What to Ask a DUI Lawyer When You’re Hiring One
You should not settle for the first DUI lawyer with whom you come across. You should conduct a quick yet systematic search for a DUI attorney. Before hiring a lawyer, you should ascertain his or her competence to handle your case. The fact that someone passes the Bar exam or has a license to practice law in your state does not automatically mean that he is competent. Make a hasty choice and you may end up losing a lot of money and with a DUI conviction to boot.
The following are just some of the questions that you should ask a DUI lawyer in your interview:
1. How many years have you been practicing law in this state?
It is important to know this so you can assess whether the lawyer is as experienced as he likes to claim.
2. How many years have you been specializing in criminal law and in DUI defense?
You need someone who is not only an experienced lawyer in your state but also an experienced lawyer in criminal and DUI defense.
3. How many cases of DUI have you handled in the last year?
This will let you verify if the lawyer you’re talking to is as experienced in DUI defense as he says. The more cases of DUI the lawyer has handled, the more skilled he is likely to be in DUI defense.
4. How many DUI trials have you handled in the last year?
You would like to know this figure to make sure that your lawyer has the ability to defend you in case your DUI suit goes to trial.
5. How many of your DUI cases in the last year have ended with a conviction, exoneration or a plea agreement?
This is the question that would let you ascertain your lawyer’s success rate. The more cases end in exoneration, the higher the success rate of the lawyer and the more competent that lawyer is likely to be.
6. Do you have a ready network of private investigators and credible expert witnesses for use on DUI trials?
If your case goes to trial and you would need to weaken the prosecution’s arguments, you may need credible expert witnesses and investigators working on your behalf. A good DUI lawyer has a ready network of such people whom they can call when necessary.
7. How much do you charge and how much retainer fee do I have to pay?
Naturally, you want to know how much your lawyer will charge. If the price is too low, be suspicious. If the price is too high, then look for someone else.
8. What does my retainer and legal fees cover?
This way, you can ascertain whether or not your legal fees will cover trial or just motion filings and appeals.
9. How much will I have to spend overall?
A good and experienced DUI lawyer will be able to anticipate the extent of work involved just by analyzing your case. Thus, he or she will be able to come up with an estimate of your overall expenses – including non-legal fees.
11. Can you promise me a positive result?
No honest DUI lawyer can guarantee a positive result. However, he or she will be able to tell you what your case is likely to involve and how it is likely to end.
