Joseph P. St. Louis takes over as dean of DUI defense college

Arizona defense lawyer Joseph P. St. Louis has begun a one-year term as dean of the National College for DUI Defense, where he will oversee advanced training for lawyers handling DUI and DUI homicide cases across North America. The appointment comes as DUI litigation increasingly turns on scientific evidence such as breath and blood testing, toxicology, and pharmacology.

Why it matters: - The role puts Joseph P. St. Louis in charge of advanced DUI defense training for lawyers who handle cases shaped by scientific evidence. - The National College for DUI Defense trains more than 1,700 attorneys in the United States and Canada. - Better training can affect case outcomes in DUI and DUI homicide matters where breath tests, blood tests, toxicology, and constitutional issues often drive the defense.

What happened: - Joseph P. St. Louis began serving as dean of the National College for DUI Defense on July 23, 2026. - The Tucson-based attorney will serve a one-year term. - St. Louis is the managing partner of St. Louis Huffman Law in Tucson, Arizona. - His practice has focused exclusively on DUI, DUI homicide, and criminal defense for nearly four decades.

The details: - St. Louis has served on the Board of Regents since 2014. - His work at NCDD has centered on training attorneys to challenge complex scientific evidence. - He has taught at NCDD’s Serious Science seminars at the University of Texas at Arlington. - St. Louis helped develop a nationwide educational webinar for public defender offices that drew more than 850 attorneys. - He has also focused on supporting underfunded public defender offices. - St. Louis is board certified in Criminal Law by the State Bar of Arizona and in DUI Defense by the National College for DUI Defense. - He has appeared in The Best Lawyers in America for DUI Defense every year since 2013. - During his term, St. Louis will oversee educational programming, faculty development, and efforts to expand access to advanced DUI defense training across North America. - NCDD was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit educational organization. - The organization says its mission is “to provide the finest advanced-level training available to the DUI Defense Law practitioner.” - NCDD runs annual advanced educational programs and supports specialized training for public defenders. - Media contact for NCDD is Rhea Kirk, executive director, at Rhea@ncdd.com and (334) 264-1950. - The organization’s website is More information. - St. Louis can be reached at +1 520-622-1222. - St. Louis Huffman Law lists social profiles for LinkedIn, Bluesky, Facebook, YouTube, and X.

Between the lines: - The appointment signals how central science-based legal education has become in DUI defense. - St. Louis’ public defender training work suggests NCDD is trying to widen access to specialized education beyond large defense firms. - Bruce Edge, NCDD dean emeritus, said St. Louis has earned the respect and admiration of faculty and members through years of thoughtful leadership. - Edge also said St. Louis is well suited to serve because of his commitment to science-based legal education and public service.

What's next: - St. Louis is expected to guide NCDD’s programming and training agenda throughout his term. - NCDD is likely to continue emphasizing scientific evidence, faculty development, and broader access to advanced DUI defense instruction. - The organization’s next round of advanced programs will continue serving attorneys across North America.

The bottom line: - NCDD is putting a longtime DUI defense specialist in charge at a moment when science-heavy evidence is reshaping how these cases are argued.