DUI Lawyer: Do Not Make These Mistakes After an Arrest

The best thing you can do after being arrested for drunk driving charges is to contact a good DUI lawyer and get some expert legal advice. Legal advice is something that should not be researched online, except for the most superficial and basic guidance. While nothing in this article should be construed as coming from an attorney or constituting legal advice of any kind, here are some common mistakes people make after being arrested. If you want to give yourself a better chance of being successful in court, learn from these mistakes and don't make them.

Getting Advice From Bad Sources

What are bad sources of advice? Pretty much any source of advice that isn't a DUI lawyer would qualify. But what you really want to avoid is getting advice from people you know who have been arrested for similar charges and suddenly believe themselves to be experts on the law and the system. Every case is different. While your friend who was picked up for drunk driving may believe his case is representative of all cases, it isn't. And the more you listen to his advice, the more likely you are to make a mistake that could cost you your freedom.

Failing to Take the Charges Seriously

This is an all too common mistake, as any DUI lawyer can tell you. There are few crimes prosecutors and courtrooms take more seriously, in fact, especially as it pertains to traffic violations. In some states, there are automatic sentences for those arrested for drunk driving. And while a presumption of innocence always exists for a defendant who wants to go to trial, you're probably going to find it difficult to believe as you are moved through the system. If you don't take the charges seriously and talk to a good attorney, you could wind up with some very intense penalties.

Hiring the Wrong Attorney

Perhaps you have a contact with an attorney who filed some paperwork for you a couple of years ago. While it might be a good idea to talk to that guy for a referral, do not hire him to represent you in a drunk driving case. You may as well represent yourself if you're going to go that route. You need a dedicated and experienced DUI lawyer if you plan to hire someone at all. Laws change all the time, and you need someone who knows what is happening in the field. You need someone who handles cases like yours on a regular basis and knows the right moves to make to protect your rights.