Delaware County Ohio DUI / OVI Attorneys

Lawyers Listed in Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers®

Since we first opened our doors in 1993, our firm has represented hundreds of people charged with DUI / OVI in Delaware County, Ohio. The majority of cases we handle stem from arrests by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Delaware County Sheriff's Office and Powell Police Department. From our experience, Southern Delaware County appears to be a "hot bed" of DUI / OVI enforcement.

If you have a pending DUI / OVI case, it’s important to bear in mind that most of the cruisers on patrol are equipped with cruiser video systems, so the entire event will be captured on film. One notable exception is the Delaware County Sheriff's Office – as of 2010, we haven't seen any DCSO cruisers with cruiser video.

How We Handle Cases in Delaware County

Normally we will handle the first court date for our clients without them having to appear. When preparing for your case, it’s important to note that restricted driving privileges can be tricky to obtain. If you refused a breath test or if you have a prior DUI / OVI arrest, it is unlikely that either of the judges at the Delaware Municipal Court will grant you restricted driving privileges on your eligibility date (day 31 on 1st offense refusal cases). Typically, they will wait until the end of the case to grant restricted driving privileges. However, if you took a breath test and tested between .08% and .15% it is likely you will be granted restricted driving privileges on your eligibility date (day 16 for 1st offense breath tests).

Our Practice Manager, Dauna Butte, handles most of our contact with the Delaware County Municipal Court. She says,

"It has been a pleasure working with different court personnel in Delaware over the years. As a former supervisor in the Franklin County Clerk's Office, I can personally appreciate the job they have to do. As a result, I have made it a point to build relationships with Delaware Court personnel to ensure that our clients are handled with the highest level of care. Due to these relationships, I am able to expedite certain aspects of a case that normally would take much longer to achieve."

"Also, I am contacted personally by the Judges' staff and assignment coordinators to schedule each court date which ultimately helps to accommodate our Client's schedule. This helps avoid the need to continue cases due to scheduling conflicts. Although this communication is typically done through phone calls and emails, I have grown to know the Delaware Court staff on a first name basis."

Preparing for the Delaware County Municipal Court

The Delaware Municipal Court located in the city of Delaware, Ohio and serves the entire County of Delaware. However, the Shawnee Hills Mayor's Court and Sunbury Mayor's Court may handle lesser offenses such as infractions and ordinance violations depending on your situation.The Delaware County Municipal Court is located at:

70 North Union Street, Second Floor
Delaware, Ohio 43015

How Delaware County Handles DUI/OVI Cases

Petition Fee

The first thing you need to be aware of are the Petition Fees you are required to pay to request driving privileges and that you fill out a BMV registration form to obtain restricted plates. Delaware County judges do order restricted plates much more frequently than judges in other counties, even for 1st offenders.

Ignition Interlock Devices

The next thing to be aware of is that both judges routinely require the installation of ignition interlock devices that will be provided through a private pre-approved company to be installed at your expense.

Within 30 days, our attorneys will have reviewed all of the evidence and will be in a position to evaluate the legal options for our clients. Most of our DUI cases proceed to a motion hearing where the arresting officers will be cross-examined by one of our attorneys as to their opinions and investigation.

Court Costs

The third thing to be aware of is that the court costs in Delaware County are very high. There is fee for everything, and those charges will quickly add up. For example, as of 2010, there is a $300 per year cost to be on probation. So, if an offender receives a suspended jail sentence and is placed on probation for 3 years, it will cost that person $900 to be placed on probation. This is in addition to all the other court costs.

Contacting Our Delaware County OVI Attorneys

With the recent completion of the expansion of the Delaware Ohio Municipal Court, it is a great place for lawyers to practice law. The courtrooms are very nice, spacious, and designed well for conducting hearings and trials. The judges are approachable yet firm in their respective positions. Both judges working at the court are always on top of the most recent appellate decisions, the bailiff staff keeps the courtrooms in order and running in a timely fashion and the probation officers are some of the best in the business.

To inquire about representation, call Attorney Brad Koffel directly
at: (614) 675-4845