DUI Cases in the Lehigh County Court System

After your arrest, your case will be scheduled in the District Court where you were stopped and arrested.  This first appearance in court is the Preliminary Hearing, which is generally scheduled within 30 to 60 days from the time you receive your charges in the mail or if they were given to you by the arresting officer.

The Preliminary Hearing occurs in front of a local magistrate judge, who determines whether there is enough evidence to send the charges on to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas.

This Hearing is a very important stage in the process, as some or all of the charges may be dismissed or modified.  Please call us to discuss your charges to determine how to proceed with the Preliminary Hearing.

After the Preliminary Hearing, if the charges are sent to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, your next court date will be an Arraignment on the DUI charges.  This court date should usually occur within 60 days of the Preliminary Hearing.

You will appear at the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, located at 455 West Hamilton Street in Allentown, PA, 18101-1614.

If you are a first alleged offender, you may be eligible for ARD or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (A.R.D.), which is a probationary program that, if completed successfully, will ultimately result in a dismissal of the DUI charges against you.  You may or may not lose your driving privileges for a period of time, and you will have to undergo drug and alcohol testing and education as part of the program.  Please contact us to discuss your best options regarding this program.

If your case proceeds past Arraignment, discovery, or the police records regarding your arrest, will be provided to you, and you will have an opportunity to challenge the evidence against you.  You may have one or more Pre-Trial Conferences before your case is scheduled for Trial.  You and your attorney will have the opportunity to negotiate with the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office to seek a favorable plea agreement specific to your case.

It is important to know your options and choices.