DUI Defense
Short answer: a first-offense DUI in Shelby County General Sessions at 201 Poplar starts at $1,500. In the Germantown, Bartlett, and Collierville municipal courts, and in Tipton and Fayette County, it starts at $2,500. Most DUI cases that have real issues to litigate — the stop, the field sobriety tests, the breath or blood evidence — run $2,500 to $3,500 at 201 and $3,500 to $5,000 in the suburban and county courts. A first-offense DUI taken to a jury trial is $7,500 to $10,000, wherever the case is tried. Those are flat attorney fees. Court costs, fines, and any expert are separate.
We quote your exact flat fee after a free consultation. Call the office at (901) 324-5000 or call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973.
DUI lawyer fees by court
| Court | Straightforward resolution | With issues to litigate |
|---|---|---|
| Shelby County General Sessions, 201 Poplar (Memphis) | from $1,500 | $2,500 – $3,500 |
| Germantown Municipal Court | from $2,500 | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| Bartlett Municipal Court | from $2,500 | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| Collierville Municipal Court | from $2,500 | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| Tipton County General Sessions (Covington) | from $2,500 | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| Fayette County General Sessions (Somerville) | from $2,500 | $3,500 – $5,000 |
| Jury trial, first offense | $7,500 – $10,000 | — |
These are starting points, not a menu. Where your case lands inside a range depends on what it actually requires once we have looked at the arrest report, the video, and the test results — that evaluation is part of the free consultation, and the number we give you is the number. A second or subsequent DUI, a CDL holder, an under-21 driver, a child in the vehicle, or a felony DUI is quoted after we see the case.
Why the same charge costs more outside 201 Poplar
The DUI statute is the same in every court in Tennessee. The work is not.
- Different courts, different calendars. Each municipal court and each county runs its own docket on its own days and times. A case in Germantown or Somerville does not sit alongside our other cases at 201; it is a separate morning and often a separate setting for every step.
- Travel. Bartlett, Germantown, and Collierville are across the county. Covington and Somerville are the next county over. Time on the road is time in the case.
- Different judges, prosecutors, and procedures. Each court has its own judge, its own prosecutor, and its own way of handling discovery, motions, continuances, and pleas. Working a case through a different process takes more settings than working it through a familiar one.
- Bond conditions. Suburban and county courts can set conditions Shelby County does not, and getting those addressed is its own hearing.
- Two bites, sometimes. A municipal-court DUI can be appealed for a new trial in state court, which can be the right move — and it means litigating the case twice.
None of that is a judgment about the client or the court. It is a description of the work.
What moves the fee inside the range
- The stop. If the reason the officer pulled you over is weak, that is a suppression motion, a hearing, and possibly the whole case.
- Field sobriety tests. Whether the tests were given and scored the way the manual requires is a video review and, often, cross-examination at a hearing.
- Breath or blood. A breath result turns on the machine, its calibration, and the observation period. A blood result turns on the draw, the chain of custody, and the lab. Either can require an expert, whose fee is separate from ours.
- Implied consent. A refusal adds a second charge and a license consequence that has to be handled alongside the DUI.
- Trial. Cases that go to trial are quoted separately from cases resolved by hearing or negotiation.
- The Department of Safety. The administrative license track runs parallel to the criminal case and has its own deadlines.
Flat fee, not an hourly meter
DUI defense here is handled on a flat fee. You know the number before you hire us, and it does not climb because the case took an extra setting. Payment arrangements are available on most cases — tell us what you can do and we will work with you. Se habla Español.
What is not included
Court costs and fines are set by the court and paid to the court. Alcohol and drug assessments, DUI school, ignition interlock, probation supervision fees, restitution, license reinstatement fees, and expert witness fees are also separate. On a dismissed charge there is no expungement fee; a DUI conviction cannot be expunged in Tennessee.
Why the cheapest quote isn’t the whole story
A DUI fee well below the market usually means the case has been priced on the assumption that nothing will be contested — no look at the video, no suppression motion, no challenge to the test. That assumption is fine right up until the case turns on exactly those things. A DUI conviction is permanent in Tennessee. Ask any lawyer you are considering what the fee covers and what happens if the case does not resolve at the first setting. Learn more about how we defend DUI charges, see our Memphis DUI lawyer cost page, or see what other criminal charges cost.
Court-by-court details
Memphis and Shelby County (201 Poplar). From $1,500; $2,500 to $3,500 with issues to litigate. See courts we serve.
Germantown Municipal Court. From $2,500; $3,500 to $5,000 with issues to litigate. See Germantown criminal defense.
Bartlett Municipal Court. From $2,500; $3,500 to $5,000 with issues to litigate. See Bartlett criminal defense.
Collierville Municipal Court. From $2,500; $3,500 to $5,000 with issues to litigate. See Collierville criminal defense.
Tipton County (Covington). From $2,500; $3,500 to $5,000 with issues to litigate. See Tipton County criminal defense.
Fayette County (Somerville). From $2,500; $3,500 to $5,000 with issues to litigate. See Fayette County criminal defense.
Talk to a DUI lawyer — free
Tell us where you were stopped and what court your case is in, and we will tell you the fee. Call the office at (901) 324-5000, or call or text the criminal line at 901-412-2973, for a free, confidential consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a DUI lawyer cost in Memphis?
At Brooks Law Firm, a first-offense DUI in Shelby County General Sessions at 201 Poplar starts at $1,500. Most cases with issues to litigate — the stop, field sobriety tests, or the breath or blood evidence — run $2,500 to $3,500. These are flat attorney fees; court costs and fines are separate.
How much does a DUI lawyer cost in Germantown, Bartlett, or Collierville?
A first-offense DUI in the Germantown, Bartlett, or Collierville municipal court starts at $2,500, and most cases with issues to litigate run $3,500 to $5,000. The difference from 201 Poplar is the work: a separate docket on separate days, travel, and a different judge, prosecutor, and set of procedures.
How much does a DUI lawyer cost in Tipton County or Fayette County?
A first-offense DUI in Tipton County (Covington) or Fayette County (Somerville) starts at $2,500, and most cases with issues to litigate run $3,500 to $5,000, for the same reasons as the suburban municipal courts: separate dockets, travel, and a different court process.
Why does the same DUI charge cost more outside 201 Poplar?
The statute is the same; the work is not. Each municipal and county court runs its own calendar on its own days, is a separate trip, has its own judge and prosecutor and its own way of handling discovery, motions, and continuances, and can set bond conditions Shelby County does not. More settings and more travel mean more work.
How much does a DUI jury trial cost?
A first-offense DUI taken to a jury trial is $7,500 to $10,000 wherever the case is tried, because most of that fee is preparation — the implied-consent hearing, the stop, the field sobriety tests, and the breath or blood evidence.
Is the fee flat or hourly?
Flat. You get one number in writing after a free consultation, and it does not change because the case took an extra setting.