Photo: Michael Förtsch / UnsplashAfter a DUI arrest
- Traffic and DUI
What Happens After a DUI Arrest: License and Court Steps
A DUI arrest sets off two separate processes: a criminal case and a driver's license action. Here is how each one works.
5 min read - Traffic and DUI
DUI Penalties: What to Expect for a First, Second or Third Offense
Common penalties for DUI and DWI by offense level, including fines, jail, license suspension, probation, interlock devices and insurance, with notes on state differences.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Do I Need a DUI Lawyer? What Defense Costs and How to Find Help
Why a DUI lawyer can matter, what DUI defense typically involves, how fees work, public defender and low-cost options and questions to ask.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
DUI License Suspension Hearing: How to Request One and What Happens
How the administrative license suspension process works after a DUI arrest, deadlines to request a hearing, what is decided and how to prepare.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Refusing a Breathalyzer or Chemical Test: Implied Consent Laws and Penalties
What implied consent means, penalties for refusing a breath, blood or urine test, differences between roadside and station tests and how refusals are used in court.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Field Sobriety Tests and Breathalyzers: Must You Take Them?
The difference between roadside field sobriety tests, handheld breath tests and chemical tests at the station, and the consequences of refusing.
4 min read
License, insurance and interlock
- Traffic and DUI
Driver's License Suspension and Reinstatement: How It Works
Common reasons for suspension, how to challenge one and what reinstatement usually requires, such as fees and SR-22 insurance.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
DUI and Car Insurance: SR-22 Filings, Rate Increases and How to Find Coverage
How a DUI affects car insurance, what an SR-22 is, how long rates stay high, how to shop for coverage and ways to reduce costs.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Ignition Interlock Devices: How They Work and Who Must Use Them
What an ignition interlock device is, when courts and DMVs require one, costs and what happens if you fail a test.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Driving Without Insurance: Penalties and What to Do
State requirements for auto insurance, penalties for driving uninsured, reinstatement steps and how to get back into compliance.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Points on Your Driving Record: How They Work
How state point systems work, what happens when you collect too many and ways points can fall off your record.
4 min read
Tickets and violations
- Traffic and DUI
Fighting a Traffic Ticket: Your Options Explained
Pay, contest, attend traffic school or hire a lawyer. How to choose when you get a traffic ticket.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Speeding Ticket Cost: Fines, Points, Insurance Increases and Whether to Fight It
What a speeding ticket really costs, from fines and court fees to points and insurance increases, and how to decide whether to pay, take traffic school or fight it.
4 min read - Traffic and DUI
Reckless Driving vs. Speeding: Why the Difference Matters
How reckless driving differs from ordinary speeding, penalties, effects on insurance and licenses and why you should take it seriously.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Red Light and Speed Cameras: Can You Fight the Ticket?
How automated traffic enforcement works, how it differs from police tickets and the steps for contesting a camera ticket.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Parking Tickets and Towing: Your Rights and How to Dispute
How to contest a parking ticket, when a car can legally be towed and how to recover a towed vehicle.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Violations: Why They Hit Harder
How traffic tickets and DUI affect commercial drivers, stricter limits and the importance of getting legal help.
2 min read - Traffic and DUI
Teen Drivers: Graduated Licenses, Parent Liability and Legal Rules
How graduated driver licensing works, common restrictions for teen drivers and when parents can be legally responsible.
2 min read
Police stops and your rights
- Courts and claims
Your Rights During a Police Stop or Arrest
What the Constitution generally protects during a stop, questioning, searches and arrest, and how to protect yourself.
5 min read - Courts and claims
Search Warrants and Your Rights if Police Want to Search
When police need a warrant, what a warrant must contain, exceptions and how to respond to a search at your home or car.
2 min read - Courts and claims
Arrested: What Happens Next, Step by Step
The usual steps after an arrest, from booking to first court appearance, and what to do and not do.
5 min read - Courts and claims
Bail and Bond Explained: How Pretrial Release Works
What bail is, how cash and surety bonds differ, how judges set bail and what happens if you miss court.
2 min read - Courts and claims
Plea Bargains Explained: Should You Accept a Plea Deal?
How plea agreements work in criminal cases, what rights you give up, common types of deals and why you should talk to a lawyer first.
4 min read - Courts and claims
Public Defenders: Your Right to a Free Lawyer in Criminal Cases
When you have a right to a court-appointed lawyer, how to qualify and what to expect from a public defender.
2 min read
Clearing your record
- Courts and claims
Expungement and Record Sealing: How Clearing a Record Works
The difference between expungement and sealing, who is typically eligible and the usual steps to apply.
4 min read - Courts and claims
Misdemeanor vs. Felony: Differences and Consequences
How states classify crimes, typical penalties and long-term effects of misdemeanor and felony convictions.
4 min read - Courts and claims
Pardons, Commutations and Other Ways to Clear a Criminal Record
How pardons and commutations work, how they differ from expungement and sealing and where to apply.
2 min read
Frequently asked questions
What happens after a DUI arrest?
You are booked and released or held, face criminal charges in court and, in many states, a separate administrative license suspension unless you request a hearing in time.
Do I need a lawyer for a DUI?
A lawyer is strongly recommended because of the license, criminal and insurance consequences, and because of short deadlines.
Should I refuse a breathalyzer?
Refusal can bring automatic penalties under implied consent laws, so talk to a lawyer about your state before making decisions.
How much does a speeding ticket really cost?
The fine is only part of it. Points and insurance increases can cost much more over several years.
Can I get a DUI off my record?
Some states allow expungement or sealing for certain offenses after waiting periods, but many restrict DUIs.