Driving while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics isn’t only a mistake that will harm yourself but also others around you.
If you have been caught driving while under the influence, then you need to find yourself the right DUI lawyer that can help you settle your case.
In relation to this, Auckland drink driving lawyer Daniel Schellenberg doesn’t recommend that you represent yourself because there are complexities to the law that can confuse you.
Although they can provide you with a public defender, these attorneys might not have an incentive to try and get you out of your case. It would be better for you to hire your own DUI lawyer.
If you want to find your personal DUI lawyer, then here are several things that you need to do first:
Come Up With a List of Potential DUI Attorneys
The first thing you need to do is to come up with a list of potential DUI attorneys available in your area.
It is important that you do the appropriate research to find the right attorneys for your case. You can look at the directories or ask for personal recommendations from the people that you know.
One way to dial down you’re shortlisted attorneys is by looking into their specializations. Some attorneys specialize in DUIs more, so these should be at the top of your list. Doing your research is crucial since this is going to affect a very serious part of your life.
Don’t be lazy with your research and choose the right attorneys for you.
Determine Whether the Attorney is Qualified to Handle Your Case
You have to make sure that you are working with an attorney that is qualified enough to handle your case. It isn’t enough that they are a lawyer for you to know that they have the right qualifications to be working on your case.
First off, you might want to look into their professional history and see whether or not they have had to receive disciplinary actions themselves.
Aside from that, you should also make sure that your chosen attorney has all the right licenses and are qualified to practice in your area. The more familiar they are with the local regulations, the better equipped they are to handle the ins and outs of your DUI case.
Meet the Attorney for an In-person Consultation
Once you find the attorneys that you feel are qualified for your case, it’s time for you to organize an in-person consultation.
An in-person meeting with your chosen attorney will help you determine a few things. First, it helps you figure out how comfortable you are with communicating with the said attorney.
It is important that you prepare for the in-person consultation first and foremost because they usually charge hourly. So you want to make the most out of your first meeting.
To ensure that you do get to the important parts in the in-person meeting, you can organize a phone call with your attorney first.
The phone call helps you get the introductions and basic information out of the way. With the in-person meeting, you can be more straight to the point.
DUI Experience
Even though an attorney who doesn’t have experience in dealing with DUI cases can help you with your case, it doesn’t mean that they’re the best choice. You won’t experience the same benefits from hiring an experienced DUI attorney on your side.
One of the key importance of having an experienced DUI attorney is that they already have the connections needed. Another reason is that they can create a defense strategy based on their previous cases.
Consider Legal Fees
Of course, another criterion for whether or not a DUI lawyer is fit for you would be based on how much you can afford.
Obviously, being convicted can be much more financially difficult for you. So, you should find the best DUI lawyer that you can afford to hire.
Determines His Relationship With Prosecutors
If your DUI lawyer doesn’t have a good relationship with local prosecutors and law enforcement, then this bad relationship can bleed out on to you unjustly.
Therefore, you should look for a lawyer that is known to be reliable and responsible in the eyes of the local authorities.
Check His Expertise
Ideally, you should hire an attorney whose expertise is under DUI cases. However, you want to ensure that they also have other qualifications that can beef up their expertise in the court of law, as much as possible.
Consider Client Review
Last but not least, you can also look into testimonials by previous clients to see how professional and reliable they are to work with.
There’s no one better qualified to talk about how great a working relationship with a DUI lawyer is than the people who hired their services before.
Finding the right DUI lawyer can be a challenge, but doing the right prep-work and research beforehand can make it a lot easier for you. As long as you look into their background correctly, you should find a reliable enough DUI lawyer for your case.