Orange County Criminal Defense
Newport Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer
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Newport Beach generates a steady stream of criminal cases that do not match the city's postcard image: DUI arrests coming out of the peninsula bars, boating under the influence in the harbor, domestic disputes, and professionals caught in one bad night that now threatens a license or a security clearance.
Farris Law Firm defends these cases at Harbor Justice Center, which sits right in Newport Beach on Jamboree Road. Our Aliso Viejo office is minutes away, and attorney Charles Farris knows the judges and prosecutors who will decide how your case ends.
When One Night in Newport Threatens Everything You Built
Many of our Newport Beach clients are physicians, real estate professionals, financial advisors, contractors, and business owners. For them, the criminal penalty is only half the problem: a conviction can trigger professional license discipline, cost a DRE or FINRA registration, or end a career that took decades to build. We defend the criminal case with those collateral consequences in front of mind, structuring outcomes that protect licenses and livelihoods.
Newport Beach Police Department cases move quickly, and DUI cases in particular come with a separate 10 day DMV deadline to save your driver's license. Call us before that window closes and we will handle both the court case and the DMV hearing.
Newport Beach Criminal Defense FAQs
I got a DUI in Newport Beach. Will I lose my license?
Not automatically. You have 10 days from the arrest to request a DMV administrative hearing, which pauses the suspension until the hearing is decided. We request the hearing, obtain the evidence, and fight both the DMV action and the criminal case. Many clients keep driving throughout, sometimes with a restricted or interlock license.
Will a conviction affect my professional license?
It can. Medical, nursing, real estate, securities, and contractor licensing boards all ask about criminal cases, and some convictions trigger mandatory reporting. We structure defense strategy around your license from day one, aiming for outcomes such as reductions, diversion, or dismissals that minimize what you ever have to report.
What happens at my first court date at Harbor Justice Center?
The first appearance is the arraignment: charges are formally presented and a plea is entered. In many misdemeanor cases we can appear for you under Penal Code 977 so you never have to set foot in the courthouse. We almost always enter not guilty at arraignment so we can obtain the evidence and negotiate from strength.
Can you handle boating under the influence (BUI) cases?
Yes. Harbors and Navigation Code 655 cases out of Newport Harbor work much like DUI cases, with chemical test and reasonable suspicion issues we know how to attack. Do not assume a BUI is minor; it is a criminal charge with real consequences.
Facing charges in Newport Beach? Talk to a defense attorney tonight.
Free, confidential phone consultation any hour, any day. Payment plans available.