- 20+ Years’ Experience | 1,500+ DUI Cases Defended
- More Than 100 Criminal Jury Trials
- Clients Represented Throughout Bucks County
- 97% 5-Star Google Reviews
- Free Case Review: Call (215) 752-5282
Keith E. McAndrews | Bucks County DUI Defense Attorney
20+ Years Defending DUI Cases | Member, National College for DUI Defense
What to Do After a DUI Arrest in Bucks County
For most people, the day after the DUI arrest is very stressful. You are not sure if you will go to jail, lose your license, or maybe lose your job.
One thing most drivers don’t know: if you hold a Pennsylvania driver’s license, it is not automatically suspended when you are arrested for DUI. You can keep driving while your case is pending.
It is best to contact an experienced Bucks County DUI defense lawyer right away. When we speak, I will gather as much information about the circumstances of your DUI arrest as possible. Then, I will calmly go over the likely outcomes of your case. Many of the resolutions do not involve jail or a significant driver’s license suspension.
First-Time DUI in Bucks County
If this is your first DUI, don’t panic. Most first-time DUI clients I talk to have never been arrested before. They may have gotten a few traffic tickets but no serious offenses. After their arrest, they assume the worst: jail, loss of their driver’s license, and loss of their job.
In many cases, none of these things happen. The majority of first-offense DUI cases in Bucks County are resolved through the ARD program, without getting a criminal record or losing your ability to drive. When we first speak about your case, I will separate the realistic concerns from the unrealistic fears and focus on the issues that will actually affect the outcome of your case.
What Can a DUI Lawyer Actually Do for Me?
When you call me about your Bucks County DUI, I answer four questions: whether you likely qualify for ARD, whether the evidence might give you a legal defense to fight the charges, what driver’s license suspension you may face, and whether jail can be avoided through restrictive probation or another sentencing alternative. The answers depend on your prior record, your BAC or the drugs involved, the accuracy of the chemical testing, and the strength of the prosecutor’s evidence.
DUI charges are the cases I focus on. I am a member of the National College for DUI Defense, the national organization for lawyers who concentrate on DUI cases.
What Is the Realistic Best Outcome in My DUI Case?
Winning a DUI case doesn’t always mean a trial verdict of “not guilty.” The realistic best outcome depends on your particular situation:
First Offense: ARD leading to dismissal and expungement of your criminal record is often the best resolution of the case.
Weak Evidence: Dismissal, suppression of the evidence, reduced charges, or an acquittal at trial may be achievable.
Repeat DUI Offense: Avoiding jail through restrictive probation or house arrest, or reducing the charge to a probation-eligible offense, becomes the primary objective.
Driver’s License Problems (Refusal, CDL, or Out-of-State License): The 30-day suspension appeal deadline, out-of-state driver penalties, and the ignition interlock requirements become separate priorities that run alongside the criminal case.
When we speak, I’ll tell you which of these applies to your case and what our strategy will be before your next court date.
How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost in Bucks County?
I represent clients in Bucks County DUI cases for an affordable flat fee, quoted during your free consultation, so you know the exact cost for my services before deciding whether to hire me. The fee depends on whether it is a first or repeat offense, whether you likely qualify for ARD, and whether the case will be contested through pretrial motions or a trial, but it’s one flat number with no hourly billing.
A first-time DUI eligible for ARD will cost significantly less than a contested case or a repeat offense.
If I anticipate additional costs outside of my fee, such as experts or investigators, I will tell you that up front.
Call (215) 752-5282 for a free case review and an exact fee quote for your situation.
DUI Cases I Defend
Every DUI case is different, and the defense strategy depends on the substance involved, your blood alcohol concentration, your prior record, and the particular facts of your case from the initial car stop to the collection and analysis of your blood. I defend every type of DUI case in the Bucks County courts, including:
- First-offense alcohol DUI, including ARD-eligible charges and cases worth fighting
- Drugged driving, involving controlled substances, prescription medications, or drugs combined with alcohol
- Sleeping pill and medication DUI, including Ambien and other sleep medications
- Marijuana and medical marijuana DUI
- Repeat offenses, including second, third, and fourth DUI charges
- DUIs involving chemical test refusal
- DUI checkpoint arrests
- Underage DUI for drivers under 21
- Commercial drivers, where a DUI may cause your commercial driver’s license (CDL) to be disqualified or revoked
If jail time is your biggest concern, many of my clients qualify to serve a mandatory DUI sentence at home through Bucks County Restrictive Probation instead of in the Bucks County Correctional Facility in Doylestown, PA.
Whatever type of DUI charge you are facing, a positive outcome often depends on the decisions you make in the first few weeks of the case, starting with how your case moves through the Bucks County courts.
What Happens in Bucks County Court?
A Bucks County DUI case moves through five main stages: a preliminary hearing at the local magisterial district court, drug and alcohol assessment, formal arraignment at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown, a pre-trial conference where most cases resolve through ARD or a plea offer, and, in contested cases, trial.
Most cases take 4 to 6 months from arrest to resolution.
Charges Filed and the Preliminary Hearing
The first stage of the case occurs when the police file the DUI charges in the local magisterial district court that covers the area where the arrest took place. The preliminary hearing takes place at that Magisterial District Court, not at the Court of Common Pleas in Doylestown. Bucks County has eighteen district courts.
The majority of Bucks County DUI cases proceed by summons, which you will receive in the mail, directing you to appear for a preliminary hearing. The paperwork will include a hearing notice identifying the date and time of your preliminary hearing, the criminal complaint (also referred to as the “charge papers”), and a Fingerprint Order.
Magisterial District Court 07-3-01, Doylestown, PA
These are small, informal courtrooms where the police officer, prosecutor and defense attorney meet in the lobby or in a court conference room to negotiate the charges and to communicate whether the hearing will be waived or whether the charges will be contested. It is not what most people imagine when they are told to appear in court.
On the preliminary hearing date, I can challenge whether the prosecution has enough basic evidence, what Pennsylvania law calls a “prima facie” case, to move the case forward. The preliminary hearing is often the most important strategic decision point in the case, and it takes place within weeks of your arrest.
If you are applying for ARD, you must waive the preliminary hearing to be considered for the program, and the application must be submitted in court on the preliminary hearing date. If you miss the ARD application deadline, you may be disqualified from the program permanently.
If the preliminary hearing is waived, the appearance in court before the district justice is brief and mostly involves signing paperwork: bail amount and conditions, contact information for the CRN evaluation, the waiver of the hearing itself (also signed by your lawyer), and a written notice of the date and time of your formal arraignment at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown.
The courtroom part is quick because the real decisions were made during the hallway conference before the judge ever entered the courtroom: whether to waive the hearing, apply for ARD, negotiate reduced charges, or contest the case.
CRN Evaluation and Alcohol Highway Safety Program Requirements
The mandatory Court Reporting Network (CRN) drug and alcohol evaluation is scheduled after the preliminary hearing and takes place at one of three state-approved treatment centers: Livengrin Foundation, Family Service Association of Bucks County, or The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania.
Drivers charged with refusing chemical testing, drivers with a prior DUI, and drivers with both alcohol and drugs in their system will be required to complete an American Society of Addictive Medicine (ASAM) full drug and alcohol evaluation in addition to the initial CRN assessment. After the evaluation, you will be required to complete alcohol highway safety classes and drug and alcohol treatment, if recommended.
Formal Arraignment at the Bucks County Justice Center
Bucks County Justice Center Entrance
The formal arraignment takes place at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown, PA, and occurs approximately four weeks after the preliminary hearing. You will receive a written notice (and text messages) to appear. The main purpose of the formal arraignment is to place you on notice of the charges against you and to inform you of your constitutional rights within the criminal justice system. If you are represented by a lawyer, you are permitted to skip this hearing if your lawyer files a waiver of your appearance.
Every court hearing after the preliminary hearing takes place in this building, including the pre-trial conferences, ARD court, and trial. The Bucks County Justice Center is located at 100 N. Main Street, Doylestown, PA 18901. There is a multi-level parking garage behind the Justice Center at the intersection of Broad and Union Streets (Doylestown Borough) as well as on-street metered parking.
Parking garage behind the Bucks County Justice Center. Union Street entrance.
Everyone entering the Justice Center must pass through a metal detector after placing their keys, wallet, belt, phone, bag, and other belongings in a container that is x-rayed. On busy mornings, the line can stretch outside the entrance to the courthouse. I always advise my clients to arrive at the court at least one-half hour before their scheduled court time.
All criminal hearings are scheduled in courtrooms on either the third or fourth floor of the Bucks County Justice Center.
Important documents such as the criminal information, the guilty plea colloquy, and the probation rules form are reviewed and signed outside the assigned courtroom before the judge enters the courtroom.
Once the doors open, last-minute plea negotiations between the defense lawyer and the prosecutor take place at the front of the courtroom before the judge begins court. After more than 20 years of practice in the Bucks County Courts, there is very little that can happen in court that I won’t be prepared for.
Pre-trial Conference and Resolution of the DUI Charges
The next scheduled hearing in the case is the pre-trial conference which occurs approximately six weeks after the formal arraignment. Initial approval or disapproval of the ARD application will occur before the pre-trial conference. Many cases resolve through ARD admission, or a plea agreement to some or all of the charges at the pre-trial conference.
Bucks County DUI Trial
In Bucks County, cases proceeding to trial are placed on the “trial list” at the first scheduled pre-trial conference. Typically, the judge sets the trial date about ninety days after the pre-trial conference with a separate deadline for pre-trial motions.
The majority of cases that are listed for trial resolve within twelve months of the initial arrest and are tried before a judge (bench trial) or a jury. Common DUI pre-trial motions include a Motion to Suppress Evidence due to an illegal vehicle stop, an illegal seizure of a driver, or an unlawful search of a person or property.
The majority of the application and filing deadlines in a Bucks County DUI case are unforgiving and require that you have a clear understanding of your options. When you call, I’ll tell you exactly where your case stands in this process and what has to be decided before your next court date.
Important Decisions That Must Be Made Early in a DUI Case
Several important decisions made during the first weeks after a DUI arrest can significantly affect the outcome of your case. Before deciding whether to apply for ARD or fight the charges, consider the following:
- Should you apply for ARD?
- If you refused chemical testing (chemical test refusal), should you appeal the driver’s license suspension? (PennDOT imposes a 30-day deadline to file the appeal)
- How will ARD or a conviction affect your commercial driver’s license (CDL)? If you hold a CDL, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office requires you to surrender your CDL if you are accepted into ARD
- Does the prosecution’s evidence have significant legal or factual weaknesses that make fighting the charges a better option than accepting ARD?
- Should surveillance video be retrieved before it is erased or discarded?
Am I Eligible for ARD in Bucks County?
Most first-offense DUI offenders in Bucks County are eligible for ARD, but acceptance is not automatic. In fact, most first-offense DUI cases in Bucks County resolve through Pennsylvania’s ARD program, and successful completion ends in dismissal and expungement of the DUI criminal record. Under Pennsylvania law (75 Pa.C.S. § 3807), you cannot be admitted into the ARD program for a DUI if:
- A passenger in your vehicle was under 14 years old at the time of the offense
- Your DUI involved an accident in which another person was killed or seriously injured
- You have a prior DUI conviction or ARD admission for DUI within the last 10 years
In addition to these ARD restrictions, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office may deny placement in the ARD program if:
- You have a prior conviction for a non-DUI misdemeanor or felony offense or a prior non-DUI ARD admission
- You did not have a valid vehicle registration or car insurance at the time of the offense
- You were driving with a suspended driver’s license
- You caused an accident resulting in bodily injury to another person, even if not serious
- Your DUI case involved leaving the scene of an accident
- You were charged with resisting arrest in addition to DUI
- Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.30% or above and you did not enter alcohol counseling after your arrest
If one or more of these issues apply in your case, don’t assume that ARD is automatically off the table. I have secured ARD for clients with complicating factors, including accidents with significant property damage, by addressing the District Attorney’s concerns before they lead to a denial.
The ARD application must be submitted on your preliminary hearing date, just weeks after charges are filed. You must waive the hearing to be considered for the program. Issues like these need to be addressed before that date. Call me at (215) 752-5282 and I’ll tell you where you stand on ARD and what needs to happen before your hearing.
What Does Bucks County ARD Require?
In Bucks County, ARD for DUI requires six to twelve months of court-supervised conditions before your charges are dismissed and automatically expunged. ARD conditions typically include:
- Six to twelve months of non-reporting probation. The District Attorney will shorten your ARD to six months if all program conditions are met and the $1,100 preliminary ARD payment is made before your ARD court date.
- Program costs and fees. In addition to the initial $1,100 fee, expect to pay the balance of approximately $1,000 within one month of the hearing date.
- The CRN evaluation and alcohol highway safety school classes. Both are mandatory, and drug and alcohol treatment will be required if the evaluation recommends it, including intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) or general outpatient treatment (GOP).
- Community service. The Bucks County District Attorney requires that you complete ten hours of community service at a charity or non-profit as a condition of the program. Habitat for Humanity is an example of an acceptable local charity to satisfy the community service requirement.
- Restitution if your DUI involved an accident and property damage. Payment for property damage or other financial losses connected to the DUI is a standard condition of admission to ARD.
ARD requires a driver’s license suspension based on your BAC, your age, and the facts of your case (75 Pa.C.S. § 3807(d)):
- No suspension: BAC under 0.10%
- 30 days: BAC 0.10% to under 0.16%
- 60 days: BAC 0.16% or higher, BAC unknown, an accident with bodily injury or property damage, or a controlled substance DUI
- 90 days: A minor (under 21) at the time of the offense, regardless of the chemical test results
If you complete every condition by the end of your ARD probation, the District Attorney dismisses the charges and processes the expungement automatically. In most cases, the expungement is fully completed within four to five months after your probation ends.
Completing ARD is manageable, and most of my clients finish the program without any problems. But before you waive your preliminary hearing, make sure ARD is actually your best option.
Should I Accept ARD or Fight My DUI Charges?
For the majority of first-time DUI offenders, application and acceptance into the ARD program is the right choice. ARD allows you to avoid a conviction, jail, shortens any driver’s license suspension and allows you to avoid a permanent criminal record.
But ARD is not the best choice in every case, and choosing to apply for ARD should be an informed decision, not an automatic one. Once you accept ARD, most of your negotiating leverage with the prosecutor is gone.
What Should a Lawyer Review Before You Accept ARD?
Applying for ARD requires you to waive your preliminary hearing, and with it, an early opportunity to challenge the evidence and begin building your defense. Before you give that up, I examine whether the prosecutor can actually prove the charges, including whether any of your constitutional rights were violated.
I review whether the police had a legal right to stop you, whether you were unlawfully detained, whether the field sobriety tests were properly conducted, and whether the blood evidence was correctly drawn, handled (chain of custody), and analyzed.
When the BAC is close to the legal limit, I also determine if the chemical test results fall within the margin of error. Blood alcohol concentration testing has a scientifically recognized margin of error, one that even the prosecution’s own expert toxicologists acknowledge. I have had DUI charges dismissed or reduced when the blood tests fell inside the margin of error.
If I discover that the evidence has a serious weakness, fighting the case can end in a dismissal or not guilty verdict. That is a much better result than ARD, with no program costs, no community service requirement, and no driver’s license suspension.
Call me at (215) 752-5282 for a free case review before your next court hearing. I’ll tell you in one phone call whether you should take ARD or fight your case in court.
Do I Need a Lawyer for ARD?
You are not required to have a lawyer assist you with applying for ARD in Bucks County, but doing so without one carries real risks. The ARD application is not just paperwork; it requires you to give up critical constitutional rights you can’t get back, including the right to test the government’s evidence and your right to a speedy trial.
Applying for ARD means waiving the same preliminary hearing where weak cases get dismissed. I have seen unrepresented drivers apply for ARD at the preliminary hearing in cases where the magisterial district judge would have likely thrown the case out entirely. Examples include:
- Without explanation or notice, the police officer who made the arrest failed to appear for the preliminary hearing
- The prosecutor’s lab report indicated that the blood alcohol concentration was below the legal limit of 0.08%
- The BAC was low, there was no evidence of impaired driving, and the driver successfully completed some of the field sobriety tests
Having a lawyer is critical when your case has complicating factors. Was your insurance or registration expired? Did you get proof of renewal before the preliminary hearing? If your driver’s license was suspended, do you have proof that it has been restored? If an accident occurred, can you provide the prosecutor with proof that your auto insurance covered the damage?
Addressing these concerns before the application is reviewed is often the difference between rejection and acceptance.
Finally, ARD has consequences that are easy to miss, including CDL surrender, possible secondary license suspensions for out-of-state drivers, and mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, if recommended.
Before you waive anything, call me at (215) 752-5282. I’ll tell you whether ARD is the best strategy in your situation and whether your case has any issue that could get the application denied.
Does ARD Count as a Prior DUI Offense in Pennsylvania?
Last updated: August 2026
Yes. Under Act 58, which took effect on December 22, 2025, a completed ARD counts as a prior DUI offense if you are charged with a new DUI within 10 years of finishing the program.
Here’s why. In 2025, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Shifflett that ARD did not count as a prior DUI for sentencing because ARD does not involve an admission of guilt or a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
But Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a new law, Act 58, that reversed that decision. It created a new charge: DUI Following Diversion (75 Pa.C.S. § 3802(h)). Under the new law, a prior ARD becomes an element of the new offense rather than a sentencing factor.
The new law works like this:
- If you finished ARD for a DUI and get arrested for a new DUI within 10 years, you are charged with DUI Following Diversion.
- The penalties are the same as for a second, third, or subsequent DUI: mandatory jail time, mandatory fines, a driver’s license suspension, and an ignition interlock device requirement.
- The state keeps DUI records, including expunged ARD cases involving DUI, for 12 years for the limited purpose of charging a new DUI. An expunged ARD will not show up on a background check.
An ARD on your record doesn’t mean that your case is already decided. The new law is only months old, and its proof requirements have only begun to be tested in the Bucks County Criminal Courts. The District Attorney must now prove your prior ARD as an element of the offense with proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest legal standard in our court system.
If you completed ARD and are facing a new DUI charge, contact me before you assume the worst. Call me at (215) 752-5282 and I’ll check whether you are outside of the 10-year clock, whether the prosecutor can prove your prior ARD, and whether you fall under the new DUI Following Diversion law.
Can My DUI Case Be Dismissed or Reduced?
Yes, in certain cases. DUI charges can be reduced or dismissed when the prosecution lacks sufficient evidence to prove driving-related drug or alcohol impairment beyond a reasonable doubt, or when the police violated your constitutional rights during the stop, arrest or testing.
In some cases, DUI charges can be reduced when the driver completes drug and alcohol counseling while the charges are pending.
Common DUI Defenses
The evidence in every DUI case is different, and no single defense applies in every case. After defending DUI cases throughout Bucks County for more than 20 years, I have found that the following defenses arise most often:
- The police stopped you without a legal basis
- The police illegally prolonged the traffic stop without reasonable suspicion or probable cause
- The police improperly administered the field sobriety tests
- The prosecution lacks sufficient evidence to prove driver impairment, such as when there is no bad driving, a low BAC, or satisfactory performance on one or more field sobriety tests
- The police or crime lab made mistakes in handling, storing, and analyzing the blood evidence
- An unexplained failure of the police to conduct chemical testing
- A blood test result within the scientific margin of error placing the result under the legal limit or in a lower alcohol tier
- The police obtained a confession through coercion or detained you without a legal basis
- The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) made mistakes during the evaluation or reached unsupported conclusions about your impairment
How I Evaluate a DUI Defense
I begin every DUI case with a careful review of the police reports, supplemental reports, my client’s account of what happened, witness statements, lab reports, body-camera, dash-camera video, surveillance video, and every other available piece of evidence.
Rather than looking for one specific defense, I reconstruct the events of the DUI investigation in chronological order, almost as if I were watching the events unfold frame by frame.
I begin with the officer’s observations before the traffic stop and then carefully examine every stage of the investigation, including the vehicle stop, field sobriety tests, the arrest, chemical testing, and the handling and analysis of the evidence.
Through hard work, I have learned that important details critical to the defense are often buried in police reports, accident reports, laboratory reports, or in surveillance video that the police fail to collect, recover, or review. For example, I examine the police reports to determine if artificial intelligence (AI) was used to generate them.
Once I identify those facts, I determine whether they support one or more of the common DUI defenses discussed above. As an experienced Bucks County DUI defense attorney, I know how to use those facts to defend your case.
Serving Clients Throughout Bucks County
Newtown Borough, the former Bucks County seat, is one of the Bucks County communities I serve.
My office is in Langhorne, but I defend clients charged with DUI throughout Bucks County, including Bensalem, Bristol, Doylestown, Falls Township, Levittown, Newtown, Trevose, Warminster, Yardley, and surrounding boroughs and townships.
I regularly appear in every Magisterial District Court in Bucks County and in the Bucks County Justice Center. As a result, I understand when the prosecution has a strong case and when the evidence falls short.
My experience in the Bucks County courts helps me identify potential defenses and explain what you can realistically expect at each stage of your case.
Why Hire Me for Your DUI Case?
Keith E. McAndrews, Bucks County DUI Defense Attorney
After defending more than 1,500 DUI cases over the past 20 years, I have learned not to overlook even the smallest details. Many DUI cases are won or lost on details that other lawyers dismiss as unimportant.
Throughout my career, I have cross-examined drug recognition experts (DREs), pharmacologists, toxicologists, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE)-trained police officers, and accident reconstruction experts.
I look for issues that many lawyers never investigate. In one DUI trial, I proved that the investigating police officer had already called a tow truck before stopping my client for suspected DUI. The evidence showed the officer had already concluded that my client was impaired before making contact with him, and the judge found my client not guilty.
Recent Bucks County DUI Case Results
These are recent results from DUI cases I have defended in the Bucks County courts:
- First-offense DUI with a car accident involving significant property damage: Approved for ARD first-offender program
- Second-offense DUI (3rd tier-highest BAC, 90-day mandatory jail): Charge changed to first tier lowest BAC (received 5 days house arrest) after client completed alcohol counseling
- Client found not guilty of DUI after Suppression Motion Granted: State Trooper went outside the mission of the original traffic violation stop without reasonable suspicion or probable cause of a crime. Evidence of the subsequent DUI arrest suppressed by the court
- Client charged with a first-offense DUI with a BAC slightly over the legal limit. Case dismissed after a defense expert showed that the BAC was within the margin of error and below the legal limit
- Client found not guilty of DUI after I proved the Bucks County Crime Lab did not properly handle the blood sample used as evidence
“Keith made the process very simple and direct. Received best possible outcome, would highly recommend.”
—Google review, June 2026
DUI Penalties in Pennsylvania
One of the biggest mistakes that many DUI clients make is assuming that the police, friends, or relatives who work in law enforcement can accurately predict what the penalty will be in your DUI case.
In reality, Pennsylvania DUI penalties often depend on facts that are not known until your lawyer reviews the evidence and conducts a full investigation of your case. DUI penalties can include fines, court costs, driver’s license suspension, ignition interlock requirements, probation, and jail.
Learn more about Pennsylvania DUI penalties, including how prior offenses, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), drug impairment, and chemical test refusals affect possible penalties.
Before you assume the worst-case scenario, let me review the evidence, your prior record, and the strength of the government’s case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Still Drive While My DUI Case Is Pending?
Yes. For a Pennsylvania-licensed driver, PennDOT does not automatically suspend your driving privileges when you are arrested for DUI. The DUI suspension begins only after a conviction, adjudication in juvenile court (including a consent decree), or acceptance into ARD, if your charge carries a license suspension.
There is one exception. If you refused chemical testing, PennDOT will mail you a separate civil suspension notice under Pennsylvania’s implied consent law (75 Pa.C.S. § 1547). The suspension is one year for a first refusal. You have 30 days from the mailing date (date on the letter) to file an appeal of the suspension with the Bucks County Prothonotary’s Office.
The notice of suspension from PennDOT usually arrives within two weeks of the DUI arrest and before the preliminary hearing. That is why it is important to contact me as soon as possible after you are arrested so the appeal deadline does not pass.
If you are licensed in another state, PennDOT can still suspend your driving privileges within Pennsylvania. Your home state may also suspend your license after a Pennsylvania DUI refusal or DUI conviction through the Driver’s License Compact (DLC). New Jersey is a member of the DLC.
Will I Lose My License After a DUI?
It depends on how many prior DUI convictions you have, whether you refused chemical testing, what level of drugs or alcohol was in your system, and whether an accident causing bodily injury occurred.
Many drivers are surprised to learn that they are eligible for an ignition interlock driver’s license immediately or after serving part of a suspension.
How Long Does a DUI Case Take in Bucks County?
Typically 4 to 6 months from arrest to resolution if the case does not require a trial. Cases that go to trial usually conclude within 12 months of the driver’s arrest.
What Happens if I Refuse a Blood Test?
Under Pennsylvania’s implied consent law, a refusal to submit to chemical testing will result in a 1-year driver’s license suspension followed by a 1-year ignition interlock requirement if it is a first-time refusal.
Pennsylvania allows first-time refusal drivers to drive with an ignition interlock license after serving 6 months of the 1-year suspension, but it is not mandatory.
Refusing chemical testing can result in a suspension even if you later receive a separate suspension for the DUI case.
In Pennsylvania, your refusal to submit to chemical testing can be used by the prosecutor at trial as evidence that you were impaired. Learn more about common chemical test refusal defenses.
Will I Go to Jail for a DUI in Bucks County?
It depends on your prior DUI record, the type and level of drugs or alcohol in your system, and whether you are eligible for ARD. First-time DUI drivers who are accepted into ARD do not go to jail.
Repeat offenders and drivers convicted of higher-tier DUI offenses can face mandatory jail time.
Can I Get a DUI with a Medical Marijuana Card?
Yes. Many people mistakenly believe that the police cannot charge you with DUI if you possess a valid Pennsylvania medical marijuana card. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania law does not provide an exemption from DUI prosecution simply because you are authorized to use medical marijuana.
Fortunately, many of the same DUI defenses that apply in alcohol cases may also apply in medical marijuana DUI cases.
Medical marijuana DUI cases present unique legal and evidentiary issues. Standardized field sobriety tests were developed to detect alcohol impairment, not marijuana or other controlled substances.
In addition, many police officers who investigate medical marijuana DUI cases are not certified as Drug Recognition Experts (DREs), which can make their conclusions about drug impairment less reliable in court.
Can I Get House Arrest for a DUI in Bucks County?
Yes, in many cases. For most first, second, and third offense DUI cases that carry a mandatory jail sentence, eligible drivers can serve the mandatory minimum at home on electronic monitoring (GPS ankle bracelet) rather than in the Bucks County Correctional Facility.
In Bucks County, this is called probation with restrictive DUI conditions, authorized by 42 Pa.C.S. § 9763(c). An application for restrictive probation must be submitted to Bucks County Adult Probation at least 30 days before sentencing. I advise clients not to wait until close to sentencing and to submit the application as soon as the CRN evaluation and full drug and alcohol assessment, if required, are complete. Copies of the evaluations must be attached to your application.
A home visit by a Bucks County probation officer is part of the application process. Placement on restrictive probation is not automatic. At the end of the application process, the probation department will submit a report to the sentencing judge and the District Attorney indicating whether the person is approved for restrictive probation.
Even when approved, the sentencing judge must also agree to a sentence of restrictive probation. The Bucks County District Attorney’s policy is to object to restrictive probation if you have more than three lifetime DUI convictions.
DUI Versus DWI: What’s the Difference?
There is no legal difference between DUI and DWI in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania uses the term driving under the influence (DUI) rather than driving while intoxicated (DWI). Although other states use “DWI,” both phrases generally refer to the same type of impaired driving offense.
Get Clear Answers About Your DUI Case
The most expensive mistake in a DUI case is deciding too late. Decisions about applying for ARD, appealing a driver’s license suspension, applying for house arrest, accepting a plea bargain, or preparing a defense for trial all must be made in a short time frame. These deadlines don’t wait.
When you call, I won’t give you a sales pitch or tell you I’ll call the judge to make everything go away. You’ll get the straight facts: where your case stands, which decisions you need to make next, and what I’d do in your position.
Send me a message through the contact form and I’ll call you first thing.
Keith E. McAndrews
Bucks County DUI Defense Lawyer
(215) 752-5282
