DUI charges are a tough issue to deal with anywhere in the United States, and in some cases can be completely unfounded for any particular reason. It all boils down to what the police officer had discovered upon pulling the sorrowful driver over to the side of the road. And while a breathalyzer can prove plenty, some factors can be misleading and otherwise neglected in favor of simply filing the paperwork for the charge.
And that’s where a good DUI defense attorney comes in. If anything was missed, it’s that lawyer that’ll bring it to court and possibly modify a particular ruling. It’s all in fairness, and all people are created equal. Everyone has a right to have a day in court.
There Is, However, a Method to Finding the Best DUI Defense Attorney
While knowing that you may have a case is important – it’s even more important to have a DUI defense attorney believe the same thing. And doubly important to have DUI defense attorneys that actually know a lot about criminal law.
It does stand to reason, though, that the most important aspect of finding good DUI defense attorneys is this:
1. A Client Should Want a Reputable DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
2. A Client Should Want an Experienced DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
3. A Client Should Want a Successful DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
Plain and simple. What does it all mean, though?
When we say ‘reputable,’ we mean someone that has had good reviews. Someone who is generally well respected in the court system. Someone the judges know well. With good legal representation, the chances of acquittal are better, no doubt.
Moreover, experience definitely doesn’t hurt. The more cases a DUI criminal defense attorney has tried in court, the better the chances. That’s a given when looking for a good list of DUI defense attorneys to choose from: the more experienced the lawyer is usually the top pick.
Then, of course, a client will want a DUI criminal defense attorney who’s successful – that means simply the majority of cases tried were won in favor of the client. It’s called having a good track record. And that is always the deal-maker when picking a lawyer to hire out of a list of qualified DUI defense attorneys.
This, of course, is only a part of what it takes to find the best DUI defense attorney out there….
The Actual Process for Finding DUI Defense Attorneys
You now know what to look for; how to look for it is a completely different story. Criminal law has that basic flavor in that there are no complexities. Only facts. An ability and savvy in finding the facts and presenting them well will separate the mediocre lawyers from the remarkable ones.
There’s a simple process, but the real work in that process will fall onto the client’s shoulders. He or she would have to know whether or not a lawyer might be able to handle the case. Of course, the first objective is to find a lawyer that believes in the case; but that’s the easy first step: the rest is crucial.
The process:
1. Research, Research, Research for the Best DUI Defense Attorneys
2. Free Consultations With Every Prospective DUI Defense Attorney
3. And Finally Hiring the Right DUI Defense Attorney for the Job
It seems simple – but don’t be fooled. There’s work done in here. But in the end, it’ll all pan out well, provided there’s a valid case that can be proven in a court of law.
The Research for the Right DUI Defense Attorney
Yes, a smart client will do the research. But how? There are three important steps to consider:
1. The Phone Book
2. The Internet
3. And Friends and Family
There’s no skimping on this. Typically the Yellow Pages is the first stop – but in many cases, the only stop. No client should fall into that trap. It’s easy to find the first listing for a “criminal law office/firm” and then call it good.
A client’s going to want the best of the best. And to get the best of the best, it’s important to be able to select from a good “shortlist” of attorneys.
So when flipping through the phone book, be sure to look for at least five listings for criminal law that are in close proximity, favorably within the same county, decent driving distance. And a client will gather these pieces of important information:
1. Full Name of DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
2. Valid Phone Number of DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
3. Office Location of DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
4. E-Mail Address of DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
5. Web Site URL of DUI Criminal Defense Attorney
And not simply the name of the firm or office – the name of the lawyer. This is for one single important reason.
The next step would be the internet, and this is where a client would need those names. Get onto the State Bar Association web site; every state has one. There’s a search engine located on the site, allowing anyone to plug in any lawyer’s name to determine whether or not the lawyer is licensed in the state.
If not, scratch the lawyer off the list. The web site just made a client’s job that much easier. But there’s a lot more a client can glean from the World Wide Web, such as:
1. Reviews of DUI Defense Attorneys
2. Testimonials of DUI Defense Attorneys
3. News Articles of DUI Defense Attorneys
4. Facebook Comments of DUI Defense Attorneys
5. LinkedIn Referrals of DUI Defense Attorneys
6. Twitter Updates of DUI Defense Attorneys
There’s no telling just how much a client can gather just from surfing a bit online. They’re golden nuggets of information that can tailor any shortlist to complete refinement.
And to top it all off, a client can always ask friends and family members for pointers, advice, leads, and possibly even a friend who knows a friend or even a relative that may be a successful criminal lawyer who might be able to work pro bono or at a discount of the normal rates and fees. Not too shabby for a client given the situation that lawyers really don’t come cheap.
From there, though, the next step is crucial:
It’s Called the Free Consultation
And it’s the final decision, really. Consider a “job interview,” and you may get the picture. A free consultation is just that – a meeting between the client and the lawyer to determine the facts of the case and whether or not the lawyer can try the case in court.
This will determine everything. And a client can ask all kinds of questions, such as:
1. How many years of experience do you have in your field?
2. How many clients have you represented?
3. What kind of clients do you represent?
4. How much do you charge?
5. What kind of rates and fees do you charge?
6. Do you think you can try my case and win?
That last one would be the important question….
Hiring the Right DUI Defense Attorney
And that’s what it boils down to: whether or not the lawyer believes the case can be won in court.
All it takes is finding the lawyer who can believe that, has the firepower to back it up, and benefits the client. There is a process – all that is necessary is following it.