How a DUI case actually works
Most directories answer who you can hire. These answer what happens to you, when, and in which courtroom. Where a number depends on your state, they say so instead of quoting one that is wrong somewhere.
The first 72 hours
Do you need a lawyer for a first DUI?
Not every first DUI needs a private lawyer, and pretending otherwise helps no one. Here is how to actually decide, including when a public defender is enough.
What happens after a first DUI arrest
An arrest starts two cases. One is criminal and slow, the other decides whether you can drive and moves first. What to do in the next thirty days.
What happens at a DUI arraignment?
An arraignment is short, procedural, and less dramatic than it sounds. Here is exactly what happens, what you'll be asked, and what to bring.
Will you lose your license after a DUI?
A DUI arrest can trigger a license suspension separate from your court case, on a deadline you may not know about. Here is how the two processes work and what to do first.
Tests and evidence
Can police take your blood for a DUI?
Blood draws are governed by different rules than breath tests, and often require a warrant. Here is when police can draw blood and what refusing actually does.
Can you refuse a breathalyzer?
Refusing a breathalyzer is legally different from refusing a roadside test, and it triggers consequences of its own. Here is the distinction almost no one explains.
Field sobriety tests, explained
The three standardized field sobriety tests are scored on specific criteria, and they are voluntary in most places. Here is what each one actually measures.
What is BAC, and why is it so hard to estimate?
BAC measures the percentage of alcohol in your blood, but the same number of drinks produces wildly different results depending on factors you can't easily track. Here is why.
Consequences
Can you go to Canada with a DUI?
Canada treats impaired driving as serious criminality, and a DUI can make you inadmissible even years later. Here is what that actually means and what your options are.
How long does a DUI stay on your record?
A DUI sits on three different records at once, and they don't expire the same way. Here is what actually goes away, what doesn't, and what a lookback period really means.
How much does a DUI actually cost?
The fine is the smallest part. Here is every cost a DUI actually creates, including the ones people forget until the bill arrives.
How much does insurance go up after a DUI?
A DUI typically raises your premium significantly for three to five years, and some insurers decline to renew at all. Here is what SR-22 actually requires and why the increase lasts so long.
What is an ignition interlock device?
An interlock device requires a breath sample before your car starts and periodically while driving. Here is how it works, what it costs, and what commonly triggers a violation.
Will a DUI show up on a background check?
A DUI shows up on a standard criminal background check in most states unless expunged. CDL holders and licensed professionals face extra disclosure rules.
Resolution paths
Can a DUI be expunged?
Expungement, sealing, and set-aside are different things, and eligibility usually depends on a waiting period and a clean record since. Here is how it actually works.
Can a DUI be reduced to reckless driving?
A wet reckless is a DUI reduced to a reckless driving charge, usually through negotiation. Here is when it happens, what it changes, and what it doesn't.
Can you get a DUI on prescription medication?
A valid prescription is not an automatic defense to a drug DUI. Here is how impairment-based DUI charges work, why cannabis is legally different, and how drug impairment is actually proven.
DUI vs DWI: what is the difference?
In most states there is no difference, and which term you hear depends on where you were arrested. In a handful of states the distinction is real and changes the charge.
How to choose a DUI lawyer
Years in practice tells you less than you think. Here is a real framework for evaluating a DUI lawyer, including the questions to ask and the answers that should concern you.
What is a DUI diversion program?
A diversion program can lead to a reduced or dismissed charge in exchange for completing specific conditions. Not every state offers one, and eligibility rules are strict. Here is how they work.
Start with your state
Guides explain how the process works everywhere. The deadline, the penalty tiers and the court that hears your case depend on where you were arrested.
DUI and DWI laws by state →