Trials often can be more complicated than many types of felony charges because of the nature of the scientific evidence including field sobriety testing and chemical testing of the blood, urine or breath. A first DUI is a misdemeanor, a conviction comes with minimum mandatory penalties that are typically more severe than most third-degree felonies.
DUI trials are complicated because many of the prospective jurors are nondrinkers, reformed alcoholics, or have religious reasons not to drink alcohol. Furthermore, DUI cases are also often subject to extreme jury prejudice due to negative publicity and the pressures from citizen action groups such as Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD).