Phoenix DUI Defense Lawyers
A DUI in Phoenix puts you in front of two judges: the criminal case, usually at Phoenix Municipal Court, and your license in front of a second judge at the MVD, on a much faster clock. Our DUI practice is led by our lead DUI attorney and built to fight both. The first days decide more than the trial date ever will.
Phones answered 24/7 · Flat fees with payment plans · Defense in Maricopa County courts
Where Your Phoenix DUI Case Actually Goes
Which courtroom you land in depends on who arrested you, and it changes how your case runs.
Phoenix Municipal Court
Most misdemeanor DUI arrests by Phoenix police are prosecuted at Phoenix Municipal Court, the city's own court. It's the largest city court in Arizona, with a DUI docket to match, and its size means cases move on rails. Knowing which rail your case is on, and where the exits are, is the job.
Most Phoenix CasesMaricopa County Justice Court
Stops by DPS, usually on I-10, I-17, and the loop freeways but not only there, and arrests by the sheriff's office get filed in a county justice court instead of the city court. Different court, different prosecutor, same fight.
DPS and Sheriff ArrestsMaricopa County Superior Court
Suspended license, a third DUI in 84 months, a child under 15 aboard, or wrong-way driving turns the case into a felony at Superior Court.
Felony CasesWe defend DUI cases in all three, every week. Wherever yours lands, the playbook is ready.
What a Phoenix DUI Carries
Arizona DUI law is statewide, so the floors are the same in every courtroom: a first regular DUI starts at 10 consecutive days in jail with 9 suspendable after alcohol screening and classes, roughly $2,200 in fines, assessments, and jail costs, and an ignition interlock on your car. Extreme DUI (0.15+) jumps the floor to 30 consecutive days, super extreme (0.20+) to 45, and the aggravated triggers make it a felony.
The full tier-by-tier breakdown, defenses included, lives on our Arizona DUI page. The short version: floors are starting points, and the fight is about landing below them, sometimes all the way down to reckless driving.
- Two judges, two deadlines. The MVD side moves in days and public defenders never touch it. We handle the MVD hearing in-house at no extra charge, which often protects your license and saves around $3,000 in SR-22 insurance costs.
- The evidence has layers. The stop, the roadside tests, the machine's calibration records, the blood draw. We send blood for independent retesting instead of taking the lab's word.
- Marijuana cases are more winnable than people are told. Metabolites prove use, not impairment, and we force that distinction.
Five Moves That Protect You
- Move on the MVD first. The license clock is measured in days, not weeks. Demanding the hearing on time keeps you driving and opens a second front.
- Write down the timeline. What you drank or took, when, what you ate, medications, and the exact sequence of the stop, while it's fresh.
- Save your camera footage tonight. Dashcams and Teslas overwrite themselves within days. Save the clip now even if you think you won't need it, because wanting it a week later is too late. Keep bar receipts and witness names too.
- Stop talking to the police. Politely decline interviews with police or detectives until you have a lawyer. Every answer gets written down.
- Get a lawyer before your first court date. Early pressure shapes what gets filed, and the difference between DUI levels is worth more than anything argued later.
Defense You Never Have to Chase
MVD Hearings In-House
Your license fight at the MVD is part of the case, not an upsell. We request and handle the hearing ourselves at no extra charge.
Recorded Video Updates
After every hearing you get a personal video from your legal team explaining what happened and what comes next. No wondering, no phone tag.
Advice on the Record
Our recommendations come to you in writing, so you always know exactly what we advised and why.
Phoenix DUI Questions, Answered Straight
Which court will my Phoenix DUI case be in?
If Phoenix police arrested you, almost always Phoenix Municipal Court, the city's own court. If DPS or the sheriff's office stopped you, on the freeway or anywhere else, expect a Maricopa County justice court. If the charge is felony aggravated DUI, it goes to Maricopa County Superior Court. Your paperwork says which, and we read it with you at the free consultation.
Will I go to jail for a first DUI in Phoenix?
The statewide floor is 10 consecutive days with 9 suspendable after screening and classes, so the best case is one day served. Treat that as the starting point rather than a promise: some offers open higher or add house arrest. Extreme and super extreme DUIs carry 30 and 45 consecutive-day minimums. Getting the charge to a lower level is the biggest lever, and it's our job.
What happens to my license?
The MVD moves separately from the Phoenix criminal case, on a faster clock, in front of its own judge. Demanding the MVD hearing on time protects your license while the case runs, and a restricted permit often keeps you driving to work. We handle the MVD side in-house at no extra charge.
Do you actually handle cases in Phoenix, or just Phoenix?
We defend DUI and criminal cases in courts across Maricopa County every week, including Phoenix Municipal Court, the justice courts, and Superior Court. Phoenix is squarely inside our home turf.
Will this stay on my record forever?
A conviction stays unless you act to clear it. Arizona allows many convictions to be set aside, and some records to be sealed, once your case fully ends. Our record-removal division, AZ Record Removal, handles exactly that, so the plan for your record starts on day one.
How much does a DUI lawyer cost?
One quoted flat fee with payment plans available, so you know the full cost before you commit. Phones are answered 24/7, and free consultations are scheduled during business hours. Call 602-900-7625.
Do Not Face a Phoenix DUI Alone
The prosecutor is already building their version of events, and the MVD clock is already running. A free, confidential consultation gets your side moving today.