Let's be upfront, because it matters for your case. Crudo Law is a San Diego firm. Torrance is not in San Diego County. It is in the South Bay of Los Angeles County, more than 90 miles up the coast, near the 405, Pacific Coast Highway, and Del Amo Fashion Center. So if you found this page after a DUI arrest in Torrance, you should know exactly what you are getting and what is different about a Los Angeles County case.
What does not change is the law. California's DUI statutes and DMV rules apply the same in Torrance as they do in San Diego. An arrest is not a conviction, the 10-day DMV deadline runs the same way, and the same kinds of defenses apply to the stop, the field sobriety tests, and the breath or blood evidence. What changes is the courthouse, the local prosecutors, and the way that particular court tends to handle these cases.
Joe Crudo takes select cases outside San Diego County on request, and he will always be honest with you on the first call about whether he is the right fit or whether you would be better served by a lawyer who is in a Torrance courtroom every week. That candor is the point. You should not hire anyone for an LA County case without understanding the jurisdiction.
Court Information
DUI cases from Torrance are handled in Los Angeles County, not San Diego County. The local branch is the Torrance Courthouse at 825 Maple Ave, Torrance, CA 90503, which serves the South Bay area including Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, and the surrounding cities.
This is a different court system with its own judges, its own prosecutors from the Los Angeles County District Attorney and city attorney offices, and its own local practices. It is not the San Diego County Superior Court, and the branch mapping we use for San Diego cases does not apply here. As always, the specific courtroom and how a case is filed can vary by charge, so treat this as general information about where Torrance cases go, not a guarantee about yours.
The DMV side, on the other hand, is statewide. Whether you were arrested in Torrance or in San Diego, you generally have only 10 days from the arrest to request a DMV hearing over your driving privilege, or a suspension can begin on its own. That deadline does not care which county you are in. Our DMV hearings page explains how the administrative case works.
Common Charges
Torrance DUI arrests are charged under the same California statutes used everywhere in the state. The usual counts are Vehicle Code 23152(a), driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and 23152(b), driving with a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher. Prosecutors often file both. The limit is 0.08 percent for adult drivers, 0.04 percent for commercial license holders, and 0.01 percent for anyone under 21 under the zero-tolerance rule.
The same defense questions apply as anywhere:
The stop. Police need a lawful reason to pull you over on PCH, the 405, or a Torrance surface street. If they did not have one, what came after may be challenged.
Field sobriety tests. These are affected by nerves, footwear, lighting, and medical conditions, not just alcohol. How they were given and scored can be questioned.
Breath and blood tests. Machines have to be maintained and operated correctly, and blood draws have chain-of-custody rules. When the number is close to 0.08, the science is worth fighting. See our BAC defense page.
Charges can rise to a felony where there is an injury accident under Vehicle Code 23153 or where there are prior convictions. If this is a first offense, our first DUI page explains what to expect, and the general framework holds in LA County even though the courthouse differs.
Why Choose Joe Crudo
The honest reason to call Joe about a Torrance case is the same reason San Diego clients call him: you get the attorney directly. Joe reads the reports himself and tells you the truth about your case, including whether an out-of-county firm is the right choice for you. For some Torrance cases, especially where you have a San Diego connection or you specifically want Joe, he is happy to appear on request. For others, he will point you toward local counsel who lives in that courthouse. Either way, you get a straight answer instead of a sales pitch.
Joe's defense philosophy travels well because it starts with the facts, not a plea. He looks for the weak points in the stop, the testing, and the timeline, the same pressure points that can lead to a reduction to a wet reckless, a better negotiated outcome, or in the right case a dismissal. Nothing is guaranteed in any DUI case, in any county.
Consultations are free and confidential, and the first call costs you nothing but a few minutes. You can read more about how Joe works on the about page.
If you were arrested for a DUI in Torrance, get clear answers fast. The 10-day DMV deadline runs no matter which county you are in, and the sooner you understand your options, the better.
Call (858) 622-7280 or reach out through our contact page for a free, confidential consultation. Joe will tell you honestly whether he is the right lawyer for your Los Angeles County case, and if not, help point you in the right direction.