Newport Beach Lemon Law

Newport Beach is in Orange County, so civil cases are filed in the Orange County Superior Court. Civil unlimited matters — which is the typical posture for Song-Beverly lemon law claims because actual damages plus the up-to-2x civil penalty usually exceed $35,000 — are commonly assigned to the Civil Complex Center at 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana. Some cases are filed at the Central Justice Center on the same campus depending on assignment rules. Manufacturers can also be sued in any other California county where they regularly do business.

Yes. Song-Beverly (Cal. Civ. Code 1790-1795.8) applies to any new motor vehicle sold or leased in California with a manufacturer's express written warranty, regardless of price or brand. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, McLaren, Porsche, Bugatti, and other ultra-luxury vehicles are all covered if used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes (and certain business-use vehicles where the entity has five or fewer registered). Higher purchase prices increase the actual damages base, which in turn increases the up-to-2x civil penalty exposure under Cal. Civ. Code 1794(c).

Song-Beverly covers defects arising during the manufacturer's express written warranty period. Manufacturer-backed extended warranties (such as factory CPO warranties) are generally covered. Third-party service contracts sold by dealers or independent administrators are not typically Song-Beverly warranties because the third-party administrator is not the manufacturer, though Magnuson-Moss federal claims and California consumer-protection theories may still apply. Bring all warranty paperwork to a consultation so coverage can be confirmed for your specific product.

Yes. Cal. Civ. Code 1794(c) authorizes a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages where the manufacturer's failure to comply with Song-Beverly was willful, regardless of the manufacturer's size or the vehicle's price. Willfulness is typically shown when the manufacturer knew of the defect (often through internal technical service bulletins), knew repair attempts had failed, and refused to repurchase without legitimate basis. On a $200,000 vehicle, the civil penalty can be substantial, which is why luxury-brand manufacturers often settle promptly once a documented Song-Beverly demand is on the table.

Generally yes, if you purchased the vehicle in California and the vehicle was registered in California at delivery. Song-Beverly applies based on the place of sale. The vehicle's current location does not strip the original buyer of Song-Beverly rights, though it can complicate repair-attempt logistics. Repair orders from out-of-state authorized franchised dealers should still count as repair attempts. Discuss your specific timeline and registration history with counsel because cross-jurisdictional fact patterns sometimes affect available remedies.

Yes. Cal. Civ. Code 1791(g) defines 'buyer' to include a lessee under a retail consumer lease, and Tanner Act remedies apply to leases of new motor vehicles. A successful lease lemon claim typically results in termination of the lease, refund of all monthly payments and any capitalized cost reduction, payment of official fees, and the manufacturer paying off the residual to the lessor so you walk away. On luxury-leased vehicles with high monthly payments and large cap-cost reductions, total recovery can be significant even before the up-to-2x civil penalty.

Cal. Civ. Code 1794(d) shifts attorneys' fees and costs to the manufacturer if the consumer prevails. That is why reputable California lemon law attorneys handle qualifying cases on a contingency basis with no out-of-pocket cost to you, and you keep the full settlement or judgment for the vehicle separately from the fee award. The fee-shift is one-directional — if the manufacturer prevails, you do not owe their fees. The fee-shift is one of the main reasons manufacturers settle qualifying California Song-Beverly cases before trial.