Grass Valley & Nevada County DUI Lawyer
Reaching out is the hardest part — and the most important
If you've just been arrested for a DUI in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Truckee, or anywhere in Nevada County, you're probably scared and unsure of what to do next. That's the normal reaction. Most people in this situation have never been arrested before. They don't know how the system works, what their options are, or whether they need a lawyer at all. They're also worried about cost, about embarrassment, and about what happens to their license, their job, and their family.
The first conversation is free, there's no pressure, and you'll talk directly with me — not a screener, not an intake clerk, not an associate. Whether you were arrested last night or you're weighing your options after a recent arrest, I'm glad to help you understand where you stand. Call and we'll take it from there.
10 days
Recently arrested? The clock is already running.
You have just 10 days to request a DMV hearing and protect your license. Don't wait — call and I'll make sure it's requested in time.
Call — the fastest way to reach me
Email: thephillipslawoffices@gmail.com
Office: Phillips Law Offices
305 Railroad Avenue, Suite 5
Nevada City, CA 95959
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
What happens when you call
- You reach a lawyer — me — not a salesperson.
- It's free, and there's no obligation.
- I'll listen, get the basic facts, explain the law in plain English, and lay out your options honestly.
- The conversation is confidential.
- If your arrest was recent, I'll explain the 10-day DMV deadline and make sure your DMV hearing is requested in time.
What I handle
I represent people facing the full range of DUI charges across Nevada County:
- First-offense DUI — the most common, often the most defensible.
- Second-offense DUI within 10 years — mandatory minimum jail, two-year license suspension.
- Third-offense DUI — 120 days mandatory minimum, three-year revocation.
- Felony DUI — fourth offense, prior felony DUI, serious injury, or death.
- DUI causing injury — wobbler with strike implications.
- Drug DUI and marijuana DUI — different evidentiary battle than alcohol DUI.
- Under-21 DUI — zero-tolerance law, special consequences.
- DMV hearings — the 10-day deadline that decides your driving privilege.
- DUI expungement — clearing a past conviction from your record.
Where I practice
From my office in Nevada City, I defend DUI cases throughout the county. The Nevada County Superior Court operates two courthouses — Nevada City for the western county and Truckee for the eastern. I appear in both regularly. Cases from Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, and the rural foothills are handled at the Nevada City courthouse on Church Street. Cases from Truckee, Donner Lake, and the I-80 corridor are handled at the Truckee courthouse on Levon Avenue.
Wherever the arrest happened, Nevada County cases are handled here, and I'll be right there with you.
Why call me
I've practiced criminal and DUI defense in Nevada County for more than 30 years, on the defense side only. More than 100 jury trials to verdict. A trial-ready approach to every case, because that preparation is what creates leverage at the negotiating table — and the only way to actually try a case if it has to go that way. And direct lawyer access from the first call to the resolution, because that's how serious cases deserve to be handled.
I'm not a parachute attorney from Sacramento or the Bay Area. I live in Nevada County. I know this community, these courts, and how DUI cases actually move through this system. That local knowledge is what makes the difference between competent representation and effective representation.