Courthouse
brian sloan profile picture

What Are Important Dates To Keep In Mind for a DUI?

The person would generally have to show up for an initial appearance or arraignment because of the way cases proceed through the system. They would be informed of their pending charges and given their release conditions, they would have a plea of not guilty entered on their behalf, and if they were not already being represented by a private attorney or a public defender then they would be asked if they wanted to see if they qualified for a public defender, or asked whether they were planning on representing themselves or hiring a private attorney.

The following court date is called different things in different courts. Some courts call it the pre-disposition court date, some call it the pretrial court date, and some call it the status conference. It is basically a hearing that allows the judge to see the attorney and for the attorney to meet with the prosecutor and to possibly pick up police reports or discuss plea negotiations or dismissal of the case. The case is usually continued for another status conference about a month later, which is called a pre-trial conference, pre-disposition court, or status conferences.

There are usually going to be about three status conferences to give the attorney a chance to talk and to give the judge a chance to hear whether there are any issues with the case before a case is actually set for a trial. Some courts have a special court date called a “trial readiness conference,” and some courts have the “trial management conference,” although most courts tend to operate the same way and just label their court dates differently.

Should you keep the documents given by police officers?

It is always important to hold on to all of the documents the police officer gives you.  Unfortunately, on occasion some police officers just forget to turn over the documents, and on other occasions someone is so impaired they forget to hold on to their documents.

Retaining the documents and bringing them to an attorney during a consultation is extremely important and will make everything go a lot smoother and would make understanding the process a lot easier. When I talk to potential clients during the consultation, one of the things I try to explain to them is how the Motor Vehicle Division aspect of the case operates.

Generally speaking, I tell clients that if they are going to try to represent themselves or if they are planning on being represented by a public defender, then very likely they would not want to do anything with the Motor Vehicle Division aspect of the case, and they would just want to let the suspension take effect as scheduled 15 days after the date of arrest.

The Motor Vehicle Division rules concerning license suspensions for being suspected of DUI are complicated, and if they are handled wrong then a person can end up having SR-22 high risk insurance. This is something that lasts for a couple of years and can cost several thousand dollars when everything is done.

I know what to do with the Motor Vehicle Division aspect when a client hires me to represent them. I also know how to allow my client to continue to drive for a few more months until I tell them otherwise, while protecting them from having to get SR-22 high risk insurance.

Will the person need to schedule days off from work?

The citation that the person was given should indicate the upcoming court date. Every now and again, even though the officer would have informed a suspect to show up in court on a certain date, the officer might not have turned in their copy of the paperwork to the court so the court would not be expecting them.

I explain to clients during consultation that if they decide to have me represent them, then I would be able to show up to their first court date on their behalf, so they would not need to appear and I would keep them updated with their upcoming court date and let them know if they had to appear at any of their upcoming court dates with me or whether I would be able to represent them on their behalf. This allows them to continue to work or go to school or do whatever they would otherwise be doing.

Someone who was arrested for a felony would be taken into custody, booked and then either released or given an upcoming court date. For a felony case, the client would have to appear themselves at every court date in the felony courts. The attorney would often be able to stand on their client’s behalf in misdemeanor courts. There are a few exceptions in certain justice courts, but for the most part the attorney would be able to stand in for them so they would not need to take off a day at work.

For more information on Arraignments and Hearing Dates, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling 480-900-0384 today.

city view

Call me today for an
‘In Depth’ Free Consultation

brian sloan profile picture
Brian Douglas Sloan

DUI ATTORNEY


aerial view of arizona
Best DUI Lawyer in Phoenix

Why DUI Attorney Brian Douglas Sloan?

19+

19+ Years SOLELY Focused on DUI Defense

4,200+

4,200+ DUIs Successfully Defended

Top Accolades

  • Only DUI "Power Lawyer" in the Nation Featured in USA Today, 2022

  • Top 10 in Arizona

Top 1%

Top One Percent in the Nation

Superb 10/10

AVVO.com

Preeminent
4.9 / 5.0

Martindale-hubble

brian sloan on the cover of attorney at law magazine

“I am one of only a handful of Phoenix DUI Lawyers that focuses solely on DUI Defense representation.”

I have spent my entire career focused on Arizona DUI Defense representation, having personally defended over 4,200+ DUI clients in the past 19+ years.

If you’re looking for a divorce attorney, tax attorney, or civil attorney, I can comfortably say, "I’m not the one for you."

Coming up with traditional, as well as outside-the-box motions and defenses for my clients, often with good results, is the hallmark of my practice.

Lawyers that say they are "aggressive" or "will fight for you" are a dime a dozen. They use these phrases because they think people want to hear them. Being "aggressive" isn’t the same as being good and is often used to put on a show to hide the fact that they aren’t doing anything meaningful for the client.

The same is true for the lawyers claiming to do DUI Defense, Criminal Cases, Accident Cases, and Divorces. A Jack-of-all-Trades is a master of none! By handling all sorts of cases, they take away from their ability to truly focus on DUIs, and keep up to date on the latest changes in Phoenix DUI Defense Representation.

What I offer is intelligent, quality DUI Defense at an exceptional price.

I have not only taught other lawyers how to do DUI Defense Representation at statewide seminars, but I produced DUI Legal Guides used by defense lawyers across Arizona.

I am one of Arizona's most award-winning DUI Defense Lawyers, recognized nationally, including in a 2022 issue of USA Today.

There are no other private DUI Defense Lawyers in Arizona that have personally defended more DUI cases than I have. And as a bonus, I offer a flat rate for my legal services without any hidden charges. This guarantees that I offer some of the most competitive rates among all Arizona DUI Attorneys, while being the preeminent leader in the field of DUI Defense Representation.

Over the years, countless people have come to me after discovering that their first lawyer made a mistake, gave them false hope or false promises, or simply took their money and didn't do much to advance their case. And you would be surprised at how often this happens.

So, instead of wasting time and money on the wrong DUI Defense Attorney, do yourself a favor and get the proven and documented best DUI Lawyer in Phoenix and the surrounding areas of Maricopa County.

You can reach me on my cell phone: 480-720-7839.


dui attorney brian sloan headshot

Brian Douglas Sloan

DUI Attorney

Free Initial
Consultation

small mail icon
Email address:
Sloan@ArizDUI.com
small location icon
2 N. Central Ave Suite 1929
Phoenix, AZ 85004
triangle pattern