{"id":5828,"date":"2026-10-21T02:55:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T02:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patrickwilsonlaw.com\/resources\/dui-defense-attorney\/what-happens-at-a-dui-arraignment-and-what-should-i-expect\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T04:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T04:34:12","slug":"what-happens-at-a-dui-arraignment-and-what-should-i-expect","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/patrickwilsonlaw.com\/resources\/dui-defense-attorney\/what-happens-at-a-dui-arraignment-and-what-should-i-expect\/","title":{"rendered":"Miami DUI Arraignment: What Happens and What to Expect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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DUI Defense | Miami-Dade, Broward and the Florida Keys<\/p>

Miami DUI Arraignment: What Happens and What to Expect<\/h1>

A plain-language guide to the arraignment that follows a DUI arrest, and how Patrick Wilson Law, a Miami criminal defense firm, can help you prepare.<\/p>

Schedule a free consultation or call 786-761-1719<\/a><\/div>
Schedule a free consultation or call 786-761-1719<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

By Patrick David Wilson \u00b7 Published October 20, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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A DUI arraignment is your first formal court hearing after a DUI arrest. The court tells you the charges, asks how you plead, and addresses your release conditions. If you’re wondering what happens at a DUI arraignment and what should I expect, this guide walks through each step in a Florida courtroom.<\/p>\n

What a DUI arraignment is and why it comes early<\/h2>\n

A DUI arraignment is the hearing where the court formally tells you what you’re charged with. A judge, clerk, or prosecutor reads or states the charges and calls on you to plead. Florida’s rules for this step are in Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.160<\/a>. The hearing happens in open court or by audio-video technology, at the court’s discretion.<\/p>\n

It isn’t a trial. No evidence is weighed and no verdict is reached at this hearing.<\/p>\n

It comes early because Florida moves fast after an arrest. Under Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.130<\/a>, an arrested person must see a judge within 24 hours, unless released earlier in a lawful manner. The judge then decides whether you’re released and on what conditions.<\/p>\n\n

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Where and when the arraignment takes place<\/h2>\n

Your court date and courtroom appear on your arrest paperwork, your notice to appear, or your bond papers. Check those papers for the exact date, time, and courthouse. A notice to appear<\/a> lists the time and place you must appear in court.<\/p>\n

Your notice may also say whether the hearing is in person or by video. The court makes that call.<\/p>\n

Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties each have their own courts. Monroe County covers the Florida Keys. Confirm which courthouse your paperwork names. The Miami-Dade criminal court information<\/a> page from the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller is one place to check details.<\/p>\n

Some cases set more than one early date. Treat the first date on your paperwork as one you cannot miss, and keep every later date on your calendar too. A DUI that causes serious bodily injury to another is a third-degree felony under Fla. Stat. 316.193<\/a>. Felony charges raise the stakes, so every date matters more.<\/p>\n

What happens in the courtroom, step by step<\/h2>\n

Expect a wait. The court calls many cases in one session, so arrive early. When your name is called, you or your lawyer steps forward.<\/p>\n

The judge or clerk then reads or states the charges. These include the DUI charge and any other counts on the paperwork. You can waive the reading, but you still must answer the charge.<\/p>\n

Next, the judge gives you advice. Under Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.130<\/a>, the judge must tell you that you don’t have to say anything and that anything you say can be used against you.<\/p>\n

If you can’t afford a lawyer, the court addresses appointed counsel. Under Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.111<\/a>, a person entitled to appointment of counsel, meaning an indigent person, has counsel appointed when formally charged, as soon as feasible after custodial restraint, or at the first appearance, whichever occurs earliest. Then the court moves to your plea and release conditions.<\/p>\n

Entering your plea: what the options mean<\/h2>\n

In Florida, you may plead not guilty, guilty, or, with the court’s consent, no contest (Rule 3.170<\/a>).<\/p>\n