A Ventura County lemon law attorney for Oxnard, Ventura, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks

If you are looking for a Ventura County lemon law attorney, you likely have a stack of repair orders and a vehicle that still is not right. California's lemon law, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, requires a manufacturer that cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts to repurchase or replace the vehicle. The buyer, not the manufacturer, chooses a refund or a replacement.

This page explains how a claim works for drivers in Ventura County, from Oxnard, Ventura and Camarillo to Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Santa Paula, Fillmore and Ojai. It covers the one courthouse that handles general civil cases, how we work with you at a distance, and what military buyers at Naval Base Ventura County should know. It is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice.

How we work with Ventura County clients

LaCour Trial Lawyers does not have an office in Ventura County. We serve clients there from two Los Angeles County offices:

• Pasadena (Corporate Headquarters): 1 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91105
• Long Beach: One World Trade Center, 8th Floor, Long Beach, CA 90802

You do not need to drive to either one. A lemon law case turns on documents: the sales or lease contract, the warranty booklet and the dealer's repair orders. Most clients photograph or scan those papers, send them by email, and talk with us by phone at a time that fits their day. If you prefer to meet in person, we can set a time at either office.

Call (310) 853-3461 or use the free case review form.

Which court hears Ventura County lemon law cases?

A Ventura County lemon law lawsuit is filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. The court lists three courthouses on its locations page: the Hall of Justice in Ventura, the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard and the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley. Only one of them matters for a typical buyback claim.

The court's civil division page states that "General Civil cases are heard at the Ventura Courthouse," which the locations page lists as the Hall of Justice, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93009. The civil division handles both limited and unlimited civil matters, and most lemon law claims are unlimited civil cases because of the amounts involved.

East County residents sometimes assume their case will be heard in Simi Valley. It generally will not. In a November 2011 public notice, the court announced that, effective January 30, 2012, it was moving its East County civil courtrooms and civil clerk's office operations from the East County Courthouse to the Hall of Justice, to allow "processing all general civil cases in one court location." Under that notice, unlawful detainers, family law, small claims and traffic matters stayed in Simi Valley. So a lemon law case from Thousand Oaks and one from Oxnard are both heard in Ventura.

Filing is electronic for lawyers. The civil division page says filings by attorneys in unlimited and limited civil cases are "mandatory electronic filing" under California Rule of Court 2.253(b). Your lawyer files from the office, and routine hearings are handled by counsel.

Will I have to go to court in Ventura?

Usually not for routine steps. Many lemon law cases resolve without the client testifying: after the manufacturer reviews the repair history, after the early document exchange, or at mediation. Your part is mostly gathering records, answering our questions, reviewing any offer and keeping the vehicle insured and registered until the case ends.

A few steps can involve you directly. You may answer written questions under oath. For manufacturers that opted in to California's 2025 procedures, each side may take a deposition of up to two hours early in the case. If a case goes to trial, you would testify at the Hall of Justice. We tell you ahead of time and prepare you.

Military buyers at Naval Base Ventura County

Naval Base Ventura County, which includes Point Mugu and Port Hueneme, brings many service members and their families to the county, and some arrive with a vehicle bought in another state. Under Civil Code § 1795.8, California's lemon law applies to a service member's purchase anywhere in the United States of a motor vehicle with a manufacturer's express warranty, regardless of where it was bought or registered, if the manufacturer sells vehicles in California and the service member was stationed in or a resident of California when buying the vehicle or when filing suit. Our guide to military lemon law in California explains the rule in detail.

How a Ventura County lemon law case works

1. Get every problem on paper. Each visit to an authorized dealer for the same defect is a repair attempt, even when the dealer finds nothing. If your car keeps failing, our step-by-step guide on what to do when your car keeps breaking down covers what to ask for at the service counter.
2. Check the presumption. Within 18 months or 18,000 miles, Civil Code § 1793.22(b) presumes a reasonable number of attempts after two repairs of a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four repairs of the same problem, or more than 30 cumulative days out of service. The first two also require direct notice to the manufacturer at least once, if the warranty or owner's manual clearly required it. Claims outside the presumption can still succeed. Try our "does my car qualify" tool.
3. Free review and notice. We review your file. For opted-in manufacturers, a buyer seeking a civil penalty must send written notice at least 30 days before suing; see the 2025 changes under AB 1755.
4. Filing in Ventura, if needed, followed by early disclosures and mediation on set timelines for opted-in manufacturers.
5. Resolution: a repurchase, a replacement, or a cash settlement in which you keep the vehicle.

What a buyback can include

Under Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2), restitution covers the actual price paid or payable, including charges for manufacturer-installed options and transportation, collateral charges such as sales tax and registration, and incidental damages such as towing and rental costs. The manufacturer may subtract an offset: the price times the miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000. A hypothetical: on a $40,000 price with 9,000 miles before that first visit, the offset would be $3,000 ($40,000 × 9,000 ÷ 120,000). That is an illustration only. Use the buyback calculator for your numbers.

Under Civil Code § 1794, a willful violation can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages, and a buyer who prevails recovers reasonable attorney's fees and costs from the manufacturer. We do not charge you by the hour, and we do not quote "average" settlement figures.

Deadlines

For manufacturers that opted in to the 2025 procedures, a lawsuit generally must be filed within one year after the express warranty expires and no later than six years after delivery, with some time added for repairs and notice. The Department of Consumer Affairs posts the list; check it rather than assuming. For other manufacturers, the deadline is generally four years under the Commercial Code's warranty statute of limitations, and tolling rules can apply. Call promptly.

Help in Spanish

If you are more comfortable in Spanish, whether you live in Oxnard, Santa Paula or anywhere else in the county, tell us on the first call. Our team speaks Spanish and can explain your rights and review your documents in Spanish. Hablamos español. The state's Spanish-language lemon law Q&A is also a good start.

Reach us from Ventura County

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims with trial counsel leading each case. Call (310) 853-3461 or send your repair orders through the free, confidential review form. Driving into Los Angeles County for work? Our Los Angeles lemon law page covers the courts there.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.