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

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

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

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.

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

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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