Bismarck DUI lawyer.
Local, focused, available tonight.
If you were arrested for DUI in Bismarck or anywhere in Burleigh County, you’re facing a criminal case in a courthouse we’re in every week and a license suspension with a 10-day deadline. We handle several hundred DUI cases a year. The consultation is free and someone answers 24/7.
Free consultation, 24/7 · Offices in West Fargo & Bismarck · All North Dakota courts
Your license is on a separate clock. You have 10 days from the date on your Report and Notice to request a DOT hearing, or the suspension takes effect automatically. How the DOT hearing works →
DUI cases in Bismarck
DUI arrests in the Bismarck area are made by the Bismarck Police Department, Mandan Police, the Burleigh and Morton County Sheriff’s Offices, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Depending on where the stop occurred and your record, the case is prosecuted in Bismarck Municipal Court, Mandan Municipal Court, or Burleigh or Morton County District Court. Each has its own prosecutors, judges, and habits — knowing them is part of the job. Our offices are in West Fargo and Bismarck, and we appear in every municipal and county court in North Dakota.
Your office visit, if you want one, is at 840 43rd Avenue NE, Suite 203, Bismarck. Most of our clients never need to come in; we can handle the consultation, the DOT hearing request, and the early stages of the case by phone.
What you’re facing
North Dakota’s DUI penalties are set by state law, so they’re the same in Bismarck as anywhere else: a mandatory minimum fine and license suspension on a first offense, mandatory jail on a second, and a felony on a fourth. What varies locally is how cases are charged, negotiated, and sentenced — and that’s where local experience matters.
| Offense (within lookback) | Minimum fine | Minimum jail | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | $500 (.16+: $750) | None (.16+: 2 days) | 91–180 days |
| Second in 7 yrs | $1,500 | 10 days | 1–2 years |
| Third in 7 yrs | $2,000 | 120 days | 2–3 years |
| Fourth in 15 yrs (felony) | $2,000 | 1 year + 1 day | Years |
The first 10 days
The officer took your license and gave you a Report and Notice. You have 10 days from that date to request a DOT hearing or the suspension takes effect on its own. Here’s how the hearing works and why we request one on almost every case.
How we defend Bismarck DUI cases
- We get the dash-cam and body-cam video, the breath-machine records, and the officer’s certification on every case.
- We challenge the stop, the field sobriety tests, the chemical test, and the implied-consent advisory — the four places DUI cases are won.
- We use the DOT hearing to put the officer under oath early.
- When the evidence holds up, we negotiate for the outcome that protects your record, your license, and your job — a reduction to reckless driving where possible, and a sentence structured around your life where not.
Also serving
Mandan, Lincoln, Dickinson, Minot, Jamestown, Williston, and all of central and western North Dakota.
Talk to a North Dakota DUI lawyer now. It’s free.
☎ 701-365-8088Common questions
Do I have to come to an office?
No. Most cases start with a phone call and can be handled largely remotely. We’re happy to meet in person at our West Fargo or Bismarck office, or at the courthouse, if you prefer.
How soon should I call?
Tonight, if you can. The DOT deadline is 10 days from your arrest paperwork, and evidence like surveillance video and witness memories fades fast.
What does it cost?
The consultation is free. If you hire us, we quote a flat fee up front so there are no surprises.
Charged with DUI in North Dakota? Call now.
701-365-8088Free consultation · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
West Fargo | Bismarck
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Penalty figures reflect North Dakota mandatory minimums published by the NDDOT and are subject to change; courts can impose more. This page is general information, not legal advice for your situation, and contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship until we agree to represent you.