Because of the Cardinals, Coyotes, concerts and shows, Glendale is one of the busiest cities in Arizona when it comes to DUI arrests. Police know people are tailgating and partying at the venues. If you’ve ever been to an event at Westgate, you know navigating the one way streets can be extremely difficult. Police are looking for any reason to pull people over to investigate a DUI arrest.
Depending on whether you were arrested by a city police officer or a deputy from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, your case will either be assigned to the Glendale Municipal Court or one of the Maricopa County Justice Courts.
Your first court date is called an arraignment. An arraignment is when a judge will accept a guilty or not guilty plea. Generally speaking, a judge will automatically enter a not guilty plea and schedule the case for a pretrial conference. The pretrial conference will be held approximately 30 days from the scheduled arraignment.
Depending on the court, you will either receive your police report at the scheduled pretrial conference or the prosecutor’s office will mail a copy to your attorney ahead of time. People ask me on a regular basis what happens when you do not have a lawyer. Truth be told, I have no clue what the process is for people who are not represented. All of our clients are represented, so I can only speak to the process of when a private defense attorney represents a client.
Why You Need to Hire a Lawyer
If you do not have a private attorney, once you receive your police report, you will have either two options, enter into a plea agreement or set the matter for a trial. Without an attorney, you will experience a dead end. DUI defense is considerably more complicated than what the average person thinks. Without an attorney, you won’t be able to schedule police officer interviews and won’t have the slightest idea what to look for in toxicology records. Essentially, you will have no way of knowing whether your case is good for trial, what arguments to make at trial or how to argue a reduction of your penalties through a plea agreement.
Attorneys Providing Free DUI Legal Advice
If you have received a DUI in Glendale, Arizona while either leaving a Westgate event or just operating a car in Glendale, let’s work together to fight your DUI case. See why countless people have hired the attorneys at my office. We work hard, are honest and provide clients with exceptional results. Our consultations are always free and lawyers are available 24/7 to speak with clients and potential clients about their DUI case.
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
