You Got the Report — Now Read It
How to Read Your DUI Police Report
Every part means something. Some parts are where the case breaks.
A DUI report is written to sound airtight. It isn’t. Once you know what each section is claiming — the reason for the stop, the basis for the arrest, the “observations” of impairment, your statements, and the test results — you can compare it to the video and find what doesn’t hold up. This guide walks you through it section by section.
First, Get Oriented
What’s Actually in the Report
A DUI “report” is usually several documents stapled together. Knowing the pieces makes the whole thing far less intimidating — and tells you where to look for each kind of problem.
The face sheet
Names, the charge (A.R.S. § 28-1381 and related), date, time, location, agency, report/DR number, and the officers involved. Confirm every detail matches your case — a wrong name or number is worth noting.
The officer's narrative
The heart of the report: the officer's story of the stop, the investigation, and the arrest, in his or her own words. This is where impairment 'observations' and your statements live.
The DUI / SFST supplement
A separate section (often a checklist) documenting the field sobriety tests — how the officer says you performed and how each 'clue' was scored.
The chemical-test packet
Breath printout or blood-draw and lab records: the number, the instrument, calibration/maintenance data, the blood kit, and chain-of-custody documents.
Always read the report next to the video. Request the body-cam and dash-cam footage (your Rule 15 disclosure and public-records request both cover it). The single most powerful thing a self-represented person can do is line up each written claim against what the camera actually shows.
Part One
Probable Cause: The Stop and the Arrest
A DUI case is built in two legal steps: the stop (which needs reasonable suspicion) and the arrest (which needs probable cause). If either was unjustified, the evidence that followed can be challenged. Read your report for exactly what the officer claims justified each step.
1. The stop — was there reasonable suspicion?
Police need a specific, articulable reason to pull you over: a traffic violation, equipment problem, or driving pattern. Read exactly what the officer wrote justified the stop. 'Failure to maintain lane,' a brief touch of a line, or a hunch may not be enough. If the stop was unlawful, everything that followed can be challenged.
2. The expansion into a DUI investigation
A stop for a taillight becomes a DUI case the moment the officer claims to smell alcohol, see red eyes, or hear an admission. Note precisely what the officer says shifted it — and whether the report supports detaining you longer to investigate, or whether that's assumed.
3. The arrest — what was the probable cause?
To arrest, the officer needs probable cause to believe you were driving impaired. List what the report actually relies on: the driving, the observations, the FSTs, any admission, any preliminary breath test. Then ask whether each piece is as solid as it's written — or whether it's boilerplate.
Part Two
Observations of Impairment & Your Statements
This is the officer’s narrative — the part meant to make impairment sound obvious. Read it critically. Much of it is boilerplate that fits a tired or nervous person as well as an impaired one, and the field sobriety scoring is subjective.
The 'standard' impairment phrases
Watch for the same words in nearly every DUI report: bloodshot/watery eyes, odor of alcohol, slurred speech, flushed face, fumbling for documents, unsteady on feet. These describe being tired, upset, or nervous just as well as being impaired. Compare each phrase to the body-cam and dash-cam video — the camera often tells a very different story than the narrative.
Your statements & Miranda
Find every statement the report attributes to you — 'I had two beers,' answers to questions, anything said before or after arrest. Note when (and whether) Miranda was read. Questions asked during a custodial interrogation without a valid waiver, and involuntary statements, can be suppressed. What you did NOT say matters too.
The field sobriety tests (HGN, Walk-and-Turn, One-Leg Stand)
These are the three standardized tests. The officer counts 'clues' — but the tests are only valid when given under standardized conditions (level, dry, well-lit surface) on a suitable person, and scored exactly as NHTSA requires. Read how many clues were claimed, the conditions, and whether the officer noted your age, weight, injuries, footwear, or nerves. Small deviations undercut the whole score.
Part Three
Breath or Blood Test Information
The test result feels like the whole case. It isn’t — it’s a number that depends on timing, foundation, and (for blood) a chain of custody. Here’s what to check in the chemical-test packet.
The number — and when it was taken
Find the reported BAC and the time of the test versus the time of driving. Alcohol rises and falls; a result taken an hour or two later isn't automatically your BAC behind the wheel. The State often has to 'relate back' — and that's contestable.
Foundation: calibration, maintenance, and margin of error
Whether breath or blood, the number rests on foundation. Breath instruments assume a 2100:1 partition ratio and require a 15-minute deprivation period; both must be documented. Every result also carries a measurement uncertainty — a reported 0.082 may not prove 0.08 beyond a reasonable doubt.
Blood: the draw, the tube, and chain of custody
For a blood case, check who drew it and whether there was a warrant or valid consent, that it went into a proper gray-top preservative tube, and that every transfer from arm to lab is documented. Gaps in that chain, or storage problems, are real defenses.
Let Claude Read It With You
Upload your report to the DUIINFO analyzer and Claude produces a structured read of the evidence against you — the stated basis for the stop and arrest, the impairment observations, the field sobriety scoring, and the chemical-test foundation — plus specific questions to ask the officer and any witnesses. It turns a wall of police shorthand into a plan.
Analyze My Police ReportEducational analysis, not legal advice. Available with a DUIINFO account.
When to Bring in an Attorney
Reading your own report is smart, and self-representation is your right. But a DUI carries mandatory penalties, and some issues are hard to spot and harder to litigate alone. Two ways Roth Law (founded 1993) can help:
Full representation
Have an experienced Arizona DUI attorney take the whole case — the investigation, the motions, and the negotiation or trial.
Talk to Roth LawOne question, flat $75
Not ready to hire? Ask a Roth Law attorney one specific question about a single piece of your evidence for a flat fee — a limited-scope answer to help you decide your next move.
This answers your one specific question only — not your whole case, which depends on all the facts and circumstances. Make your question as specific as you can to the issue or piece of evidence you’re worried about; some questions may need more information than you’ve provided.
Ask an attorneyReading Your Report — FAQ
What are the most important things to look for in a DUI police report?
Start with three things. First, probable cause: the specific reason the officer gave for the stop and for the arrest. Second, the observations and statements: the impairment 'clues' the officer listed, how the field sobriety tests were scored, what you said, and whether Miranda was read. Third, the chemical test: the breath or blood result, when it was taken relative to driving, and the calibration, maintenance, and chain-of-custody records behind it. Then compare the written narrative against the body-cam and dash-cam video — discrepancies are often the strongest defense.
What does 'probable cause' mean in my report?
Probable cause is the legal standard police must meet to arrest you — enough facts to reasonably believe you were driving while impaired. In the report it shows up as the collection of things the officer relied on: the driving pattern, the odor of alcohol, red or watery eyes, field sobriety test 'clues,' and any admissions. A separate, lower standard — reasonable suspicion — justifies the initial stop. If the stop lacked reasonable suspicion, or the arrest lacked probable cause, evidence can be suppressed.
The report says I failed the field sobriety tests. Is that the end?
No. Field sobriety tests are only meaningful when administered and scored under the standardized conditions NHTSA requires — a level, dry, non-slippery, well-lit surface, on a person without disqualifying age, weight, or medical conditions, with proper instructions and demonstration. Reports routinely omit the conditions or ignore factors like nerves, footwear, or injuries. The 'clues' are the officer's subjective scoring, and the body-cam video frequently shows a performance that looks nothing like 'failure.'
Can Claude analyze my police report for me?
Yes. DUIINFO.NET's analyzer lets you upload your report and uses Claude to produce a structured read of the evidence — the stated basis for the stop and arrest, the impairment observations, the field sobriety scoring, and the chemical-test foundation — plus suggested questions to ask the officer and any witnesses. It's a powerful way to understand what you're facing, but it is not legal advice and not a substitute for an attorney.
Should I hire an attorney or can I do this myself?
DUIINFO.NET exists to help people who are representing themselves, and reading your report closely is something you can absolutely do. But a DUI conviction carries mandatory jail, fines, and a license suspension, and an experienced Arizona DUI attorney can spot and litigate issues a self-represented person may miss. At minimum, consider having an attorney review one specific piece of evidence you're unsure about. Roth Law (founded 1993) offers a flat-fee review of a single question about your evidence.