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California Criminal Defense

Handling Cases Exclusively
In Ventura County California

Law Office of Paul Tyler

Call Us Now / Free Consultation

805-889-9000

Available 24 Hours / 7 Days A Week

Home / Ojai Dui and Criminal Defense Attorney

Ojai DUI and Criminal Defense Attorney

Ojai is a small valley town at the end of Highway 33: quiet, close-knit, and a place where an arrest feels anything but routine. The cases I see from Ojai are led by DUI, the 33 winding down to Ventura is the valley’s only real road out, and it is where most Ojai criminal cases begin. Whatever brought you to this page, know this: most first-time cases end far better than they begin when they are handled correctly from the start. I have practiced criminal defense in Ventura County for 30 years, with more than 20,000 court appearances. Call me at 805-889-9000. I answer personally, 24/7, and the consultation is free.

DUI on the 33: The Ojai Case I See Most

A dinner in the Arcade, a drive down the grade, a stop on the 33, and suddenly someone who has never seen the inside of a courtroom is facing a criminal charge. Two things matter immediately. First, the deadline: you have 10 days from arrest to request a DMV hearing, or your license is suspended automatically. Request it in time and you keep driving until it is decided. Second, the case is more defensible than it feels: the stop on a dark winding highway, the field sobriety tests performed on uneven ground, the breath machine’s calibration, the blood draw. DUI cases are technical, and technical cases have weaknesses. I have defended thousands of them in this county, and California’s ignition interlock rules now let most first offenders keep driving regardless. One free call and I will tell you honestly where you stand.

Where Ojai Cases Are Heard

There is no criminal courthouse in the Ojai Valley: misdemeanors and felonies from Ojai, Meiners Oaks, and Oak View are heard down the hill at the Hall of Justice on Victoria Avenue in Ventura, the courthouse where I have appeared nearly every working day for three decades. And on all misdemeanors, I appear in court for you: you never drive down for a court date, never miss work, never sit in a courtroom. I handle the arraignment and every appearance after it, then call you with exactly what happened and what is next.

Cases I Defend

While DUI leads the list in Ojai, I defend every kind of criminal charge filed in the Ventura County courts:

Whatever the charge, my three questions never change: Can I get it dismissed? If not, can I get it reduced? And can I keep you out of jail?

Many Ojai Misdemeanors Can Be Dismissed Entirely

If your charge is a misdemeanor, though not a DUI, which the law excludes, know this: under California’s judicial diversion law (PC 1001.95), the judge can place most misdemeanor cases on diversion even over the DA’s objection. Complete the court’s terms and the case is dismissed, with no conviction; for nearly all purposes, the arrest is treated as if it never happened, and in a town the size of Ojai, that quiet ending matters. It is one of the first things I evaluate in every misdemeanor I take.

Discreet, Honest, and a Phone Call Away

I grew up in Ventura County, and I have spent my entire 30-year career in its courts. Every Ojai case I take gets discretion, my personal attention, and a straight answer about what is realistic. When you call 805-889-9000, you get me, no secretary, no paralegal, no associate, with flat fees quoted up front. Free consultation, available 24/7.

How to Choose the Right DUI Attorney in Ventura County

Choosing the right DUI attorney is an important decision. Experience in the local courts, knowledge of DUI defense, DMV hearing experience, and personal communication with your attorney are all factors you should consider before hiring a lawyer.

I have written a detailed guide explaining what to look for when choosing a DUI attorney, including the questions you should ask and why local Ventura County experience matters.

Read: How to Choose the Best DUI Attorney in Ventura County.