DUI Bench Trials

Certain types of cases such as breath test per se alcohol cases usually are best heard by a jury. In other types of cases, such as a case with a sympathetic defendant, a skilled lawyer can sway a jury better than they might be able to sway a judge. At other times the opposite may be true. In making its decision, a jury can vote “guilty” or “not guilty” on the charges based on a multitude of issues regardless of how the judge words the “instructions” on the law that they must apply to the case.

A criminal defense lawyer with strong persuasive skills can often sway a jury to vote “not guilty.”

One place where you may lose an edge if you opt for a bench trial is if a potential appeal is needed. Appellate courts are more likely to uphold the judge’s determination of guilt absent some blatant error in the judge’s rulings on the admissibility of evidence.

Because bench trials are often shorter in duration than are jury trials, they are cheaper if you are paying your lawyer by the hour. Some “flat fee” attorneys also charge less for bench trials in their fee agreements. As noted above, it is often quicker to get a bench trial than to wait for an opening for a jury trial. As mentioned before, some state legislatures have set up the court system to provide for entry-level courts to be non-jury, with an option to move the case to a jury trial court later. In such entry-level courts, your request for a jury trial necessitates a transfer to a court that can empanel a jury to hear your case.

A bench trial is a better option if the key to winning your trial rests upon a “legal” issue being decided in your favor. For example, if all pre-trial issues (that would typically be heard by the judge before a jury is ever impaneled) are heard as part of a bench trial, then a favorable ruling on the mid-trial motion to suppress for an illegal stop will win the entire case, and the prosecutor cannot appeal the judge’s decision.

More DUI Bench Trial Resources

To learn more about DUI bench trials, take a look at some of our in-depth articles on the subject below:

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What is a DUI Bench Trial?

DUI Bench Trials

More DUI Bench Trial Resources