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Philadelphia DUI Lawyer

A DUI charge in Pennsylvania can cost you your license, your job, and your freedom. The penalties get steeper with every prior offense, and prosecutors in Philadelphia rarely offer dismissals without a real legal challenge. Thomas F. Burke is a former Philadelphia prosecutor who has tried over 400 jury trials, including DUI cases. He knows exactly how the prosecution builds these cases — and exactly where they break down.

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Our Practice Areas

Pennsylvania DUI Penalties Are Tiered — And They Add Up Fast

Pennsylvania’s DUI law sets penalties based on your blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
  • General impairment (0.08% – 0.099% BAC): Up to 6 months probation, $300 fine, no mandatory license suspension for a first offense.
  • High BAC (0.10% – 0.159%): 48 hours minimum jail time, $500–$5,000 fine, 12-month license suspension.
  • Highest BAC (0.16%+) or DUI with a controlled substance: 72 hours minimum jail time, $1,000–$5,000 fine, 12-month license suspension.
Penalties increase sharply for second and third offenses. A third DUI at the highest BAC tier is graded as a felony in Pennsylvania.

Common DUI Defenses That Actually Work

Most DUI cases are not as airtight as the prosecution wants you to believe. Effective defenses we use include:
  • Challenging the traffic stop. Police need reasonable suspicion or probable cause to pull you over. If they didn’t have it, every piece of evidence after the stop can be suppressed.
  • Attacking the field sobriety tests. These tests are subjective and often improperly administered. Officer training records, weather conditions, road surface, and physical conditions all matter.
  • Questioning the breathalyzer. Breathalyzers require regular calibration and maintenance. Missing records, expired calibrations, or operator error can invalidate the result.
  • Challenging blood draws. Blood tests require proper chain of custody and constitutional procedure. Warrantless blood draws are unconstitutional under most circumstances after the Supreme Court’s Birchfield decision.
  • ARD eligibility. First-time offenders may qualify for Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. Successful completion results in case dismissal — but eligibility is not automatic and prosecutor approval is required.

Why a Former Prosecutor Matters in DUI Cases

Thomas Burke spent over a decade in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. He knows which judges are tough on DUI sentencing and which are open to negotiation. He knows what evidence prosecutors will fight to keep and what they’re willing to let go. That inside knowledge is the difference between a generic defense and a strategy built for how Philadelphia actually handles these cases.

We Defend DUI Cases Throughout the Region

Our DUI defense practice covers Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Chester County. State court, federal court — wherever the case is, we go.
(215) 567-1248

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What to Do Right Now if You've Been Charged

  1. Do not discuss your case with anyone except your attorney.
  2. Write down everything you remember about the stop — time, location, what was said, field sobriety tests administered, anything unusual.
  3. Save all paperwork from the police and the court.
  4. Call our office at (215) 567-1248 for a free consultation.
When winning matters most, you need a defense attorney who has been on both sides of these cases. Call DiDonato & Burke today.
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