Do I Need A DUI Lawyer?
You've been detained on a DUI charge. Now what do you do? Although the majority of people will recommend that you employ a legal representative to represent your best interests lots of people do refrain from doing so, often because of pity and shame. Whether or not you work with an attorney can have a big effect on your case so you might want to believe thoroughly before making a decision. If you do choose to work with a DUI attorney there are numerous things to consider so that you find the very best legal representative possible to represent you.
Since DUI laws differ among each state, you ought to employ a legal representative that has proficiency with the laws in the state where you were detained. You need to also employ an attorney that concentrates on DUI cases. Depending on where you live you may not have the ability to discover a good lawyer that practices DUI law solely, however look for a lawyer who spends a minimum of half of his/her time handling DUI cases. It may be appealing to employ your local lawyer who deals with a variety of issues such as DUI's, divorce, wills, and insolvency, and so on but DUI law is comprehensive and continuously changing so you will likely be far better working with a specialist in DUI.
Before you hire a DUI legal representative, or any other kind of attorney, meet him or her very first. Most lawyers will not charge you to meet them while you're trying to find someone to manage your case. Having a face to face conference with your attorney prior to employing him or her is good for both the client and the lawyer. You'll wish to work with someone you feel comfortable working with. A face to face conference assists you determine whether or not you feel comfy. It also helps the attorney decide if he or she feels comfy dealing with you and wishes to handle your case.
Before going to any assessments with attorneys (and you must speak with at least 2 attorneys before making a decision) do some research. The yellow pages is an excellent location to try to find a lawyer but remember that the visit DUI attorney with the greatest advertisement is not necessarily the best legal representative for you to work with. He or she is just the person with the most significant ad. You desire an attorney with DUI competence and experience.
The library is another good place to do research study. Your library needs to have a copy of the Martindale Hubbell law directory site. The directory site does its best to list every lawyer in the United States in addition to his/her location( s) of specialty. You can search the directory by either location or area of law each legal representative handles. The directory is also offered online. Individuals you know can also be a great source of information relating to a great attorney.
Develop a list of concerns you want to ask each lawyer throughout the assessment so you can compare each attorney equally before choosing who you wish to employ to represent you.
A few questions you may wish to have on the list you make are:
1) What percent of the cases you handle are DUI or impaired chauffeur? (Remember that you desire someone who is really familiar with the present laws in your state.).
2) What do you charge and what is your fee structure? (You'll need to know the most you'll have to pay along with how much you need to pay upfront. Lots of DUI attorneys charge a flat cost, which is a set amount for your case whether it goes to trial. Some lawyers charge a per hour charge. Others have actually staggered fee structures that break things into stages. They might charge a flat fee up till trial. If the case goes to trial then there's another cost to pay. If the entire fee is required in advance however you are financially unable to pay all of it in advance ask if a payment arrangement can be exercised. It can't injure to ask. The worst answer you can get is "no.").
3) What expenses besides lawyer charges will I be responsible for? (In addition to legal representative charges you may be accountable for things like court expenses and filing charges).
4) Will you be the lawyer managing my case or will another person in the firm be the main attorney on my case? (This question is specifically essential if you are speaking with at a firm with numerous attorneys. Some people have actually been extremely frustrated when they learnt the attorney they consulted with wasn't the legal representative who dealt with the majority of their case.).
These are simply a few of the concerns you'll likely want to go over before deciding which DUI legal representative is right for you.
For more information, contact:
Clearwater Law Group
5205 West Clearwater Avenue
Kennewick, WA 99336
Phone: (509) 734-8500