Bellingham DUI lawyer

Bellingham has its own Municipal Court, and the line on the map decides which court a DUI goes to. The court says its jurisdiction covers violations of the Bellingham Municipal Code, criminal and civil, committed in the City of Bellingham, while the Whatcom County Superior Court has jurisdiction over felonies committed in the city. The Whatcom County District Court lists DUI among the criminal cases it hears, and several other cities in the county — Lynden, Blaine, Everson, Sumas and Ferndale — have municipal courts of their own. The court named on the citation is the one to follow.

This page covers what the two courts and the county probation office publish. The penalties, the lookback and the interlock terms are on the Washington DUI law page.

Where a Bellingham DUI is heard

The Bellingham Municipal Court sits at 2014 C Street (360-778-8150) and holds seventeen regular court sessions a week. Every visitor passes through security and weapons screening; the court lists firearms, knives, pepper spray, tools, alcohol, lighters and food and drink among the items not allowed, and anyone with a valid concealed weapons permit may check a firearm into a locked storage box.

The Whatcom County District Court is at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 401, in the county courthouse (360-778-5400). It has two judges, elected for four years, and one appointed commissioner, and hears criminal, civil, infraction and miscellaneous cases. Its clerk’s office is open 8:30am to 4pm and, from September 14, 2026, closes daily from noon to 1pm.

Most District Court hearings can be joined by Zoom, from one of three courtrooms or the jail courtroom, and the court says anyone can appear remotely unless a judicial officer has said otherwise. The exception is the 1:30 in-custody calendar, where remote appearance is not available.

Jail calendar, arraignment and a lawyer

If you were booked. The Municipal Court says arrested defendants are booked into the Whatcom County Jail. Its criminal page says jail cases are heard at 8:30am on weekdays in the jail courtroom, while its court information page says in-custody cases are typically heard there from 8:30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — check the date given at booking. After an arrest on a warrant, bail in the amount on the warrant can be posted at the court during business hours and at the jail after hours. Domestic violence offenses and some other aggravated cases lead to direct booking, and the court says arraignment then usually occurs the next day, when the judge decides bail or release on a not guilty plea.

If you were cited. Most defendants receive a citation and sign a promise to appear. The appearance is mandatory, and the court notes that while an attorney may usually appear for a client and waive arraignment, that is not allowed in a case of driving under the influence or physical control. Missing arraignment or a later date typically brings a bench warrant.

A lawyer. Assigned counsel are present at all Municipal Court arraignment calendars to answer questions and represent defendants, regardless of financial status. To keep one after arraignment, the defendant fills out a written application at the clerk’s window, with any further documents within a week; a qualified defendant is told to contact assigned counsel within five business days. A defendant found ineligible can ask for a hearing, held Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays at 9:15am. In District Court, applications go to the county’s Office of Assigned Counsel on the third floor of the courthouse, Suite 301; the Public Defender’s Office is at 215 N. Commercial Street.

The license. Separately, the arrest notice gives 7 days to request a hearing from the department, with a $375 fee.

The case in Municipal Court, and probation after it

The Municipal Court divides its criminal cases in two. A misdemeanor carries up to ninety days and $1,000; a gross misdemeanor up to one year and $5,000, and the court lists driving under the influence and reckless driving among the serious driving offenses in that group. The District Court describes the same two maximums.

After a not guilty plea at arraignment, the judge may set a pretrial conference. Motions, such as to suppress evidence or compel discovery, are usually noted for 2:30pm on Thursdays. About twelve days before a jury trial the court holds a readiness hearing; if the case is confirmed, a jury is summoned, and if not, a plea is taken or the trial date is struck and reset.

Probation. Whatcom County District Court Probation, at 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 406 (360-778-5450, 7:30am to 4:30pm), provides adult probation and pretrial services for the District Court and for the municipal courts of Bellingham, Lynden, Blaine, Everson and Sumas. It writes pre- and post-sentence investigations with recommendations and supervises conditions that may include alcohol and drug treatment. It does not supervise Ferndale Municipal Court cases, it says.

The probation office publishes ignition interlock declaration forms for Bellingham, Blaine, Everson, Lynden, Sumas and the county, and refers drivers to the Department of Licensing and the Washington State Patrol for interlock requirements and approved providers. It also lists DUI victim impact panels, including one in Bellingham at 1752 Iowa Street.

Which court

From the Municipal Court’s jurisdiction statement and the District Court’s case types.

The municipal court’s jurisdiction is the Bellingham Municipal Code within the city; the District Court hears criminal cases including DUI. The court named on the citation is the one to follow.

The Municipal Court also runs a Community Court every other Tuesday at 9:45am for quality-of-life offenses; the City Prosecutor decides eligibility from the charges and criminal history, the program lasts three to twenty-four months, and the case is dismissed on graduation. The court describes it in terms of quality-of-life and low-level offenses and does not mention DUI. The other Washington pages on this site are Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue.

Common questions about Bellingham DUI cases