Don’t make a mistake in finding a DWI lawyer by not protecting yourself. This is a stressful situation, where you have to be prepared and make snap decisions that could influence your case. An experienced DUI lawyer can help alleviate the pressure and stress by guiding you towards decisions that are better for your situation.
Follow These Tips For Finding a DWI Lawyer
Often people assume that pleading guilty and getting it over with is the way to go. However, there could be mitigating circumstances like the reliability of the test, the reason for being pulled over, and many more factors that could affect your verdict if you had a proper defense. A lawyer can assess whether pleading guilty or taking the case to court is a better option for you, especially if your case is a complicated one. This can save you a lot of trouble and money in the long run.
To help you choose the right DWI lawyer, here are some tips you should follow.
Make a List
Do some research and make a list of lawyers in your area that have experience with DWI cases. It’s always good to start with options. If you have the right options to start with, you can choose someone who understands your case.
You can also add to this list lawyers you used for other matters. A lot of them can also handle DUI cases. If you’re not sure, you can give them a call and gauge their comfort level.
Get Recommendations
A good way to get recommendations is to ask your friends and family. That way they can talk you through the process. They can tell you how they know the lawyer, how much the firm charges and other nitty-gritty details that you can only get when you’ve worked with someone firsthand. Keep in mind that every DWI case varies, so some strategies that were implemented with a friend may not be true for you.
If asking your friends, family and current lawyers for help is a little embarrassing, you can check out DUI Defense Associations or listings for Criminal Defense Attorneys.
Do Your Research
If this is the first time you’ll be working with this lawyer, make sure that they are licensed in your state. If not, they should be hiring a co-counsel to be able to represent you. Truth be told, it’s a lot easier to hire a local attorney. Not only will they be more familiar with the laws of that state, they’ll also know the prosecutors, the judges and the general culture of DUI cases in your area. That’s experience that even the best lawyers out of state don’t have.
Apart from that, check their ethical record. The last thing you want is to be associated with a malicious lawyer who has been disbarred. That could actually affect the standing of your case. If you could, look up where they went to school and their experience as a defense lawyer. It’s even a good idea to give his office a visit, so you can assess his confidence, communication skills and your level of comfort with him.
Check the Fees
It’s a no-brainer that you shouldn’t hire an attorney that you can’t afford. However, you also don’t want to underpay and on average, a DUI lawyer cost $5,000 to $12,000. That’s if you did cause any damage to property or injured anyone. Make sure you check how much the fees are before hiring.
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