Driving while intoxicated is not something someone should do. It can have some grievous outcomes. Driving under the influence puts the driver and others at risk of an accident. A person who is drunk when driving will not be able to make decisions in split seconds that they could have done if not intoxicated. It is hard to avoid accidents when a person is driving drunk.
Other than accidents, the legal problems that DUI will cause are also a problem. A person who is charged with a DUI will have problems like license cancellation, increased insurance policy rates, etc. Avoid drinking under the influence. If you’ve been charged with a DUI, you must find an experienced DUI lawyer to fight for your rights. You need someone who understands the science behind DUI cases and how to defend them in court. A good DUI lawyer will also have experience dealing with similar cases and should have a history of winning their clients’ cases at trial.
Below are eight strategies for finding a skilled attorney for your case:
1. Active Lawyer’s License
If you are hiring an attorney, one of your first steps should be to confirm that their license is active and that it hasn’t been suspended or revoked. You can check this by going to their state bar website and looking up their information. Sometimes, you might get scammed by a fake lawyer. Remember to hire a lawyer who is currently practicing. Clearing a charge will take a long time if you don’t hire the right lawyer. Some lawyers will try to delay the process so that you will be paying them more. Their only goal will be to try and elongate the process as much as they can. You must avoid those types of lawyers at all costs. They will not give you results and will cost more.
2. Record of Success
The best DUI lawyer for your case is the one who has won similar cases in court. It’s important to hire an attorney with a proven success record because, in most cases, a DUI victim will win the case, irrespective of the supporting evidence. Obviously, you should not hire a lawyer who doesn’t win cases. Speak with their old clients. By speaking with them, you can earn some insights about the lawyer that might help you understand them better.
3. Local DUI lawyer
It’s important to find a local DUI lawyer. Each state has its own laws regarding DUI, and only a lawyer with knowledge of the local laws can help you win the case. If you reside in Georgia, hire a lawyer from the same state because the laws of one state will not be the same as another. A local lawyer who practices within the state will know more about the local laws. They can help you with the DUI case effectively.
4. Interactive Lawyer
You should be able to talk to your lawyer about your case. The lawyer must listen to your case and provide some comfort and reassurance about the success. Hiring an interactive lawyer is very important. Being interactive is the job of a lawyer. The lawyer needs to be interactive to get their points to the judge and jury. If a lawyer is not speaking to you well, you might as well reject them. They won’t be much of a help to you.
5. Experienced Lawyer
When searching for the best DUI lawyer for your case, it’s important to find someone who has handled similar cases. You want someone who can help you understand what went wrong in their clients’ pasts and how that can affect their future outcomes.
6. Examine Their Websites
You should also ensure that the firm’s website is easy to navigate. The first thing you’re looking for is positive and negative client testimonials. You should also look at awards and recognitions that may be listed on their site. The Internet made it easier to spot good and bad things. Just by going through some pages, you can come to a conclusion about whether they are good or bad at what they do. The same goes for lawyers too.
Look through the internet about the law firm you have chosen before coming to a conclusion.
7. Cost of Legal Representation
The cost of hiring a DUI lawyer can vary quite a bit, depending on where you live and what kind of case you have. The best way to find out how much a DUI lawyer charges is by checking their website or contacting them directly through on phone number or email address. Many reputed law firms will offer one free consultation. You should use that one free consultation as much as you can. You can ask about their fee and other costs also in that free consultation.
8. Ask Questions
When you first meet with a lawyer, ask them about their experience with the type of case you have and where it will be heard in court. Also, ask about the lawyer’s success rate, fees for their services, and whether or not they offer any discounts based on income level or if other financial constraints might affect what price they charge per hour.
We hope this guide has helped you to choose the best attorney for your situation. To recap, we recommend finding a lawyer with an excellent reputation who is local and familiar with your case. DUI cases are notoriously hard to win; therefore, hiring an attorney is the only way to get out of the problem. You must clear the charge since it can affect your life to a great extent. Even getting a new job will be harder than ever since they will be running a background check. No one will want someone that has a criminal charge on their record. The insurance policy rates will also be increased for persons who got charged with DUI. In addition to everything else, your license will also be revoked. Repeated offences will result in jail time. Keep everything in mind and avoid driving under the influence and clear the charges if you have a DUI charge.