SAN DIEGO PUBLIC DEFENDER INFO

A Public Defender is a Lawyer, often referred to as an Attorney, who represents indigent defendants facing trial who cannot afford to hire a Private Attorney. The role of the San Diego County Public Defender is to provide legal representation to all persons regardless of ability to afford an attorney, or any other discriminating factor such as race, religion, sex, national origin, etc., in accordance with the Sixth Amendment Constitutional Bill of Rights.

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Public Defenders do NOT represent civil or administrative matters, and will NOT be able to assist you in fighting the San Diego DMV's suspension of your drivers license. If you don't request and attend the 10 Day DMV Admin Per Se Hearing, you have two options regarding your drivers license:

1. Hire a California DMV Lawyer skilled in challenging the Administrative Sanctions against you, or

2. Choose to drive with a suspended license, for which the penalties are a minimum of a $1000 fine and up to a 6 month jail sentence. Even Paris Hilton couldn't get away with this. California judges frown HEAVILY on drivers whom they see as in contempt of the law. Especially twice. Additionally, if you are driving without a license, you're probably also driving without insurance, another charge carrying a minimum fine of $1000.

The San Diego Public Defenders Office will NOT be able to help you retain your driver license, they may however, be able to assist you with attaining a reasonable bail amount, getting released from custody, and receiving a fair and speedy criminal court trial.

If you do meet the financial eligibilty criteria for a public defender for the Criminal Court side of your DUI case, your court appointed attorney will not be available to discuss your DUI case with you until they have been officially appointed by the Judge no sooner than the date of your first court appearance, or arraignment. Being that the 10 day grace period for requesting a DMV Licensing Hearing would have already lapsed, it is strongly recommended that you retain a qualified and proven dmv & dui defense lawyer to represent your civil matter with the Department of Motor Vehicles.