Charged with DUI: your first ten days
The criminal case moves at the court's pace. Your license moves faster. Here is what to do while the first is still getting started.
Tonight: write it down
Before you sleep on it, write down what happened from the moment you started driving: where you'd been, what you had and when, why the officer said you were stopped, and what tests you were asked to take. Details that seem obvious now fade within days.
Find the papers you were given
You probably left with a citation, a notice about your license and a court date. Put them together in one place. The license notice often carries the shortest deadline in the whole case.
The license comes first
In many places your license can be suspended before the criminal case is decided, and you have only a few days to ask for a hearing or a hardship license. Missing that window can't always be undone.
- The citation and any written warnings
- The license notice or temporary permit
- Your release papers and bond receipt
- The breath test printout, if you were given one
What not to do
Don't post about it, and don't talk about the night with anyone but your lawyer. Don't plead guilty at the first court date to get it over with: a DUI conviction can follow your insurance and your job for years.
When to call us
As soon as you can, ideally before the first court date. We'll ask for the cruiser and body camera video right away, because some of it is kept only for a short time.