DUI Lawyer - What You Need To Know

If you're facing charges for driving under the influence, you may need to get a good DUI lawyer on your side. While it's not always going to be feasible to fight the charges, that's not the only reason to have an attorney by your side. He may be able to look at the facts of the case and argue that you shouldn't be facing the maximum penalties. Considering that charges of this nature can mean the loss of your license, extremely high fines, and even jail time, finding lesser penalties is certainly worth your while. Here are some things you need to know when looking for an attorney to represent you.

Bring Your Details

A DUI lawyer will need the specific details of your case to know how to proceed. It could be that he won't be able to take on your case for one reason or another, or knows someone who would be better suited to your situation. It could be that one detail will jump out at him and he'll know that he will have to act fast to get something done. Whatever the case, don't hold back, even in your initial consultation. You are protected by attorney-client privilege from the moment you start talking so you have no legitimate reason to hold anything back.

Courtroom Procedure

If you've never been to court before, you are probably nervous about making your first appearance. Let your DUI lawyer guide you. You need someone with plenty of courtroom experience. The last thing you want is an attorney for whom this will be his first trip into the hallowed halls of justice as well. The more experience he brings to the table, the better off you'll both be.

Credentials

It's not as important as experience, but it doesn't hurt to check where your DUI lawyer got his degree, where he has practiced, and so forth. You are going to open up quite a bit about your background. You'll need to, in order to help your attorney craft a successful defense. It's only right that he do the same when you're deciding whether or not to hire him. If you sense that an attorney is trying to obscure his own past, you may want to consider going with someone a bit more open about his background.

The Outcome

If a DUI lawyer starts making promises about a particular outcome, you should consider that a warning flag. No attorney, no matter how experienced, can make such a claim. They can certainly give you their best guess, based on their experience, but they cannot guarantee an outcome. Don't be fooled by false promises.