Sonoma County DUI Defense Attorney: Protecting Your Record, Your License, and Your Future

One bad night can change a lot. The stress, the embarrassment, the worry about work and family, and the uncertainty about what happens next can feel overwhelming. Whatever brought you here, you don’t have to figure it out alone, and you don’t have to be judged for it.

Jenica Leonard spent years as a prosecutor, building the very cases she now knows how to challenge. She knows how the DA’s office approaches DUI charges, what they need to prove, and where those cases tend to be vulnerable. If you’ve been arrested in Sonoma County or anywhere in the North Bay, that insider perspective works for you.

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What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Sonoma County

The hours and days after a DUI arrest are confusing, and a lot of people don’t realize they’re dealing with two separate cases at once. Knowing what’s coming can help you take back some control.

  1. The criminal case.

    This is handled in Sonoma County Superior Court. You’ll receive a court date, and the DA’s office decides what charges to pursue. This is where the question of fines, probation, or jail gets decided.

  2. The DMV case.

    Separate from court, the DMV can move to suspend your license based on the arrest itself, whether or not you’re ever convicted. There’s a short window, generally 10 days from the arrest, to request a hearing to challenge that suspension. Miss it, and the suspension can take effect automatically.

What you need to do:

  • Keep every piece of paperwork you were given, including any temporary license and your court date.

  • Write down what you remember while it’s fresh: where you were stopped, what the officer said, what tests were given.

  • Talk to a defense attorney before that DMV deadline passes. The sooner Jenica is involved, the more options you’re likely to have.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to take the next step.

Types of DUI Charges We Handle

  • First-offense DUI: Your first arrest, and what’s at stake for your record and license

  • Repeat DUI: Prior convictions raise the stakes, and the strategy matters even more

  • Drug or prescription DUI: Including cannabis and prescription medications

  • DUI with injury or felony exposure: Cases involving harm to another person or felony-level charges

  • Underage DUI: Charges involving drivers under 21

  • Chemical test refusal cases: When a breath or blood test was declined

Not sure which applies to you? Call 707.247.5051 or send a message, and Jenica will help you sort it out.

Why a Former Prosecutor Matters in a DUI Case

DUI cases turn on details: Why were you stopped? How were the field sobriety tests given? How were chemical tests handled. Jenica Leonard spent years as a prosecutor building these cases, so she knows how the DA’s office puts one together and where it’s most likely to have weak spots. Now she uses that knowledge to look closely at your case from the other side.

Here’s where she focuses:

Was the traffic stop legal?
An officer needs a valid reason to pull you over. If the stop wasn’t lawful, evidence gathered afterward can be challenged.

How reliable were the field sobriety tests?
Roadside tests are subjective and affected by nerves, health conditions, footwear, lighting, and road surface. Jenica looks at how they were given and how they were scored.

How accurate were the breath and blood tests?
Chemical tests depend on properly maintained equipment, trained operators, and careful handling. Errors in any of these can affect how much weight the results deserve.

Were proper procedures followed?
From the stop to the arrest to the paperwork, every step has rules. Mistakes in the process can matter to your case.

Every case is different, and no attorney can promise a particular result. What Jenica can promise is a close, informed look at how the evidence was gathered and a strategy built around your situation.

Our Process

Most people facing a DUI aren’t who they imagine a “defendant” to be. They’re parents, employees, business owners, and neighbors who made one decision, or got caught in one bad moment, and now feel exposed and ashamed. Jenica Leonard’s approach starts there: with respect for you as a person, and a defense strategy built to protect what you’ve worked for.

We start with your story, not just the police report.

The report tells one side. Jenica takes time to understand what happened, what’s going on in your life, and what outcome matters most to you.

Whether that’s keeping your license, protecting your job, or avoiding a conviction. You’ll never be lectured, and nothing you share is met with judgment.

We investigate every step of the case.

Jenica reviews the reports, video, test records, and timeline, looking for gaps and inconsistencies.

Her years as a prosecutor mean she knows what a DUI case needs to hold together, and what it looks like when it doesn’t.

We build a strategy around you.

Depending on the evidence, that may mean challenging the prosecution’s case, negotiating with the DA’s office for a better resolution, or preparing for trial.

Jenica explains each option in plain language, with honest expectations, so you make the decisions with clear information.

Tenacious in court, steady beside you.
Jenica pairs a calm, respectful presence with the same determination that defines her work in the courtroom. You get an advocate who will fight for your case and treat you with dignity while she does it.

We take the whole situation seriously.

For some clients, a DUI is connected to stress, grief, substance use, or a health challenge.

A trauma-informed approach means those realities are met with understanding, and where appropriate, they can be part of the conversation about alternative resolutions.

Getting support isn’t an admission of anything. It can be part of a stronger path forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About DUI arrest in Sonoma County

  • Act quickly: you have just 10 days from your arrest to request a DMV hearing, or your license suspension starts automatically. Don’t discuss the case with anyone but your attorney, write down everything you remember while it’s fresh, and keep the paperwork the officer gave you. Then talk to a DUI defense attorney who knows the Sonoma County courts.

  • Not necessarily. A DUI arrest starts two separate cases: one with the DMV and one in criminal court. Requesting a DMV hearing within 10 days puts the automatic suspension on hold, and even if a suspension happens, many drivers can keep driving with an ignition interlock device. The sooner you act, the more options you keep.

  • In most cases, a first-time DUI in California is a misdemeanor. It can be charged as a felony if someone was injured or killed, or if you have certain prior DUI convictions. Even a misdemeanor carries real consequences, including probation, fines, DUI classes, and license restrictions, so it deserves a serious defense from the start.

  • Yes. California’s DUI law covers any drug that impairs your ability to drive safely, including prescription medication and legal cannabis. A valid prescription or legal use isn’t a defense on its own. Unlike alcohol, though, there’s no set legal limit for THC, so these cases often depend on officer observations and testing methods that can be challenged.

  • For most misdemeanor DUIs, your attorney can appear for you at many court dates, so you don’t have to miss work for every hearing. A judge can still require you to attend certain hearings, like your plea or sentencing, and felony cases require you to be there. We’ll always tell you exactly when you need to show up.

  • Yes, it happens more often than people think. Breath and blood tests can be unreliable, traffic stops must be legally justified, and officers don’t always follow proper procedure. Depending on the evidence, a DUI may be dismissed or reduced to a lesser charge. As a former prosecutor, Jenica knows how DUI cases are built and where they tend to break down.

  • Many misdemeanor DUI cases in the North Bay resolve within a few months, while cases involving injuries, felony charges, or a trial can take longer. Your DMV hearing runs on its own separate timeline. Whatever the pace, you’ll know where your case stands and what comes next at every step.

  • A DUI conviction will appear on most criminal background checks. The good news: once you’ve completed probation, you may be eligible for an expungement under California Penal Code 1203.4, which can help with job applications. An expunged DUI still counts as a prior if you’re charged again within 10 years and still shows on your DMV driving record.

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