Orange County & Los Angeles
Hit and Run Defense Attorney
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The Short Answer
Hit and run charges come in two very different sizes: misdemeanor property-damage cases under Vehicle Code 20002, and felony injury cases under VC 20001. The misdemeanor version is one of the most resolvable charges in California, with civil compromise (paying the damage in exchange for dismissal) available in many cases, and identity is a genuine battleground since prosecutors must prove who was driving. We have won dismissals in these cases, including one built on mistaken identity.
Most hit and run cases are not dramatic flights from mangled wrecks. They are parking lot taps, clipped mirrors, and panicked moments that a camera or a witness turned into a criminal case weeks later, sometimes before you even knew there was damage.
Farris Law Firm defends hit and run allegations across Orange County and Los Angeles, and these cases reward early counsel more than almost any other: what happens before charges are filed often decides everything.
Hit and Run Charges in California
Misdemeanor hit and run (VC 20002)
Leaving after property damage without exchanging information. Up to 6 months jail exposure, but civil compromise and diversion resolve many of these.
Felony hit and run (VC 20001)
Leaving after an accident involving injury. A wobbler with prison exposure that demands immediate, serious defense.
Pre-filing investigations
Police often send letters or call before charging. This window is where we do our best work, sometimes preventing charges entirely.
Related license consequences
DMV points and suspension exposure alongside the criminal case.
Exposure in Hit and Run Cases
The gap between best and worst outcomes in these cases is enormous, and early counsel is usually what decides where you land.
| Charge | Level | Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| VC 20002 (property damage) | Misdemeanor | Up to 6 months jail, fines, 2 DMV points |
| VC 20001 (injury) | Wobbler | Up to 1 year jail, or 16 months to 3 years as a felony |
| VC 20001(b)(2) (death or serious injury) | Felony | 2 to 4 years state prison |
| Civil compromise (PC 1377) | Resolution path | Damage paid, case dismissed, in qualifying misdemeanor cases |
How Hit and Run Cases Get Won
Prosecutors must prove you were driving, you knew about the accident, and you willfully left. Each element is attackable:
- Identity: registered owner is not proof of driver, and we have won a complete dismissal on mistaken identity
- Lack of knowledge: minor contact genuinely goes unnoticed, especially in trucks and older cars
- No damage or disputed causation: no damage means no duty triggered
- Civil compromise: making the property owner whole in exchange for dismissal
- Pre-filing advocacy that resolves the matter before charges exist
- Suppression of statements made to insurers and police without counsel
Frequently Asked Questions
The police left a card on my door about a hit and run. What do I do?
Do not call them back yourself: returning that call without counsel is how ordinary people talk themselves into charges. Call us first. We contact the investigator, control the flow of information, and often resolve the matter before anything is filed.
What is a civil compromise and do I qualify?
In qualifying misdemeanor cases, Penal Code 1377 lets the case be dismissed when the person who suffered the damage is made whole and the court approves. It is a powerful, underused tool in VC 20002 cases, and we have used it and similar resolutions to win dismissals, including diversion on a hit and run in our recent victories.
Should I just call my insurance company and explain?
Talk to a lawyer first. Insurer statements are recorded, discoverable, and regularly become the prosecution's best evidence on identity and knowledge. There is a right order of operations here, and we will walk you through it in a free call.
Nobody was hurt and the damage was tiny. Is this really a criminal case?
It can be, technically, but small-damage VC 20002 cases are also the most resolvable ones: civil compromise, diversion, and reductions to non-criminal outcomes are all realistic with counsel. The mistake is ignoring it and letting a warrant or filing surprise you.
Charged or under investigation? Talk to a defense attorney tonight.
Free, confidential phone consultation any hour, any day. Payment plans available.