing that happens.
What I look at first.
What I examine first in a dui case out of Yuba City:
- Why the stop happened, and whether the reason given holds up
- How the field sobriety tests were administered, and in what conditions
- Whether the breath device was calibrated and maintained on schedule
- The gap between the time of driving and the time of the test
- Whether a blood draw was lawful, and whether the sample can still be retested
- What the report says, against what the footage shows
None of that happens on its own. It happens because somebody asked for it early, while it still existed.
Who arrested you in Yuba City.
Yuba City Police Department. 1545 Poole Blvd, Yuba City, CA 95993. (530) 822-4660.
- California Highway Patrol. Highway 99 and Highway 20, which meet at the city.
- Sutter County Sheriff. the surrounding agricultural county, including Live Oak and Sutter.
- Marysville Police. across the Feather River, which is Yuba County and a different court entirely.
Yuba City and Marysville function as a single town separated by the Feather River, but the river is a county line. An arrest on this side is a Sutter County case heard here; an arrest on the other side is a Yuba County case heard in Marysville, with a different District Attorney. People cross that bridge without thinking about it and are surprised to find which court they are in. Arrests concentrate along Highway 99 and the Bridge Street corridor.
Where a Yuba City case is heard.
A dui case arising in Yuba City is prosecuted by the Sutter County District Atty at 463 Second St, Yuba City, CA 95991 and heard in Sutter County. The date and location printed on your citation or release paperwork is the authority rather than anything on this page.
Sutter County Superior Courthouse
1175 Civic Center Blvd, Yuba City, CA 95993. (530) 822-3300
How this office charges cases and what happens between arrest and arraignment is set at county level. See Sutter County.
Areas I serve around Yuba City.
Yuba City is the county seat, and the river is the county line.
- Downtown and Plumas Street. the historic centre and main late-night area.
- Bridge Street. the route across the Feather River, and the point where the county changes.
- Highway 99 corridor. the main north-south route and the busiest enforcement area.
- Surrounding agricultural county. Sheriff territory, running out to Live Oak and Sutter.
I also cover Marysville, Live Oak, Sutter.
Yuba City questions I hear most.
How long do I have to request a DMV hearing after a Yuba City DUI arrest?
Ten days from the date of arrest. The request is separate from the criminal case, and if it is not made in time the suspension proceeds by default with nobody having examined whether the stop or the test was sound. See licence and DMV matters.
I was charged with two DUI counts from one stop. Why?
Almost every DUI is charged twice, under Vehicle Code 23152(a) for driving while impaired and 23152(b) for a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more. They are proved differently, which is why a case can be weak on one and strong on the other.
Can a Yuba City DUI be reduced to a wet reckless?
A wet reckless under Vehicle Code 23103.5 exists only as a negotiated outcome from a DUI filing. Whether it is available depends on the evidence, the record and how this District Attorney's office approaches the case.
Is there a criminal court in Yuba City?
Yes — Yuba City is the county seat, so the court is here.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
For most misdemeanours an attorney can appear on your behalf. Felonies generally require your presence. Which applies depends on the charge, so it is worth asking early rather than assuming.
What does defending a dui case in Yuba City cost?
It depends on the charge, whether it is a misdemeanour or a felony, and whether the case is likely to resolve or be tried. Call and I will tell you what representation in your situation would cost before you commit to anything. For the general picture, see what a criminal defence lawyer costs in California.
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