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San Diego Criminal Defense

I'm Rob Punta. I defend San Diego DUI cases — exclusively.

State and federal courts, every courthouse in this county, since 2002. I take a limited number of cases, review the evidence myself, and appear at every hearing. No case managers, no hand-offs — if we work together, you work with me.

(619) 486-8860 Free Consultation
Time-Sensitive

You have only 10 days after a DUI arrest to request a DMV hearing to contest your license suspension. Don't wait.

2002
Practicing criminal defense in San Diego County ever since — state and federal courts
What I Handle

DUI defense is the entire practice

Not one practice area among many. Every case gets the attention of an attorney who does this work every day, in the courts where it will be decided.

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Misdemeanor DUI Defense

Complete representation for first-time and repeat DUI charges in San Diego Superior Court — all divisions. From arraignment through resolution, including evidence analysis, plea negotiations, and DMV hearing advocacy to protect your license.

Includes: DMV admin hearings · blood & breath test challenges · field sobriety test defense · plea negotiations · all standard court appearances
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Felony DUI Defense

Cases involving injury, death, or prior felony DUI convictions demand experienced counsel who understands the stakes. I handle felony DUI charges including VC §23153 with the seriousness they require — including eligibility for military diversion and mental health diversion where applicable.

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Federal & Military Base DUI

Arrested on Camp Pendleton, Miramar, Coronado, or other federal land in San Diego County? These cases are prosecuted in U.S. District Court — a completely different system. I'm admitted to practice in the Southern District and handle these cases directly. Learn more below →

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DUI Trial Representation

When your case can't be resolved through negotiation and needs to go to trial, I bring over two decades of courtroom experience in San Diego — including a background in complex civil litigation that translates directly to trial preparation and execution.

Separately contracted · not included in standard flat-fee retainer
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Marijuana & Drug DUI Defense

Unlike alcohol, California has no per se THC limit — impairment must be proven, and the science is genuinely contestable. Blood results, DRE opinions, and the stop itself all get personal scrutiny in marijuana, prescription, and other drug DUI cases.

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DUI Expungement

An old DUI conviction shouldn't follow you forever. Petitions to dismiss under Penal Code §1203.4, early probation termination, and related record relief for San Diego County convictions — flat fee, handled start to finish.

Before You Hire Anyone

The most expensive DUI lawyer
isn't always the one who charges the most

Most DUI cases don't get better because the prosecutor suddenly becomes generous. They get better because your attorney did the work.

Sometimes the most expensive lawyer is the one who quotes a serious fee, collects every payment on schedule — and never really works on the case. It happens more often than people realize.

Some firms make their money on volume. Their marketing is outstanding; their intake staff is outstanding. But after you sign, you're inside a system built to process files, not defend cases. The file goes behind a client portal. Questions come back days later from a case manager. A different attorney can appear at each hearing — and the ex-prosecutor résumé that sold you may belong to a founding partner you never meet. The case drifts toward the same plea offer that was available at the first appearance.

I built this practice to be the opposite of that. I take San Diego County cases only, because this is where I live and where I practice. I deliberately take fewer of them. The attorney you hire is the attorney who reviews your evidence, answers your questions, and appears at your hearings — because I'd rather spend my time challenging evidence than generating leads.

Five questions to ask any DUI attorney before you pay

  1. Will you — personally — appear at every hearing in my case?
  2. Is the attorney on your website the attorney handling my file?
  3. Will you request the video — body cam, dash cam — and watch it yourself?
  4. When I have questions, does the answer come from you or a case manager?
  5. Where is your office?

My answers to all five are on this page.

A Practice Area Most Attorneys Ignore

Federal DUI defense in the
Southern District of California

Stopped on a military installation or other federal land in San Diego County? Your case isn't going to state court — it's going to U.S. District Court downtown.

Most San Diego DUI attorneys don't handle federal cases. I do.

A DUI arrest at a base gate or checkpoint gets processed through the Central Violations Bureau (CVB) and prosecuted in federal court under the Assimilative Crimes Act, applying California Vehicle Code §23152 in a federal proceeding. The procedures, timelines, and courtroom dynamics are fundamentally different from state court.

This happens to civilians and service members alike. You may have taken a wrong turn toward a sentry gate. You may be active duty, reserve, a dependent, or a DoD contractor. Regardless, you need an attorney admitted to practice in the Southern District who understands how these cases actually move through the federal system.

I have been admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California since 2002, along with the Central District and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Federal DUI defense is not a sideline — it's a core part of what I do.

San Diego military installations I cover:

MCB Camp Pendleton
MCAS Miramar
NAB Coronado
NAS North Island
NBSD 32nd Street
MCRD San Diego
Naval Medical Center
Other federal land

What makes a federal DUI case different

  • Prosecuted by an AUSA or DOJ attorney, not a county DA
  • Filed in U.S. District Court, not Superior Court
  • Different procedural rules (Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure)
  • May affect security clearances and military career
  • DMV consequences still apply — 10-day deadline to act
  • Service members may face separate military consequences (NJP, admin action) regardless of civilian outcome

Whether you're a civilian who ended up at a base gate or active-duty military, the 10-day DMV hearing deadline still applies. Call immediately.

Your Attorney

R. Robert Punta

San Diego native. SDSU, then Cal Western. Practicing criminal defense here since 2002.

Admissions & Credentials

California BarLicensed July 2002 (SBN 220353)
USDC, So. DistrictAdmitted 2002
USDC, Central Dist.Admitted 2004
9th CircuitAdmitted 2004
Law SchoolCalifornia Western School of Law, J.D.
UndergraduateSan Diego State University, B.A. Political Science
LanguagesEnglish & Spanish

Every lawyer knows what full representation looks like.

It's how we handle a case when it's our own family in the client chair: pull the footage and actually watch it, question the stop, know the courtroom before walking in, and be there personally, every time. If my mom or dad were arrested in this county, that's exactly what I'd demand — and it's the only version of this job I offer. I don't keep one standard for family and a cheaper one for clients.

Before focusing on DUI defense, I spent roughly a decade in complex civil litigation, which gave me trial skills and a comfort with complicated cases that translates directly to how I approach DUI defense — particularly felony cases involving injury, contested facts, and situations where there's a real fight to be had.

I take cases I can personally handle. You won't be handed off to an associate or a contract attorney. When you call, you get me. When you go to court, I'm standing next to you.

Fees

Transparent flat-fee representation

You'll know what you're paying before you hire me. No hourly billing, no surprise invoices.

I use a flat-fee structure for DUI representation. Your fee is determined by the nature and complexity of your case. Once we agree on a fee, that's what you pay — no additional charges for phone calls, emails, or standard court appearances.

Every DUI case is different. A straightforward first-offense misdemeanor has a different level of complexity than a felony DUI with injury allegations, multiple priors, or federal court proceedings. Your fee reflects the work your case actually requires.

First-time misdemeanor DUIStandard flat fee
Repeat DUI offensesAdjusted for enhanced penalties
Felony DUIReflects complexity & stakes
Federal / military base DUIFederal court proceedings
Trial representationSeparately contracted

Call for a free consultation and I'll give you a specific quote based on your situation — a real number, and time to decide.

Your flat fee includes:

  • Complete criminal court representation
  • DMV administrative hearing
  • All standard court appearances
  • Case investigation & evidence review
  • Blood / breath / FST analysis
  • Plea negotiations
  • Regular case updates
  • Direct access to your attorney

Payment plans available. A serious defense shouldn't depend on paying everything up front — ask during your consultation.

Common Questions

San Diego DUI questions, answered straight

How long do I have to request a DMV hearing after a DUI arrest?

Ten days from the date of arrest. If you don't request an Administrative Per Se hearing within that window, the DMV's license suspension typically proceeds automatically. Requesting the hearing preserves your driving privilege until the hearing is decided — it's the most time-sensitive step in any California DUI case, and it's included in my representation.

Is it worth fighting a DUI, or should I just plead guilty?

That question can't be answered honestly until someone has actually read the evidence — the stop, the testing procedure, the maintenance logs, the video. Some cases have real suppression or accuracy issues; some don't. What I can tell you is that pleading at the first appearance, before anyone has reviewed discovery, means accepting the same offer that would have been available anyway. The evidence review is the point of hiring counsel.

Can I avoid jail time for a first DUI in California?

Most first-offense misdemeanor DUI resolutions in San Diego County involve probation, fines, and a DUI education program rather than custody — but outcomes depend heavily on the facts: BAC level, whether there was an accident, and your record. Charge reductions such as a "wet reckless" may also be available depending on the evidence. No attorney can promise a result; what I promise is the work.

Can military members and veterans get a DUI dismissed through diversion?

Sometimes, yes. California's military diversion statute (Penal Code § 1001.80) allows eligible current and former service members with service-related conditions like PTSD or TBI to complete treatment instead of prosecution — ending in dismissal of the charges. San Diego is one of the most military communities in America, and this is a significant part of my practice. Read the full military diversion guide →

Do I really need a local San Diego attorney?

Procedures, prosecutors, and practices genuinely differ from courthouse to courthouse in this county. An attorney who appears in these buildings every week knows how each one actually runs — and unlike out-of-county volume firms, I don't hand your appearances to contract counsel. The lawyer you hire is the lawyer in court.

Get in Touch

Free consultation — call now

If the arrest was last night, you're probably running on no sleep and worst-case scenarios. A DUI charge is serious, but it's a process — deadlines, procedures, defenses — not a verdict on the rest of your life. Call, and I'll tell you where your case actually stands and what the next ten days look like. No lecture, no judgment.

Phone
(619) 486-8860
Answered 24/7 — bilingual intake
Email
info@sdduidefense.com
Office
8880 Rio San Diego Drive
Suite 800, PMB 2047
San Diego, CA 92108
Courts Served
All San Diego Superior Court divisions
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
DMV offices throughout San Diego County

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