4 Best DUI Lawyers in Salinas (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

We compared 16 DUI lawyers in Salinas on Google Maps · 4 listed · How we rank

A DUI arrest sends most people looking for a criminal defense lawyer, and the DUI lawyers in Salinas on this page are all criminal defense offices based in the city, with more than 380 Google reviews between them and none rated below 4.8. What separates them is where DUI shows up: reviewers of Taylor & Dolowich and Charles H. Shivers describe DUI cases directly, while Chris Cain Law and Mario J. Martinez name DUI on their own sites.

Short answer: Chris Cain Law ranks first among Salinas DUI lawyers on volume: 4.8 stars from more than 210 Google reviews, though its sampled reviews describe traffic and other criminal matters and its own site lists misdemeanor DUI. Taylor & Dolowich and Charles H. Shivers both hold a 5.0, and reviewers of each describe DUI cases. Fees are not published on any of these sites, so ask for the cost in writing at the consultation.

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1. Chris Cain Law
2. Taylor & Dolowich, A P…
3. Charles H. Shivers, At…
4. Law Office of Mario J.…
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Salinas DUI Defense, Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Chris Cain Law	4.8 ★	218	Largest review base / traffic cases	View ›
2	Taylor & Dolowich, A Professional Law Corporation	5.0 ★	83	DUI defense / commercial drivers	View ›
3	Charles H. Shivers, Attorney at Law	5.0 ★	50	DUI and felony defense	View ›
4	Law Office of Mario J. Martinez	4.9 ★	39	Criminal defense / Spanish spoken	View ›

The firms, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Chris Cain Law

4.8218 Google reviews

Chris Cain Law is a Monterey County firm at 6 W Gabilan St, Suite 17 in Salinas, practicing immigration and criminal defense. Its site lists traffic offenses, criminal defense and misdemeanor DUI among its services, plus a bilingual staff. The reviews in our sample describe traffic ticket cases and other criminal matters rather than DUI specifically.

What people praise

Reviewers describe a responsive lawyer who explains the situation clearly
One reviewer says he was honest enough to say no legal help was needed for what looked like a ticket
Several reviewers describe traffic tickets and charges that ended in dismissal
Site lists a bilingual staff and walk-in consultations

Worth knowing

None of the sampled reviews names a DUI case, so ask about DUI experience directly
Office hours on Google are weekdays, ending at 3 or 4 PM

Reputation scorecardrank in Salinas

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume218 · 97th

Confidencehigh

Recency4 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown94% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It ranks first because it carries by far the largest review base here, and its site does list misdemeanor DUI. Taylor & Dolowich and Shivers have clearer DUI evidence in their reviews.

Website +1831-296-0060 Directions

6 W Gabilan St Ste 17, Salinas, CA 93901

#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Taylor & Dolowich, A Professional Law Corporation

5.083 Google reviews

Taylor & Dolowich, A Professional Law Corporation is a criminal defense firm at 241 Salinas St in Salinas. Its site lists DUI first among its practice areas, alongside drug offenses, domestic violence, weapons offenses, record expungements and veterans treatment court, for clients in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. Partners Dylan Taylor and Jamey Dolowich are named in reviews.

What people praise

Several reviewers describe DUI cases, including one who says the case was dismissed
A commercial driver says his DUI case ended in a result that let him keep his CDL
Reviewers say the team explained each step and answered questions quickly
A reviewer praises Dylan Taylor's grasp of the technical side of DUI cases

Worth knowing

Handles many types of criminal cases, not only DUI
A reviewer notes the firm may not take every case

Reputation scorecardrank in Salinas

Rating5 / 5

Review volume83 · 91st

Confidencemoderate

Recency5 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown99% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A 5.0 from more than 80 reviews, with the most direct DUI evidence in its reviews. It ranks second behind Chris Cain Law only on review volume.

Website +1831-998-9187 Directions

241 Salinas St, Salinas, CA 93901

#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Charles H. Shivers, Attorney at Law

5.050 Google reviews

Charles H. Shivers, Attorney at Law is a criminal defense practice at 40 Central Ave #2 in Salinas, which its site describes as near the Salinas Courthouse. The site lists DUI, domestic violence and drug offenses as practice areas and has a DUI blog. Its reviews describe a DUI case and a felony case.

What people praise

A reviewer describes a DUI case handled with sensitivity and clear explanation of options
A felony client describes a lawyer who was upfront about risks at each step
Reviewers say he checked in before court dates and communicated on time
Another reviewer helped arrange representation for a relative charged in Salinas

Worth knowing

Smaller review base than the firms above it

Reputation scorecardrank in Salinas

Rating5 / 5

Review volume50 · 78th

Confidenceearly

Recency10 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown100% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A 5.0 from more than 45 reviews, with both a DUI case and tougher felony matters described. A good call if you want a practice near the courthouse.

Website +1831-751-1667 Directions

Austin house, 40 Central Ave #2, Salinas, CA 93901

#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Law Office of Mario J. Martinez

4.939 Google reviews

The Law Office of Mario J. Martinez is at 146 Central Ave in Salinas. Its site describes criminal defense in Salinas and Monterey County, from DUI to assault and theft, and says Se habla Español. Reviewers describe a gun charge, a felony reduced to a misdemeanor, and a team that helped with court records afterward.

What people praise

Reviewers describe a lawyer who communicates each step and simplifies court language
One client says a felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor
A reviewer describes a staff member who helped retrieve court papers after the case
Site offers Spanish-language service

Worth knowing

DUI appears on the firm's site, but none of the sampled reviews names a DUI case
Smallest review base on this page

Reputation scorecardrank in Salinas

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume39 · 66th

Confidenceearly

Recency5 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown97% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A 4.9 from more than 35 reviews and consistent praise for communication. Ask about DUI experience in your first call, since reviewers talk mostly about other charges.

Website +1831-751-7790 Directions

146 Central Ave, Salinas, CA 93901

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How the scores work

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown. Rating is the live Google star average. Review volume is how many clients have rated the firm, compared with other Salinas DUI and criminal defense lawyers we found. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.8 from hundreds of reviews carries more weight than a 5.0 from a few dozen. Recency reflects how recently people are still reviewing. No business can pay to change these numbers.

What drives DUI defense costs in Salinas

None of these firms publishes fees, and legal costs depend on the charge, the court and how far a case goes. We don’t print a cost table. Ask at the consultation whether the fee is flat or hourly, what it covers, and whether a trial would cost extra. No firm can promise an outcome, and past results described in reviews are not a guarantee.

DUI defense around Salinas

All of these offices are in Salinas, on Gabilan St, Salinas St and Central Ave. Taylor & Dolowich says it serves Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, and Charles H. Shivers says his office is near the Salinas Courthouse. Looking for a DUI lawyer near you in Salinas? Call and ask which court your case is in.

What to ask a DUI lawyer before you hire

How many DUI cases like mine have you handled in Monterey County?
What happens to my driver’s license, and what deadlines apply?
Is your fee flat or hourly, and what does it cover?
Who will actually handle my case day to day?
How will you keep me updated before each court date?

Frequently asked questions

Which Salinas lawyers describe DUI cases in their reviews?

Reviewers of Taylor & Dolowich describe several DUI cases, including a commercial driver’s, and a reviewer of Charles H. Shivers describes a DUI case. The sampled reviews for Chris Cain Law and Mario J. Martinez describe traffic and other criminal matters instead.

Which firms list DUI on their own websites?

Taylor & Dolowich and Charles H. Shivers list DUI as a practice area. Chris Cain Law lists misdemeanor DUI, and the Law Office of Mario J. Martinez says it handles criminal cases from DUI to assault and theft.

Do any of these Salinas DUI lawyers speak Spanish?

The Law Office of Mario J. Martinez says Se habla Español on its site, and Chris Cain Law’s site mentions a bilingual staff. Ask the others directly.

I hold a commercial license. Does that change who I should call?

A Taylor & Dolowich reviewer, a commercial driver, describes a DUI case where he kept his CDL. A license can be affected by a DUI, so ask any firm how it handles the license side as well as the court case.

Where to start

Taylor & Dolowich has the clearest DUI track record in its reviews, Charles H. Shivers is the other to read for DUI feedback, and Chris Cain Law has the largest review base. Book a consultation and ask how many DUI cases the lawyer has handled.

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