If you or someone close to you is facing the very serious
charges of drinking and driving, innocent or not, it is imperative to find an
experienced drunk driving attorney. You want to look for someone competent and
ethical in their representation and avoid the alternatives at all costs.
Although legal fees can be very steep, there are effective ways to find help
these days for people of all income levels.
·
The
best source to find drunk driving lawyers is almost always through a personal
referral. If you know anyone who has faced similar charges then ask them for
direction.
·
You
can ask a bailiff or a court clerk who they think is the best that they've
seen?
·
Don't
go to the local Bar Association. They will simply refer you to the next
attorney in line on a list of members they have.
·
You
can also find excellent free counseling about drunk driving laws and how they
relate to your case through many legal websites. This can be done through email
correspondence, over the phone, or through chat rooms.
Talk to people
Begin by asking family members and friends of possible leads
towards an effective law firm that often represents accused drunk drivers.
Despite how unique the case you are dealing with might seem to you, drinking
and driving arrests are fairly common and many people are facing these charges.
It shouldn't be hard to find someone who has knowledge of a good drunk driving
attorney.
National College of DUI
Defense
If you would prefer to look for a different resource you can
head over to the National College for DUI Defense and view their membership
list. This is an organization of more than 800 attorneys nationwide that deal
with drunk driving defense. Membership does not guarantee competence or ethics,
but it is often a good indicator that this lawyer is serious about their
profession. The process of becoming part of this list is extremely demanding,
and includes an intensive annual 3 day seminar at Harvard Law School. The
American Bar Association recognizes it as the only organization to authorize
board-certified attorneys as DUI Defense Specialists.
Click Here to Know About Drunk Driving Laws.
A lawyer who works
specifically in DUI cases
Ideally you want a lawyer that works almost exclusively with
drinking and driving cases. DUI defense is a highly specialized field of law
and if the lawyer works in various other fields they might not be as effective
when you trial starts. Ironically a great attorney will never make any promises
as to the outcome of the trial. Specifics of a trial are universally
unpredictable. Any fees charged by the law firm should be set forth in a
written contract and fully explained. These fees can cover anything from an
initial retainer to testimonies, blood sample analysis, subpoena costs, and
other court fees.
Credentials Please?
When you sit down with a lawyer for consultation don't be
afraid to ask for their credentials and a little bit of history about
themselves. Check a lawyers rating with the Martindale-Hubbell International
Directory of Attorneys. The highest rating possible is A-V. You can also look
up reviews online about certain law firms to see if there have been any
complaints.
The best website to get started with all of your legal
questions is www.legal-yogi.com. They are experts and can introduce you to a
legal team local to your area of the country. Call them for free consultation
at 1-800-397-1397.
