What to expect after a DUI stop

You will likely get a packet of paperwork in approximately 2 to 4 weeks from the court along with the summons to appear for your preliminary hearing in which the evidence will be presented against you. There will be three hearings scheduled in total- a preliminary hearing, an arraignment, and a final court date. What happens to you depends upon two things, blood level, and whether you have a prior record or this is a first arrest. If it is a first-time offense, you may be eligible for the ARD program for first-time offenders in which the charges eventually get dropped after classes, fines, and community service. It would be best for you to give an attorney a call to discuss over the phone as there is too much to discuss. You could also possibly have a defense and fight the stop if the cop did not have probable cause to pull you over. is a great place to start to find an experienced DUI attorney to represent you.

Check any and all paperwork you already have to see if, and for what, you may have been cited of charged. Look for incident #s etc... You can then reference those #s to search online to check on status of matter. You may receive a summons in the mail within 30 days requiring you to appear in court to begin process with preliminary hearing. At that time you will be charged and court will ask about representation which may be a public defender (depending on factors that Court will explain) or at your discretion a privately hired criminal defense attorney. Regardless, factors coming up shortly if charged for prosecution are any prior alcohol related driving offenses, breathalyzer results and blood work.

Your blood will be tested and, assuming that your Blood Alcohol Content is above a .08% or your blood contained evidence of controlled substances, a complaint will be filed. The Magisterial District Judge. will issue a summons to appear and notice of a preliminary hearing. DUI Defense can be complex and, as such, the answer to your question requires a ffull and fair case evaluation by an experienced DUI Defense attorney such as myself. Therefore, I encourage you to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Many of us provide a great deal of information on our websites. Therefore, I encourage you to review as much information as possible on a lawyer's website before contacting the lawyer. In addition, online case evaluations are available from some attorneys. A DUI can have serious consequences. However, an experienced DUI Defense attorney an help mitigate those consequences so that you can move forward. F. Dean Morgan, Esquire DUI Defense Attorney Hershey, Pennsylvania

Your blood will be sent to a lab to determine your blood alcohol level or BAC. If you BAC was .08% or higher or shows the presence of a controlled substance the police officer will file a DUI charge against you. This will be filed by the police officer at the Magesterial District Judges office. From there the Judges office will mails you a summons by both regular and certified mail informing you of the charges and a potential future court date. I would advise you to contact a criminal defense attorney who handles DUI cases so that you can begin preparing for the time when you may receive the charges in the mail.

Presumably you passed the breathalyzer and the officer suspected you were under the influence of another substance. Now, you wait for the summons in the mail. Depending on the county, it may or may not come before the results of the blood test arrive. If you know your blood was clean, you have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if it wasn't clean, you should seek the counsel of an attorney as soon as possible.