1. Must I return to Sonoma County court?
Usually no. Whether you live here or not, California law provides that a misdemeanor DUI defendant may waive his/her personal appearance and instead arrange for an attorney to appear on your behalf. If you live outside Sonoma County (either in another California county or in another state), then this is one of the principle reasons to hire a private Santa Rosa DUI lawyer (public defenders require your presence at each court appearance, and you must be present to initially obtain their services anyways). (Click on Ten Tips For the First 48 Hours After Arrest for the other important reasons to hire a lawyer).
Note that rarely a court may order your appearance with your attorney, in "appropriate cases" (usually anticipated when one or more prior DUI's or violation(s) of probation are alleged, and/or high alcohol levels or other aggravating factors are present). Typically, in Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties, you are not required to attend a misdemeanor court (or DMV) hearing unless there is a substantial proceeding where evidence is to be formally introduced (usually only a contested hearing or actual trial proceedings). In Marin County you must only attend sentencing (with your attorney by your side) if you live in Marin or a bordering county. Click on 977 Waiver for an example of Sonoma County's court form authorizing an attorney to appear on your behalf.
Will your absence be noticed by the court or required by your attorney? No, in most cases court appearances are strictly procedural (even clients who live here rarely, if ever, come to court). This doesn't mean you'll be left in the dark about your case. A good attorney will explain the entire process. To start, click here to see Jake's comprehensive Anatomy of a Sonoma County DUI flowchart. In addition, Jake's tech know-how can be very helpful to avoid the need for client travel, meetings or appearances in Santa Rosa. If requested, we .pdf police reports and other case documents to you within 24 hours after court appearances, and most court and DMV cases can be started and finished through efficient and complete email or snail mail exchange. Review the discussions below about how we may be able to arrange for you to comply with all sentencing orders without ever being required to return to Sonoma County if there are no viable defenses in your case.
You can (and should) closely follow the progress of your Sonoma County case by regularly communicating with your attorney before and after Santa Rosa court appearances, and follow your case separately online by clicking on Resources on this site and then find your local court under "Superior Courts" by clicking on the county where you were arrested (for example, Sonoma, Marin, Mendocino or Napa), and search your name. Sonoma Courts have an online calendar for Santa Rosa appearances the next morning which lists your name, case number, one charge, and the Santa Rosa courtroom (also called the "department") for your case. Napa Courts and Mendocino Courts have similar online calendars. Marin Courts have San Rafael appearances online weeks in advance. Consult with a Santa Rosa DUI attorney about your individual case.