12 Steps To Take After Getting A DUI In Arizona

If you are a first-time driving under the influence (DUI) offender, you may be asking yourself what’s next. No one plans on getting a DUI, so you’re probably unprepared as to what your next steps should be. Here are the first 15 important steps you should take after getting a DUI in Tucson:

Step 1: Gather All Paperwork

Gather all paperwork received and put it in a safe spot. Talk to a DUI attorney or contact me, William Parven, Esq., Tucson DUI Lawyer at 520-600-3379. Get an initial phone consultation for some peace of mind.

Step 2: Calm Down And Regain Focus

DUI is one of the most common offenses in the U.S. and no matter what the outcome is, it does not have to be a life-changing event.

Get some much-needed sleep knowing this time will pass, and you will move on with your life. A brief jog or another form of exercise might also be beneficial.

Step 3: Make Sure You Have The Following:

  1. Your citation or any other document given to you listing the charges.
  2. The suspension notice given to you by the officer, which has ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) listed at the top. Your copy should be pink.
  3. Mandatory fingerprint compliance form
  4. Impound sheet if your car is towed.
  5. Breath test strip if the officer did not choose a blood test.

Step 4: Look For Your Documents

Look for your listed court location, date and time on your citation, or any other charging document. It should be at the bottom.

Make sure you save this information in your calendar to make sure you remember, and just in case the documents are misplaced or lost.

Step 5: If Your Car Was Towed

If your car was towed and you were only charged with regular DUI, ARS 28-1381, go to the impound lot the next day and get your car back. You are charged by each day your car is impounded. You will also need your car to get to work or court. See step six for how to get your car back in different scenarios.

Step 6: If You Were Charged With Extreme Or Aggravated DUI

If you were charged with extreme or aggravated DUI, ARS 28-1382 or 28-1383:

  1. If you are not the registered owner of the car, contact the owner immediately so the car can be swiftly taken out of the impound. The owner can sign an agreement not to loan out the car again to a person driving under the influence, or without a valid license. The car can thereafter be released.
  2. If you are the owner, and you are married, bring your spouse with you the next day. Your spouse can sign an agreement not to let you use the car while under the influence of alcohol or without a valid license, and then the car can be released.
  3. If you are not married, you must wait the full 30 days. Plan to arrange alternative transportation if you do not have another vehicle. Consider using this 30-day period to serve your admin per se suspension (given that you did not refuse the test).

Step 7: Look For The Mandatory Fingerprint Sheet

Make sure you go to the listed police agency on the date and time indicated so you can be fingerprinted.

You will not be arrested and this is a simple process in which everyone charged with a DUI in Arizona, innocent or not, must do. It is always in your best interest to do this.

Step 8: Look At The Pink ADOT Form

Look at the pink ADOT form for details about when it was received and the date it was served:

  1. You only get 15 days to request a hearing with the Arizona MVD if you want to contest the suspension. Make a note of when the 15th day is.
  2. Look at the bottom. If the officer marked the second box which says pursuant to ARS 28-1385, your Arizona driving privilege is suspended for not less than 90 days, and you should speak with an attorney to go over your options. There are both risks and rewards to requesting a hearing.
  3. If the officer marked the first box that says pursuant to ARS 28-1321, your Arizona driving privilege is suspended, this means the officer is alleging you refused to take a test to determine your alcohol/drug content. You should still contact an attorney, but also make sure you request a hearing within 15 days. There is no downside to requesting a hearing for a refusal.

If you have not already done so, arrange for a free in-person consultation with a DUI attorney. Bring all your paperwork with you and prepare a list of questions you have.

Step 9: Make Sure Your Attorney Is Aware Of Deadlines And Court Dates

If you choose to hire an attorney, make sure the attorney is aware of any deadlines and court dates. The 15-day deadline with the MVD is especially important.

Step 10: Make Sure You Are Receiving Mail From The Arizona MVD

If necessary, update your address with them immediately. It is your responsibility to be aware of any future suspensions or actions taken on your Arizona privilege to drive so the MVD needs your correct address.

Step 11: Contact A Company That Does Alcohol Screenings

You can ask an attorney for recommendations but there are several who offer this service. You will need to complete an alcohol screening to receive a restricted license and later reinstate your privilege drive in Arizona. It is in your best interest to do this now.

Step 12: Attend Your Court Date

If you have not yet hired an attorney before your court date, make sure to attend your court date. At the first court date, which should be your arraignment, plead not guilty.

Pleading not guilty does not necessarily mean you believe you are innocent. It only means you are asking the prosecutor to prove you are guilty or negotiate a fair resolution for your case.

Always Ask For A Private Attorney Or Public Defender

Either ask the court for time to hire a private attorney, or if you cannot afford one, ask for a public defender.

Get The Help You Need After An Arizona DUI Charge

I am attorney William Parven, the founder of Law Office of William J. Parven, PLLC. Over the past decade I have helped hundreds of people understand their rights and protect their future after being charged with a DUI in Tucson. Which steps to take depend on the circumstances of your arrest and the evidence in the case. Sometimes the evidence is not admissible and needs to be challenged. Call me at 520-600-3379 and let’s talk about how to pursue your case. You can also send me an email, and I will get in touch with you.