DUI
After a DUI Arrest in California: The DMV Hearing and the 10-Day Deadline
A DUI arrest starts a separate DMV case against your license. What the pink notice means, why the 10-day deadline matters and what the hearing can do.
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Answers to common questions and to the situations that do not fit a standard form, with everyday examples and the official sources.

Orientation before you decide.
DUI
A DUI arrest starts a separate DMV case against your license. What the pink notice means, why the 10-day deadline matters and what the hearing can do.
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How a California DUI case moves through court, what the charges under Vehicle Code 23152 mean and which questions to raise with a defense attorney.
Read the guideTraffic tickets
How DMV points work in California, when traffic school can keep a point off your record and how many points lead to a negligent operator suspension.
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A missed date on a California ticket can lead to a failure to appear charge, extra costs and a license hold. How to act quickly and what to ask the court.
Read the guideArrests and investigations
The right to remain silent, the right to a lawyer, searches and phone calls after an arrest: what to say and what not to say when police contact you.
Read the guideRecord clearance
California has no true expungement, but several ways to reduce the impact of a record: dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4, Prop 47 reductions and automatic relief.
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Why California treats a refused chemical test after a DUI arrest seriously, how the roadside screening test differs, and what a refusal means for the DMV and court cases.
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Why a DUI arrest is especially serious for CDL holders: the 0.04% limit in a commercial vehicle, federal disqualification periods and what it means even in a personal car.
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How California treats drivers under 21: the 0.01% zero tolerance limit, the separate 0.05% rule, the regular DUI law and why the DMV case matters so much.
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How California's ignition interlock program works: who must install a device, the optional restriction after an arrest and what the DMV requires before issuing a restricted license.
Read the guideCriminal court
What judicial diversion under Penal Code 1001.95 is, which charges are excluded, what happens if you complete it and how it differs from other diversion programs.
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What happens at a California arraignment: the charges, your rights, the plea, release conditions and protective orders, and what to prepare before the date.
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How release works after an arrest in California: bail schedules, own-recognizance release, conditions, bail bonds and what the court must consider.
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For people accused of domestic violence in California: emergency, criminal and restraining orders, what they forbid, firearms and why following the order matters even if the other person reaches out.
Read the guideTraffic tickets
What happens if you are cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license in California, how the reason for the suspension matters and how to check and fix your license status.
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