Most people charged with DUI in Bucks or Montgomery County never imagined being in a courtroom. Yet one arrest can ripple into your insurance, your job, your reputation, and follow you into background checks years later. Pennsylvania law leaves little room for error once the process begins, but it also leaves room for defense:
Those details often decide whether a misunderstanding becomes a conviction. If you are facing a DUI charge in Bucks or Montgomery County, contact our Doylestown office for guidance on your next steps. Our team includes former prosecutors and legal educators who understand how these cases move through the Pennsylvania courts and what it takes to defend them effectively.
Just because your breath test showed a blood alcohol content (BAC) above Pennsylvania’s legal limit of 0.08 doesn’t mean you should automatically plead guilty to a DUI charge in Bucks or Montgomery County. The law still requires that every step of the process, from the initial stop to the chemical testing, be done correctly.
Our Bucks County DUI lawyers have represented first-time DUI offenders, repeat DUI offenders, and professionals whose careers depend on their driver’s license. In many of these cases, careful review revealed errors that changed the outcome entirely. Our experienced DUI defense attorneys will ask questions that expose weaknesses the State may prefer to overlook, such as:
We handle a full range of cases, including:
During the chemical testing
When our attorneys identify flaws in the stop, the testing process, or the handling of evidence, that information can be used to limit what the prosecution may present, reduce the severity of the charges, or, in some cases, dismiss the case entirely. Our goal is to make sure the State meets its full burden before your liberty, license, or record is put at risk.
DUI arrest & booking
You’re pulled over, given field sobriety tests or a breath test, and then arrested. Booking includes fingerprinting, paperwork, and possible overnight holding.
Gather case details early, request dashcam/bodycam footage, and advise you on what to document while it’s fresh.
Preliminary hearing
A Magisterial District Judge decides if there’s enough evidence for your case to move forward. The arresting officer may testify.
Cross-examine the officer, challenge probable cause, question the test procedure, and file motions to limit weak evidence.
Court of Common Pleas
Formal charges are filed. You attend the arraignment, and the case moves into the pretrial or trial phase.
File discovery motions, review test results and police reports, negotiate with the district attorney (DA), or apply for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) if eligible.
PennDOT license action
You receive a license suspension notice (especially if you refused chemical testing). This is a separate civil process handled by PennDOT.
File civil appeal paperwork, represent you in license suspension hearings, or pursue an occupational limited license.
Pretrial & resolution
The DA may offer a plea. If unresolved, your case proceeds toward trial.
Advise on plea vs. trial strategy, present evidence, file suppression motions, or represent you at trial if needed.
Under Pennsylvania law, a person is considered under the influence when they are in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while impaired by one or more of the following:
If the prosecution establishes guilt, sentencing follows a tiered structure under Pennsylvania DUI laws. These tiers are based on your measured BAC or, if you refused testing, on statutory defaults that treat refusal as the highest level of impairment.
Under Pennsylvania DUI law, the general impairment tier applies in two distinct situations.
The State claims that you were unable to operate a motor vehicle safely, even if no BAC was recorded. In these cases, prosecutors rely on the arresting officer’s observations, including your driving behavior, performance on field sobriety tests, and video evidence from dashcams or bodycams.
The chemical test shows a BAC between 0.08% and 0.099% within two hours of driving. This is considered the lowest measurable level of impairment under Pennsylvania law, but it still triggers penalties if proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The penalties for general impairment depend on your record of prior DUI offenses within the past ten years. Even acceptance into ARD for a prior DUI charge can count as a previous offense under Pennsylvania’s DUI laws.
First offense (no priors in 10 years)
No mandatory jail time (up to 6 months’ probation)
$300
None, unless there’s a PennDOT action for test refusal
Alcohol Highway Safety School, treatment if recommended
Second offense
Minimum 5 days, up to 6 months
$300–$2,500
12 months
Ignition interlock for 1 year, treatment requirements
Third or subsequent
Minimum 10 days, up to 2 years
$500–$5,000
12 months
Classified as a second-degree misdemeanor, stricter treatment monitoring
Even at the lowest tier, a general impairment charge is not a minor traffic offense. Our DUI lawyers in Bucks and Montgomery County, PA examine every step of the arrest to determine whether the arresting officer had reasonable suspicion to stop your vehicle and probable cause to make the arrest.
Many DUI cases turn on details such as how field sobriety tests were administered, whether the breath test or blood testing equipment was calibrated properly, and whether the results were obtained within the two-hour window required by Pennsylvania DUI laws. When those conditions are violated, our defense attorneys can file pretrial motions to exclude unreliable evidence or limit what the district attorney may present in court.
Our Bucks County DUI lawyers also work to protect your driver’s license and record. For many first-time DUI offenders, we pursue ARD, a program that allows dismissal of charges and eventual expungement if all terms are met.
In other cases, our criminal defense attorneys negotiate for reduced charges that avoid a permanent criminal conviction or long-term license suspension. We guide you through the court process from the preliminary hearing to final resolution, ensuring that one mistake doesn’t define your future within the criminal justice system
When a chemical test or breathalyzer shows a BAC between 0.10% and 0.159%, Pennsylvania classifies it as a high BAC DUI. Penalties under this category depend on your record within the past ten years. A prior acceptance into Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) or a prior DUI conviction counts as a previous offense for sentencing.
First offense (no priors in 10 years)
Minimum 48 hours, up to 6 months
$500–$5,000
12 months
Alcohol Highway Safety School, treatment if recommended
Second offense
Minimum 30 days, up to 6 months
$750–$5,000
12 months
Ignition interlock for 1 year, treatment as ordered
Third or subsequent
Minimum 90 days, up to 5 years
$1,500–$10,000
18 months
Classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, mandatory interlock after restoration
A Highest BAC DUI charge is prosecuted aggressively because of its severity. At this level, the defense is built on forensic precision. Our DUI defense attorneys begin by auditing the scientific side of the case: how the blood test was drawn, sealed, transported, and analyzed. Even a minor break in the chain of custody or an expired calibration certificate can weaken the State’s evidence.
We also examine whether the district attorney and police officers followed the required Implied Consent procedures when requesting a chemical test or documenting a refusal. In some cases, the evidence can be limited or suppressed entirely if the officer failed to read the proper warnings or obtained the sample outside the two-hour window required by Pennsylvania law.
Because the highest BAC tier brings mandatory jail time and a long license suspension, our Bucks County DUI lawyers and Montgomery County defense team focus on reducing exposure through sentencing advocacy. Depending on the court and the client’s treatment record, we can sometimes negotiate structured confinement such as work release, house arrest, or inpatient rehabilitation credit. We also coordinate treatment compliance and early ignition interlock eligibility to shorten suspension periods and stabilize our client’s life during the process.
Our goal is to help you leave the criminal justice system with your career, license, and reputation intact. Even at the most serious tier, experienced counsel can often reshape how a DUI conviction impacts your future.
Getting charged with a DUI can be overwhelming, especially the first time. Our DUI lawyers serve clients in Doylestown, Bensalem, Bristol, Levittown, Quakertown, and nearby communities. We help you protect your license, your future, and your record.
Most DUI cases take three to six months, but the exact timeline depends on the court’s schedule, whether you pursue ARD, and how much evidence needs to be reviewed. The process moves through several stages, starting at the Magisterial District Court and then the Court of Common Pleas if the case continues.
Your license is not automatically suspended just because you were arrested. PennDOT only issues a suspension if you refused chemical testing or if you are later convicted under certain DUI tiers.
The first few days matter because evidence is fresh and deadlines begin quickly. Contacting a lawyer early helps protect your rights and preserve key information.
Yes. Breath and blood tests must follow strict rules, and errors can lead to reduced charges or dismissed evidence. Our lawyers review how the test was taken, handled, and analyzed to identify weaknesses.
