DUI Court Process
DUI court processes are different in every state. Contact an attorney immediately after being charged so you can learn about the local and state laws applicable to your DUI arrest. In Pennsylvania, for example, DUI offenders have a preliminary hearing, an arraignment, a pretrial meeting and then trial.
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Preliminary
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The preliminary hearing will be your first court appearance unless you were arrested during your DUI citation, in which case you will be arraigned prior to your preliminary hearing. In the preliminary hearing, the court will assess whether the state's evidence to try your case is sufficient to move forward.
Arraignment
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During your arraignment, you will be informed of the charges against you and be asked to plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, your case comes to an end and you will be sentenced. Otherwise, you will have a trial at some later date.
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Trial
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If it is your first offense, you will likely arrange a plea bargain with the prosecutor prior to trial. Prior to trial, there may be a pretrial meeting where negotiations will occur. Also, prior to trial it is possible the court will hear motions on your behalf. Finally, during your trial, evidence and testimony will be heard regarding your case and a sentence will be mandated by the court.
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