Knowing when to hire a DUI attorney could be the difference between a slap on the wrist and becoming a character on the real life version of Orange is the New Black. If you don’t know when to hire a DUI attorney, you might get yourself into hot water before the thought occurs to you that DUI lawyers might be a good idea. On the flip side, if you know when to hire a DUI attorney, you have the best chance of building a DUI defense that will give you a favorable outcome.
And so, because we know that knowing when to hire a DUI attorney is the type of thing that you don’t know that you need to know until you need to know it, we’ll let you in on a little secret: you need a DUI lawyer the moment you are charged with driving under the influence. In case you are still skeptical, here are a few occasions that lawyering up with a DUI attorney is in your best interest:
- You need to hire a DUI attorney when you are definitely guilty.
Some people think that since their breathalyzer test came in with a blood alcohol content level of one infinity, there is nothing that a lawyer could do for them; they are as good as guilty. Other people think since they are repeat offenders, they are going to have the book thrown at them either way. Why waste cash on a DUI lawyer when a public defender is free?
In fact, this is exactly when you need to have a DUI lawyer on your team the most. Even if you are definitely looking at a penalty for driving under the influence, the minimum and maximum sentence for your charges vary vastly, and you want your sentence to be as close to the minimum end of the spectrum as possible. Your DUI lawyer will be able to leverage their experience and relationships in the court system to get you the best deal possible for your circumstances. - You need to hire a DUI attorney if you think your chances are good.
Maybe this is your first offense. Maybe your BAC level was just barely over the legal limit. Maybe you have a friend at city hall who might be able to pull some strings on your behalf. While we congratulate you for your optimism and hope you’re right about your charges being dismissed, this isn’t something you want to gamble on.
The government is working hard to keep drunk drivers off the road and the laws surrounding DUI convictions are getting stricter than ever. Unfortunately, even if you only had one beer too many and were still in control of your sensibilities, you could still get slammed with jail time. Even if your chances are good, it is still in your best interest to hire a DUI lawyer to work on your behalf to have your charges dropped. - You need a DUI lawyer when you can’t afford to hire a DUI lawyer.
Yes, the cost of a DUI lawyer is more than the cost of no DUI lawyer, but having a DUI on your record could result in losing your job or worse. Once again, your lawyer will work on your behalf to get you the best outcome possible. This might be a savings of thousands of dollars in fines, not losing your driving privileges, or avoiding jail time. In reality, you can’t afford not hire a DUI lawyer.
If the cost of hiring a DUI attorney is the biggest issue for you, you may be able to work out a payment plan that you can afford. This is something to ask about when you set up an initial consultation. - You need to hire a DUI attorney even if your cousin’s neighbor is a paralegal.
You wouldn’t visit an optometrist to fix a cavity just because they’re in the medical field. It is important to only use a legal professional who works in the area of DUI law, to ensure the best outcome in your case.
Have you ever hired a DUI attorney? We want to hear about your experience. Please share in the comment section below.
