The DUI Court Process

What Happens Next

After your arrest and once you have been released, the next thing that should happen is you contacting an experienced Pennsylvania DUI lawyer. Attorney Gary E. Gerson defends clients in the Pittsburgh area and throughout western Pennsylvania against all DUI / DWI / and DAI charges. Mr. Gerson will help you to understand Pennsylvania's drunk driving laws as they apply to your case and will fully and clearly explain the court process so you will know what to expect as the case moves forward.

Legal proceedings involved in the DUI court process may include, in order:

• preliminary hearings
• arraignments
• pre-trial conferences
• suppression hearings
• trial
• sentencing hearings

The preliminary hearing is held to protect individuals from unlawful arrests and detention. At this hearing, the prosecution must demonstrate that a crime was in fact committed and show enough probable cause for charging you with committing it. The arraignment is the next step in the DUI court process. Here, you will be required to enter a plea. This is also where our attorney will file a discovery motion so we can obtain access to the state's evidence.

Following arraignment, the pre-trial conference phase begins. At a pre-trial conference, legal issues, discovery issues, future court scheduling, and plea bargain possibilities may be discussed. There may be several of these conferences that take place over a period of months. If no plea bargain is negotiated at the pre-trial conference, we will likely ask for a suppression hearing in order to challenge the admissibility of certain evidence. If successful, prosecutors' plea offers often become much more favorable to our clients.

If no acceptable offer is forthcoming, trial is the next step. If this occurs in your case, you can feel confident knowing that attorney Gerson is no stranger to the courtroom and that he has successfully defended many former DUI clients at trial. Unfortunately, no lawyer can guarantee successful results at trial. If convicted however, our firm will do everything we can to negotiate with prosecutors and judges in order to mitigate the punishment you receive at sentencing.

Arrested and charged with drunk driving? Don't wait—call the criminal defense Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson toll free at (800) 514-1660.

For more information about the court process or to talk with a lawyer about your legal options—contact our law offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, today and schedule a free initial consultation.