Serving Dauphin County, Harrisburg and beyond
Dui Defense Attorney Harrisburg
If you've been arrested for driving under the influence, hiring a skilled DUI defense attorney can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. At The Dorward Law Firm, we have the extensive resources and experience necessary to navigate the intricacies of DUI law.
When you work with our firm, we will examine the evidence, challenge questionable tactics, identify any errors during your arrest, and fight tirelessly to protect your rights and reputation. No matter how complex your situation seems, we will serve as your unwavering advocate throughout the legal process. Don't risk your future by facing a DUI charge without proper representation.
Take control of your future today by calling (717) 429-0411 to see how a DUI lawyer can help you.
Harrisburg DUI Defense Call for More Information Today!717-429-0411
I put Shawn in a position he couldn't possibly win for me...yet he did.
Derrick Schwanger
D"Shawn is great at his job"
Shawn is great at his job with plenty of years of experience.
Dakota Silks
P"Shawn goes above and beyond!"
Shawn's services exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend him.
Pamelita Roberts
M"Very pleasant experience"
Working with Attorney Dorward was a very pleasant experience. Got the traffic citation reduced and walked away very happy!
Marlena Nichols
S"Shawn is a savior"
Shawn is one of the best attorneys in the area. He is a savior. Great communication skills, always ready to answer questions.
Sean Alq
M"Mr. Dorward is simply the best"
He came up with the absolute best possible outcome in my cases.
Matt Savage
R"Best Decision I Made"
His expertise, knowledge, and willingness to fight for me got me the best possible outcome.
Randy Cruz
The Best Lawyer in Dauphin County
This Dorward Law Firm is the best law firm in Dauphin County; it’s not even close. Mr. Shawn Dorward is the best in the business. I had a DUI I was facing, and to make matters worse, I also was a truck driver, so my CDL was at stake. He assured me we’d fight, and he did more than that. He was relentless throughout the process, keeping me updated every time something came up, and I would never hesitate a bit to refer him to anyone who has a DUI because of his commitment to doing what he loves to do, and that’s to fight for his clients and make sure you get the best results possible. I’m thankful someone referred me to him, and I was able to keep my CDL. I can’t thank him enough. Peace and love to the best lawyer in Dauphin County.
Norbell Lynch
Yet He Did.
In 2019 I was being charged with a DUI so I obtained Shawn Dorward as my attorney. I was given a bail provision; I couldn't drink alcohol until following all court proceedings. Prior to anything being worked out with the courts on this DUI, I was being charged with yet another DUI... yes, 2 DUI charges within 2 months of each other. The court then mandated random drug/alcohol testing, in which I failed the very 1st test. I put Shawn in a position he couldn't possibly win for me... yet he did. Thanks to you, Shawn!!!!
Derrick Schwanger
Shawn is great at his job
I hired him for a DUI case and he was able to help me understand everything I needed and helped get my case handled. Shawn is great at his job with plenty of years of experience. I highly recommend at least giving him a call and hearing him out.
Dakota Silks
Shawn goes above and beyond!
Shawn goes above and beyond for his clients! When I reached out to Shawn’s law firm, I was at my wits' end and feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. It had been nearly 3 years since being arrested for my first DUI (general impairment) and the DA/courts were making it difficult to be accepted into the ARD program even though I had completed all requirements. I met with Shawn to discuss my case further and knew immediately that I chose the best attorney to represent me. He appeared to be motivated and confident that he would handle my legal situation. He communicated and kept me in the loop every step of the way. Lastly, he definitely got the job done. My case finally concluded 3/1/23 and I am very pleased with the outcome. Shawn’s services exceeded my expectations and for that, I would highly recommend him and his firm to anyone. Thank you again, Mr. Dorward.
Pamelita Roberts
Very pleasant experience
Working with Attorney Dorward was a very pleasant experience. Got the traffic citation reduced and walked away very happy! Thank you.
Marlena Nichols
Shawn is a savior
Shawn is one of the best attorneys in the area. He is a savior. Great communication skills, he is always ready to answer your questions in any way. 'Thank you' is not just enough. I recommend everyone, guys, if you’re charged with DUI/DWI, and if you have Shawn, you don’t have to worry. He works very hard to get things settled. I wish I could give him more than 5 stars but can’t. Thank you tons, Shawn, thank you very much!
Sean Alq
Mr. Dorward is simply the best
When I write this review, I’m speaking directly from my personal point of view and from the heart. Everybody’s path in life is different and I don’t judge anyone. Through my experiences, when you talk to people that have been through the criminal justice system; “everybody has a story.” I was always quick to judge until “the story” hit me square in the face, personally. I walked this earth for 37 years without even remotely being arrested or having a record. In the blink of an eye, I was arrested twice on severe DUI charges in a 9-month period. I’m not gonna go into specifics of the cases, I don’t feel that’s necessary in a public forum. I will go into certain specifics of the ramifications that these two arrests had on my life. I have a high-profile job that requires multiple certifications, a bachelor’s degree and multiple master’s degrees from a highly publicized university. In other words, I had everything to lose and nothing to gain from this mess. After this experience, I will tell you that the criminal justice system is nothing but a big business. Like anything else in life, there is good and bad. Shawn Dorward is the best in the business and I can speak to you directly from my personal experience of dealing with this gentleman on pretty much a daily basis for 7 months. I have many, many true friends that I grew up with that practice law and are in law enforcement. Honestly, a very large amount, which makes it even more embarrassing for me. Please understand, it’s not to brag on my part, but all of those individuals will be the first to tell you that after witnessing Mr. Dorward’s behavior, practice, and actions; he is the best criminal defense attorney in Central PA. Nobody is better, and, ladies and gentlemen, I am paying him, he is not paying me. So, I felt compelled to take time and write a heartfelt review on Mr. Dorward because if it wasn’t for him, I would have lost everything in my life that I worked so hard for and strived to achieve. I can’t tell you exactly how or why he and I connected because there are so many attorneys to choose from, but even though I was arrested, it didn’t take away the fact that I know a good person and human being when I see them. The minute I shook Mr. Dorward’s hand and looked at him I knew this was my guy. You can tell a lot about a man by his eyes, and the first thing I saw was; authenticity. Shawn Dorward is everything that you want in an attorney, he is the real deal. He is “straight-up,” he’s not out looking for a quick payday, he’s a thorough, dedicated, and compassionate human being and attorney, and that is what separates him from everybody else. This guy has become a friend of mine and has been there 24 hours a day, through thick and thin of this entire process and I honestly do not know where I would be without the guy. I owe Mr. Dorward my entire well-being and I sincerely mean that. He has gone above and beyond his fulfillments and obligations for me because he recognized how stressed I was and he’s a compassionate individual. If you know me personally, you know how passionate, intense, and genuine I can be. I can tell you; right here and right now that this man, Mr. Dorward, is the most intelligent human being I’ve ever sat down next to in my life, he knows the laws and procedures better than most law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and even some judges in this area and that is a fact because I witnessed it with my own eyes. In closing, I could go on and on, but a lot of people at the end of the day just want results, and I can personally tell you that he came up with the absolute best possible outcome in my cases and I owe the man so much gratitude, words don’t do it justice. The criminal justice system can be very, very scary and you need somebody that’s going to get you guaranteed results, and that’s gonna fight for you. I look at it like we went to battle together and we both fought together. In the end, right prevailed. Thank you, Mr. Dorward, you're simply the best.
Matt Savage
Best Decision I Made
In 2016 I got myself in a 'jam' that required a really good attorney: I drive professionally for a living and was at risk of losing my licenses and my job. Hiring Shawn Dorward to represent me was the best decision I made. His expertise, knowledge, and willingness to fight for me got me the best possible outcome for my situation; no loss of licenses and I still drive for a living. He is fantastic at what he does and I would highly recommend Shawn Dorward when you need someone to advocate and defend you! Thank you so much, Shawn. Regards, RC
Client was charged with two separate DUI’s. For the first case, our client was pulled over for what the state trooper ...
Charges Dismissed2nd Offense Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI.
Client was charged with a felony Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI, three other DUI related offenses, possession ...
Charges Dismissed2nd Offense DUI
Client faced a 2nd offense DUI. When having difficulty sleeping, client went out spotlighting for deer when he was ...
Charges DismissedDriving Under Suspension DUI Related
Client was charged with Driving Under Suspension – DUI related for what the officer claimed was his third violation ...
Charges DismissedDUI Charges for CDL driver
For truck drivers, the most important thing they maintain is their ability to drive a commercial vehicle. This is how ...
Charges DismissedFelony Drug
Client was charged with felony drug delivery offenses for an incident where narcotics were found in the trunk of his ...
Charges Dismissed2 separate DUI’s
Client was charged with two separate DUI’s. For the first case, our client was pulled over for what the state trooper observed to be erratic driving. My client admitted to consuming alcohol and was subsequently asked out of his vehicle to submit to field sobriety tests, which he complied with. Following the tests, the trooper believed he had enough to arrest my client for DUI so he placed him in handcuffs and took him to the booking center for a blood draw. At booking my client agreed to submit to a blood draw; however, after the phlebotomist stuck our client three times in the arm with a needle without hitting a vein, the trooper directed her to stop attempting to draw blood. Although the police were not able to obtain blood from our client, they still filed DUI charges. Yes, you can face a DUI in Pennsylvania without a blood result. Of further significance for this case was that my client had his two children in the vehicle. This enhanced our client's DUI charges from an ungraded misdemeanor to a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Shortly after receiving the charges for his first offense, our client was stopped again for the same circumstances and his wife and children were in the car with him. On this occasion he admitted to the police that he had consumed alcohol and was coming from a family member's home. As with the previous offense, he was asked out of the vehicle to perform field sobriety tests, but before being placed under arrest for DUI, the trooper who had him perform the field sobriety tests stated on the dash camera video that he did not believe he was impaired. Our client was still arrested for DUI and taken in for a blood draw. As in the prior case, he willingly submitted to a blood draw, but the phlebotomist could not obtain any blood from him.
Throughout this client's cases we attempted to reach a resolution, but all conversations lead us to trial on the first case. Due to the enhancements with the children in the car, this proceeded to a jury trial. Typically for a first offense DUI, you would not be eligible for a jury trial and the case would be decided by a judge. After the jury heard all of the testimony and watched the dash camera footage for the first case, they returned a verdict of not guilty on the DUI. The second case was scheduled for the very next trial term, but at jury selection the District Attorney’s Office agreed to dismiss the DUI charge and offered a plea to the summary traffic citations. This was in large part due to my client’s willingness to submit to a blood draw as well as the trooper in the dash camera video explaining that he felt he did not have enough.
Charges Dismissed2nd Offense Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI.
Client was charged with a felony Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI, three other DUI related offenses, possession of drug paraphernalia and three summary violations for an accident that he was involved in with another motorist. All DUI offenses were based on our client having alcohol in his system at the time of the accident. Members of the state police were dispatched to the accident and upon arrival observed heavy front end damage to both vehicles. Our client was still trapped in his car. The state trooper’s provided aid to our client and eventually he was transported to the hospital for life saving treatment. The other motorist was also transported to a local hospital as she sustained significant injuries. One of the troopers testified at a hearing that this was the worst accident he ever witnessed where someone did not die.
This investigation was flawed from the start when a member of the state police attempted to do an accident reconstruction. Typically in an accident of this nature, the state police would send an expert to the scene to do a complete accident reconstruction; however, that was not done in this case. The trooper who filed the charges said that it was not done, because there was not a death. The trooper who filed the charges was not an expert in accident reconstruction. At the conclusion of the trooper’s investigation he determined that our client was driving at an excessive speed, that the other motorist was traveling the speed limit, and our client crossed the lane lines into the oncoming lane of travel striking the other motorist.
When my client’s father arrived at the scene and heard that his son was the cause of the accident he could not accept it as true based on what he saw. Shortly after the accident it was determined that the state police never requested the airbag control module (ACM) from the other motorists vehicle. The ACM of a vehicle can record data in the event of a collision, similar to a “black box” in an aircraft. This information can provide insight into the crash dynamics and can be used in investigations such as this one. Without the ACM for the other motorist we would have nothing to rebut the trooper's findings. Eventually my client's father was able to track down where the other person’s car was taken to. It went from Central Pennsylvania to a junk yard in New Jersey. He was able to get confirmation that this was the same vehicle involved in the crash. With the ACM for this car we were able to hire our own expert to rebut what the Commonwealth was alleging. Our expert was able to confirm that the other motorist was the vehicle traveling in excess of the speed limit, that she crossed the lane line and she was the cause of the accident. After we submitted our report to the District Attorney's Office they had someone else from the State Police review it and they ultimately conceded that our client was not at fault for the accident.
This still left the DUI charges and paraphernalia charge. When we dug further into the blood results we were able to determine that the hospital where our client received medical treatment sent the wrong person’s blood to the laboratory for testing. The alcohol they claimed was in his system was not his blood so the DUI charges were withdrawn as well. The Commonwealth was still not willing to withdraw the paraphernalia charge so we filed a motion to suppress, arguing that the state police illegally searched our client's vehicle after he was extricated and taken to the hospital. Following a hearing, the court agreed and his paraphernalia charge was dismissed as well.
But for my client’s father obtaining the ACM from the other vehicle, subpoenaing detailed information concerning our client’s medical records and requesting documentation from the laboratory that did the blood analysis, it is inconceivable to think of what may have happened in this case. Our client went from facing felony charges, jail time, loss of license and having a civil lawsuit filed against him by the other motoristotorist to being completely exonerated. We are grateful to have been a part of this success.
Charges Dismissed2nd Offense DUI
Client faced a 2nd offense DUI. When having difficulty sleeping, client went out spotlighting for deer when he was stopped by the police. He was stopped for crossing lane lines. Thankfully, we were able to get involved with the case and obtained a copy of the police officer’s dash camera video. The video did not show that our client’s driving was anything more than minimal deviations from his lane of travel. We filed a motion to suppress evidence arguing that the officer did not have either reasonable suspicion or probable cause to stop our clients truck and the trial court granted it. Without any evidence concerning our client’s performance on field sobriety tests or a blood alcohol content the Commonwealth agreed to dismiss the charges.
Charges DismissedDriving Under Suspension DUI Related
Client was charged with Driving Under Suspension – DUI related for what the officer claimed was his third violation pursuant to Section 1543(b)(1)(iii). This section of the motor vehicle code concerns an individual who has had two prior violations under the same subsection. At the preliminary hearing we were able to argue that our client’s prior driving under suspension offenses were under a separate subsection of the motor vehicle code and his charges were dismissed. He was facing a sentence of up to a $2,500 fine and imprisonment for not less than six months.
Charges DismissedDUI Charges for CDL driver
For truck drivers, the most important thing they maintain is their ability to drive a commercial vehicle. This is how they earn a living and provide for their families. One of the most devastating charges a truck driver can face is a DUI. A typical plea offer for a first offense DUI will include acceptance into the ARD program. This program, in most counties, provides an individual with an opportunity to have their charges expunged, and significantly reduces their loss of license. If you have a CDL, not only will you face a license suspension of your regular driver’s license, but depending on the offense number you will face an additional year or even a lifetime disqualification. This client came to us with a first offense DUI. As most individuals charged with a DUI, he faced two separate counts for the same incident. The first was in regards to his blood alcohol content and the second charge was concerning the officer’s opinion as to his inability to safely drive his vehicle. We knew from the beginning he could not do ARD as he would have lost his CDL for a year and everything else he worked so hard for. At the time of this offense our client had his CDL for over 10 years. It was our initial hope that the District Attorney’s Office was going to work with us, but when we were not able to reach an agreement that would have saved our clients CDL, we proceeded to trial. At trial, the Commonwealth called a forensic toxicologist to testify to our clients blood alcohol content. This toxicologist was not involved in the testing of our client’s blood and did not sign off on the final report. Based on this, we objected to their testimony and argued that this was a violation of the Confrontation Clause of the United States and Pennsylvania Constitution. The trial judge agreed and the charge concerning our clients blood alcohol content was dismissed. The arresting officer was still permitted to testify to his opinion of impairment, but after he testified we were able to successfully argue that the Commonwealth could not prove that he was impaired and the impairment based DUI charged was also dismissed.
Charges DismissedFelony Drug
Client was charged with felony drug delivery offenses for an incident where narcotics were found in the trunk of his car. Client was with a friend at a hotel who was wanted on a felony warrant. Based on intel the police had received they set up surveillance at the hotel and ultimately gained entry into the hotel room where our client was staying. After searching the room and everyone in it, they did not find anything so they released our client. Our client walked away from the hotel. After he left the scene police accessed our clients vehicle and found drugs that were believed to belong to the person they had the felony warrant for and our clients. At court, we filed a motion to suppress evidence arguing that in order to gain entry into our clients car the police needed a search warrant. The Court and eventually the District Attorney’s Office agreed. All charges were dismissed.
Why Choose The Dorward Law Firm
At The Dorward Law Firm, we are dedicated to defending your rights and guiding you through challenging times. With extensive experience and a focus on personalized strategies, we’re committed to securing the best possible outcomes for our clients throughout Central Pennsylvania.
Why Choose Us:
Over a decade of criminal defense experience
Certified expertise in DUI and complex cases
Led by award-winning attorney Shawn Dorward
Personalized legal strategies for each client
Strong relationships within the legal community
Free, no-obligation consultations
Experienced Criminal Defense In Central PA
Over a decade of proven results defending your rights and future.
Personalized Strategies For Every Case
We tailor our defense to your unique situation for the best results.
Expert DUI & Complex Case Knowledge
Specialized certifications and awards give you a powerful advantage.
Free Consultation—Start With Confidence
Call now for a free case review and honest legal guidance.
Meet Our Dedicated Team at The Dorward Law Firm
At The Dorward Law Firm, we’re devoted to safeguarding the rights and futures of individuals facing criminal charges throughout Harrisburg and Central Pennsylvania. Led by Shawn Dorward—an award-winning attorney with over a decade of experience and specialized DUI certifications—our team provides strategic, compassionate defense tailored to your unique situation. We focus exclusively on criminal defense, offering personalized guidance and clear communication every step of the way. With strong local relationships and a commitment to ongoing legal education, we aim to achieve the best possible results for our clients. From DUI to complex criminal cases, we’re here to help you understand your options and build a path forward with confidence. Free consultations are always available.
A DUI arrest often results in temporary license suspension. The length and conditions depend on factors like your blood alcohol level and prior offenses. You may request a hearing to contest the suspension within a specified time frame.
Can a DUI be removed from my record?
It's possible to have a DUI expunged or sealed, depending on state laws and circumstances surrounding the case. Factors like the offense's severity, time since conviction, and any additional offenses play a role. Consult a lawyer for options.
What should I do if I'm stopped for suspected DUI?
Remain calm and cooperative. Provide necessary identification and documents, but limit other information offered. Politely decline field sobriety tests and request to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
How long does a DUI stay on my record?
A DUI can stay on your driving record for several years, affecting insurance rates and background checks. The exact duration varies by state. In many places, DUIs stay on your criminal record indefinitely unless expunged through legal action.
