How to Hire a DUI Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, you still have the right to defend yourself in court. Therefore, you should seek out the representation of an experienced DWI lawyer, who can assist you in your case.

So how do you find the right attorney to take on your case? Here’s a quick overview of the processes you should follow when searching for and hiring an attorney:

• Develop a list of potential attorneys:
  Your first step should be to figure out who in your area is available to take on the case. Who are the attorneys that specifically practice DUI and criminal defense? You can do a Google search to find practices in your area, or get personal recommendations from people you know or from attorneys you’ve worked with in the past. But if you don’t want to involve other people in your search, a good way to start is by contacting the State Bar Association, which will have a list of all the attorneys in your area who practice this kind of law.
• Research their qualifications:
  Once you have a list of attorneys built up, you can then research them in depth. Start by visiting their websites, and you can get a sense of the kind of work they take on and their level of experience. You can also find out information about their educational backgrounds, their specializations and their licenses. Once you’ve found this information, search for reviews of their services from people who have actually worked with them as clients. This will give you a lot of insight into what you can expect from the process of working with the firm.
• Meeting:
  Once you’ve narrowed down your list a bit, you can reach out to the attorneys to schedule in-person consultations. This is the best way to get a sense of whether or not this is the attorney you want representing you in court. Be prepared to discuss all the facts of your case openly, and bring along any documentation that may help with the case. Discuss potential strategies to employ in your case, and how the lawyer would seek to handle your case. Ask who would be handling your case and representing you in court—whether it’s them, or one of their associates. This will give you a good sense of whether or not you’ll be able to forge a good relationship with them.
• Fees:
  Finally, consider the attorney fees you will have to pay. This isn’t the primary factor you should use when making your decision, but it can be a good tiebreaker if you have a couple attorneys you like equally. Consider not just how much they charge, but how they charge (flat rate versus per hour, for example).

For more information about how you should go about hiring a DUI lawyer to assist with your case, we encourage you to contact the legal team at KJ Law P.A. today with any questions you have.

Categorised in: DUI Lawyer