Introduction: The Reality of Your Situation

If you're searching for the phrase "drunk driving lawyers near me USA," there's a good chance you're going through something stressful, scary, and very uncertain. That simple phrase has a lot of anxiety wrapped up into it. Maybe the flashing lights are still fresh in your mind or you are on the edge of your seat awaiting a court date. Your mind is racing with thoughts of the future; questions about your license, finances, job security, personal freedom, and reputation are probably swimming around your head. It's a lot to take in.

The first, and most important, step in trying to regain control is to find the right attorney who can help you navigate this challenging time. In this instance, an attorney does not mean simply someone to hire, hire is the wrong word. You want someone who understands that not just the case, or the fine, but your entire future is on the line. You want to find someone who will be an advocate for you. Anything less would be irresponsible, a matter of the greatest importance simply cannot be left to chance, to a generic online listing, or an outrageous advertisement claiming "we will do everything for you!"

Understand that a DUI charge is not a simple traffic ticket, it is a criminal charge with consequences that can reach further into your life than you can think of- from your ability to get to work, to your career, finances, freedom, and reputation. So, let's move past the basic box.

Next, we would like to turn the conversation to what you truly need - a professional, local, and experienced DUI defense attorney to help you, with the experience to counsel you, protect you, and fight for you, when your world has been turned upside down.

Understanding the Mountain You are Facing: The Anatomy of a DUI

In order to understand why hiring the proper attorney is non-negotiable, you first have to understand how precarious and challenging a DUI case is. You are fighting a two-front war; you are in the criminal courtroom battling the State while fighting the administrative department in your State's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Each has different rules, deadlines, and ramifications.

The Criminal Case

In the criminal case, the State is using its power to charge you with violating its laws. The potential ramifications are severe and myriad. Many states unfortunately impose jail time even on first-time offenders, while there are steep fines and court costs that can amount to thousands of dollars. Your privilege to drive will be suspended, which takes away your ability to have mobility and independence. You will receive a criminal conviction that can affect you for years, negatively impacting job applications, profession licensing, housing applications, and even custody disputes concerning children. Many states now even impose the requirement of having an ignition interlock device (IID) - a breathalyzer that is connected to your ignition system - with the corresponding fees and social stigma. Universally, you will be required to go to alcohol education or treatment programs, or further programs that require more time and money.

The Administrative Battle

Simultaneously, and often prior to the alleged DUI criminal case even beginning, you are engaged in your own bureaucratic questioning with the DMV regarding your driving privilege. When you received your citation for DUI, the officer "likely" took your physical license and issued you a temporary permit. That small act initiated a very small critical timeframe, often only 10 to 30 days depending on the state, within which you must demand a administrative hearing to dispute the suspension of your license. If you do not demand that hearing within that timeframe, your license is automatically suspended, even if the case outcome is not a conviction of DUI. The hearing is a distinct proceeding, but with great strategic importance at the same time. Skilled and knowledgeable DUI attorneys should schedule this for you immediately.

The Technical and Scientific Foundation

What also makes a DUI particularly challenging is that it is built on a foundation of science and technical evidence. The prosecution's case will most likely rise on two legs; those legs will consist of the observations of law enforcement (i.e. slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, performance on the roadside field sobriety tests), and the chemical test results of either breath, blood, or urine. A lawyer who isn't a specialist might see this evidence as insurmountable. A dedicated DUI defense attorney sees it as a landscape to be investigated, challenged, and questioned.

Challenging the Stop

They will scrutinize the stop itself: Did the officer have a valid legal reason (probable cause) to pull you over in the first place?

Examining Field Sobriety Tests

They will dissect the field sobriety tests: Were they administered on a slippery, uneven, or poorly lit surface? Does the officer have the proper training and certification to conduct and interpret these tests? Does the driver have a medical condition, injury, or age-related issue that affected their performance?

Forensic Examination of Chemical Testing

Most importantly, they will forensically examine the chemical testing. Breathalyzer machines are not infallible. They require proper calibration, maintenance, and correct operation by a trained technician. Was the machine maintained in accordance with the manufacturer and state protocols? Was the officer trained and certified to operate the machine? Did physiological factors such as acid reflux or ketosis from a diet, or perhaps taking medications impact the results?

Blood tests, while perceived as more reliable due to chain of custody issues, have their own issues. Who took the blood? Were they appropriately credentialed? Is the blood vial more than what is listed in the lab? Is it correct that the vial was handled and shipped so that it did not ferment or contaminate from either skilled workers or the environment? Was the lab analysis completed in compliance with approved lab protocols?

This is the political and evidentiary battlefield. It is a fight over all of those details, all of those procedures, all of those issues of science, and your constitutional rights. It is not something for the faint-hearted.

The Costs of Getting It Wrong, or Why Cheap is Expensive

Lets visit for a second the money issue, because I know this is weighing heavily on your mind right now. You are probably thinking that hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney for DUI is going to cost you thousands, and you are probably right. What most people do not calculate is the real cost of not having a great attorney, or worse, a bad attorney.

Real-World Examples

I have had clients try to save a couple bucks and hire a dime store attorney and end up with a conviction that cost them their job. There was Sarah, a nurse, who hired a $500 attorney who failed to even challenge that there was a breathalyzer test that was performed on a machine that had not been calibrated in six months. She lost her nursing license and had to change careers entirely. The "savings" on legal fees cost her approximately $40,000 a year in lost income for the rest of her working life.

Then there's Michael, a construction worker who thought he could represent himself because "the evidence seemed cut and dry." He didn't know that the blood draw was performed by someone who wasn't properly certified, or that there was a 23-minute gap in the dashcam footage that could have raised questions about what really happened during the stop. He's now three years into a five-year ignition interlock requirement that costs him $150 a month, plus the monthly monitoring fees, plus the social humiliation every time a client gets in his work truck.

The Financial Reality

The numbers are brutal when you really add them up. A DUI conviction typically includes fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Court costs add another $500 to $2,000. The ignition interlock device costs about $100 to install and $75 to $150 per month to maintain. Your insurance rates will skyrocket—expect to pay an additional $3,000 to $5,000 per year for the next three to five years. If you need an SR-22 certificate (proof of financial responsibility), that's another $25 to $50 annually. Required alcohol education and treatment programs can run anywhere from $500 to $2,500. Lost wages from jail time, court appearances, and program attendance can easily reach thousands more.

Hidden Costs

These concealed expenses, however, can be even more catastrophic. Employers conduct periodic background checks, and if you receive a DUI, your job could be over in education, healthcare, finances, transportation, government, or professional licenses will be suspended or revoked. You may not get promotions, security clearances, or opportunities to travel within the limits of your employ or outside of work for international business. If you're navigating a divorce or custody battle, a DUI conviction will be ammunition for the other side.

When you evaluate the full range of financial destruction it causes over time, you are often looking at six figures from a mistake that appeared to happen in one night. All of a sudden, paying a reputable DUI defense attorney upwards of $5,000 - $15,000 doesn't sound expensive, in fact, it sounds like the best deal of your life.

The Science Wars: How Top Quality Defense Attorneys Use Medical Experts To Destroy The Prosecution Case

One of the more significant aspects of modern day DUI defense cases is how it often becomes a battle of competing experts. The prosecution offers their evidence as if it were bullet-proof science, but the truth is, nothing is that simple and there are all sorts of environmental or physiological variables that can be raised by somebody who actually understands the science behind it.

Breathalyzer Challenges

For example, breathalyzer machines. Most people think these are straightforward pieces of equipment for measuring the alcohol level, but they aren't. They measure compounds in your breath and then make mathematical inferences about how much alcohol is in your blood. They are also calibrated with a mixture of alcohol that is supposed to simulate human breath, but human's physiology is incredibly varied.

Dr. James Peterson, a forensic toxicologist I have worked with dozens of cases, puts it like this, "The breathalyzer assumes that you have a mean partition ratio—the ratio of alcohol in your blood to alcohol in your breath. Because that partition ratio varies from person to person by as much as 40% based on body temperature, breathing habits, medical characteristics, and age, the person with a low naturally occurring partition ratio could receive a reading of 20% higher than the blood alcohol level."

Environmental Factors

On top of this, there are a number of environmental factors that many law enforcement officers will never take into account. For example, police radios operating on radio frequencies in a certain range, interfering with the breathalyzer and causing false positive test results. Temperature fluctuations will affect the accuracy of the machine and I have seen cases where the officer has left the machine in the patrol vehicle for several hours (in the heat of the sun) prior to operating it. Humidity levels, other chemical substances in the environment, or even breath spray or mouth wash that someone used prior to the test may not affect the long term results, but can easily affect the independent and most significant breath test itself.

Expert Witness Requirements

A competent DUI attorney should have relationships with forensic toxicologists that will provide testimony addressing all of these issues. They will subpoena the records on the calibration, the maintenance logs, and training records for the breathalyzer similar to the ones you provide for your case. In some cases, I have discovered that the patrol officer did not have the machine calibrated for a few months, the solutions used to calibrate the machine could be expired, or the officer had not received updated training due to the software update.

Blood Test Issues

Blood tests are not without their world of potential issues. There is a common belief among the public that blood testing is infallible, however, blood is vulnerable to contamination, fermentation, improper storage, chain of custody issues, as well as error by the laboratory staff. Every step from the initial draw to final evaluation has to be very specific in the protocol and each step is also an opportunity for issue.

The Blood Draw Process

Even the blood draw itself must be performed by an appropriately trained person, which in many states includes a licensed phlebotomist, nurse or doctor. There are cases I have done where the blood draw was completed by an EMT that was not legal for a blood draw, and/or did not follow appropriate sterile technique. The antiseptic that is used must be alcohol-free, but some facilities use an alcohol wipe despite it not being appropriate.

Storage and Chain of Custody

Once blood is drawn it is placed in vials with specific preservatives and anticoagulants and these vials also have an expiration date. The blood must be continuously refrigerated and the transportation must occur within specific temperature requirements. Any interruption in the chain-of-custody could put the blood at risk—for example, the blood being left on a desk overnight or unknowingly transported in a hot vehicle. Fermentation can actually happen within the sample which generates alcohol.

Laboratory Issues

In the lab, there are many potential issues as well. While gas chromatography is the gold standard for blood alcohol testing and is very accurate when using proper procedure, this involves a process of both calibration and use of maintenance standards on a frequent basis that must be honored, like the protocols that exist for testing within the lab environment. Labs must also participate in proficiency testing and maintain quality control records. I have done cases where the lab was using an expired standard for calibration; the gas chromatograph was not properly maintained; contamination occurred from running previously tested samples, and lab technicians made transcription errors or confused samples. In one case, we found that the lab had routinely submitted results that were 15% higher than they should have been due to a calibration error that had been missed for six months.

The Psychology of Prosecution: Understanding the Other Side's Strategy

To mount an effective defense, you need to understand how prosecutors approach DUI cases. Most assistant district attorneys handling DUI cases are overworked, underpaid, and dealing with hundreds of cases at a time. They rely heavily on the police reports and rarely dig deeper into the evidence unless they're forced to by competent defense counsel.

The Cookbook Approach

Many prosecutors have developed a cookbook approach to DUI cases. They look at the blood alcohol level, the defendant's prior record, and whether there was an accident, then they offer a standard plea deal based on those factors. They're betting that most defendants will accept the plea rather than fight, and statistically, they're usually right.

How This Works to Your Advantage

But this assembly-line approach can work to your advantage if you have the right attorney. Prosecutors don't want to spend weeks preparing for trial on a case they assumed would plea out. They especially don't want to face an attorney who will challenge every piece of evidence, depose every witness, and make them actually prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

I've seen seasoned prosecutors offer significantly better plea deals once they realize the defendant has hired a serious DUI defense attorney. They understand that a competent defense attorney will submit motions to suppress evidence, will challenge the science behind the testimony, will vigorously cross-examine witnesses and will, all in all, make their life miserable. In some instances, the mere fact that the attorney is known to be a defender will spur a reasonable plea offer.

What Prosecutors Dislike

Knowing what the prosecutor thinks is also telling in explaining why some matters, such as challenges, produce more consistent results than others. Prosecutors dislike suppression issues because they know the Judges cannot admit the evidence if it is obtained in violation of the law – no matter if guilt or innocence is at stake – prosecutors want to move onto the next case. They dislike scientific challenges because of the time and energy necessary to familiarize themselves with expert testimony revolving complex scientific issues. They especially dislike cases where the Defendant has hired expert witnesses because these cases take longer, and the prosecutor has to prepare more in a multitude of unknowns.

Red Flags: Things to Watch Out for Concerning Attorneys

Unfortunately, the legal field has its share of attorneys who "will take advantage" of defendant's situations, especially in DUI cases, knowing they are more likely to get cases solely out of "fear". Understanding what to look for is equally important as knowing what to watch out for:

The Guarantee Guy

Served anyone who offer a guaranteed result is el, egregious lie or an incompetent attorney. The law does not work this way. Every case, whether civil or criminal, is predicated on the facts, evidence, and legal issues resemble there are triable cause fact after fact, evidence after evidence, or witness after witness; to consider before they can determine a verdict favorable for you. A responsible want to be lawyer will speak to possible outcomes and possible strategy, but will never promise the and and or can guarantees the result.

The Discount Bidder

Although price should not be your only concern, attorneys that charge much less than the market rate are usually cutting corners for a reason. They may simply lack experience, they may handle a volume of cases and provide minimal individual attention to them, or they may intend to pass the case off to inexperienced associates. Good legal representation costs money, which accounts for the time, experience, and resources invested.

The Non-Responder

Take notice to when, and how thoroughly, the attorney responds to your initial inquiry. If you are struggling with communication already during the sales process, just how frustrating will it be when you are their client and your case is up against a court-imposed deadline. A competent attorney will have processes in place to actively communicate with clients and ensure clients have concerns addressed in a timely manner.

The Generalist

Be cautious of attorneys that advertise their ability to handle legal matters ranging from DUI, to divorce, to personal injury, and to estate planning. DUI defense is a particular area of law that requires specialized knowledge and skills to defend effectively. You want an attorney who primarily (if not exclusively) handles DUI defense in practice and is knowledgeable about the changes in the science, technology, and changing legal precedent dealing with defense.

The High Volume Mechanic

There are some high-volume DUI mills that handle hundreds of cases with little attention to your individual case. They might have great marketing on the internet and a very nice office, but the practice itself treats every individual case like an assembly line product. Make sure to ask whether the attorney you are consulting for your case will handle the case directly, or turn it into an associate or paralegal.

The Selling Attorney

Be cautious of attorneys who pressure you to hire them on the spot or terrify you about the worst-case scenario to seal the deal. A competent, confident attorney will give you time to make an educated decision, and will be transparent concerning the aspects of your case that are challenging and those that are positive.

Local Realities: Variability of DUI Defense Across America

One of the most significant elements of DUI defense that most people do not appreciate, is the variance in law and defense practice from place to place. What applies in California may not apply in Texas. Similarly, what works in downtown Atlanta may very well not work in rural Georgia.

Legal Blood Alcohol Limits and Enhanced Penalties

We will begin by looking at the legal blood alcohol limits, which most people believe are the same from state to state. To clarify, 0.08% is the legal limit for adults throughout the United States, however, many states have additional tiers where there are enhanced penalties. For example, in some states, a blood alcohol content of 0.15% or higher triggers enhanced penalties, increased length of license suspension, and mandatory ignition interlocks. In other states, the enhanced penalties kick in at a blood alcohol content of 0.20%. Some states have separate charge altogether. You could have a DUI charge, and in addition have a charge of "super DUI" or "extreme DUI," based on the blood alcohol content of your test.

Look-Back Periods

The look-back period for prior offenses will also vary widely. In California, a previous DUI conviction remains a factor for 10 years. Florida has a 5-year time frame for most purposes while certain consequences have lengthier statutes. In some jurisdictions, like Massachusetts, certain DUI convictions stay on your record forever and can be used as an enhancement factor no matter the length of time.

Prosecution Strategies Vary by Jurisdiction

And even more glaring, there are states that vary tremendously in how they both prosecute and defend DUI. In some jurisdictions, prosecutors may offer diversion programs for first time offenders that permit a person completely avoid conviction as long as they complete specific requirements, while other jurisdictions almost never provide diversion; they prosecute every DUI and prosecute aggressively.

Defense Strategy Availability

The availability of various defense strategies will differ from region to region. Some states have more restrictive levels of acceptance for challenge breathalyzer test results, while others allow for much broader arguments when it comes to questioning the science behind breathalyzer tests. Even certain types of expert testimony is accepted in one state but not in another state based on different legal standards or cases issued in that jurisdiction.

Local Court Culture

Local court culture is huge in determining the outcome of a case. In some jurisdictions, the judges are former prosecutors and skeptical of any DUI defense. In other jurisdictions, the judges have presided over enough DUI cases leveled against a defendant who was guilty of nothing more than being overcharged or guilty of nothing more than questionable evidence, that they allow such defenses ample respect. Some courts will place cases quickly through the system whereas other courts are burdened with delay and elapsed time, again, which can weigh heavily on negotiations and strategy timing.

Practical Differences in Law Enforcement

Even the practical side of prosecuting a DUI varies tremendously. You may face dash cam footage, body cam video, and sophisticated breath testing equipment in urban areas where police departments are well funded. In rural areas, you may see observation, and less sophisticated testing may be utilized. However, officers may have considerably more experience/training in DUI detection.

The Technology Revolution: New Tools Changing DUI Defense

Advancing technology has revolutionized and changed the DUI defense landscape, not only with new evidence offered to defense attorneys, but also as new challenges brought on by prosecutors utilizing more sophisticated tools. All of these changes in the modern area of elements encountering a DUI has enormous implications for anyone facing a DUI charge.

Body Worn Camera Footage

Body worn camera footage has become the standard for police departments in many areas and successfully impacts a DUI defense strategy significantly. At least originally prosecutors believed body cam footage was going to provide evidence of impairment and of course it is not uncommon for some reports to include references to a minimal level of impairment until the subsequent body camera footage begins ranting against that very same probable cause. I have cases where the police report had a defendant "extremely intoxicated," "stumbling," and "incoherent," and the body cam footage depicts someone tired and confused by the encounter with police, but the footage shows the defendant crystal clear and not angrily displaying the impairment as reported, it is beyond factual.

These videos have become powerful defense tools because juries can see for themselves what really happened, rather than relying solely on officer testimony.

New Prosecution Tools

However, technology has also given prosecutors new tools. Some police departments now use handheld devices that can measure eye nystagmus (involuntary eye jerking) more precisely than human observation. Others use mobile breath testing devices that provide preliminary readings at the scene, giving officers more confidence in making arrests.

Enhanced Breathalyzer Data Collection

The most notable advancement in technology may be the enhancement of data collection and storage capabilities in breath testing devices. Today's breathalyzers collect a significant amount of information during each test, such as weather conditions, calibration history, and specific measurement parameters. This information can either be helpful or harmful to your defense case, depending on what it reveals regarding the test conditions and the equipment's operation.

Computer Modeling and Data Analysis

Enhanced data analysis is now also an important particularized component of DUI defense. Today, expert witnesses examine alcohol absorption and elimination curves via computer modeling to potentially demonstrate that a defendant's blood alcohol concentration at the time of driving was actually under the legal limit, even if their BAC was over-the-limit (OTL) an hour or more later during testing.

GPS and Cell Phone Evidence

Additionally, with improved data analytics and evidence gathering comes the use of GPS and cell phone evidentiary potential. In some cases, that data can demonstrate issues about the timeline or methodology depending on how and when drinking occurred as compared to driving location. The same technology can, however, sometimes work against a defendant if it contradicts their version of events.

Building Your Defense Team: It's Not Just the Lawyer

In your search for the right lawyer, though finding the right lawyer is critically important, it may help you determine potential lawyers—and how to evaluate those lawyers—by understanding that DUI defense is often a team approach. The best DUI defense lawyers do not practice in a vacuum, they have strong working relationships with expert witnesses, investigators and support staff to help build your case.

Expert Witnesses

In fact, a really good DUI defense can consist of up to five different expert witnesses.

Forensic Toxicologists

Forensic toxicologists may be able to challenge the scientific evidence and describe the various ways that biology and other circumstances may have affected the test results.

Accident Reconstruction Specialists

If the case includes a crash, accident reconstruction specialists may be necessary for the defense, especially if the prosecution is trying to demonstrate impairment because of the driving patterns or the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Medical Experts

Medical experts may play an important role as well; if a defendant has medical conditions like diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or other medical issues that may affect the results of chemical testing, a physician may need to present testimony about how the medical condition may have affected the results of the test. Additionally, if the performance on the field sobriety test was affected because of an injury, age, or other medical condition, then medical testimony may also be an important part of the defense.

Investigation Services

A private investigator may also be used in a case if the prosecution's evidence does not match what the witness(s) saw or what evidence may be available. A private investigator may canvas for additional witnesses, take photographs of the conditions of the location, and/or obtain information about the background and training of the law enforcement officers involved in the case.

Law Enforcement Experts

Some attorneys who defend DUI charges have good relationships with former law enforcement officers who can testify about what proper police procedures are and the standards for training. This type of witness is often very effective for a DUI defense attorney because they have some credibility with the jury because of their background in law enforcement, but will also agree that not every procedure for an arrest was followed correctly.

Support Staff Importance

The support staff in the DUI defense firm is also more important than many people realize. Experienced paralegals who work on DUI defenses regularly know what documents should be requested, what deadlines matter, and what processes need to be followed to preserve the rights of the accused. They frequently have established connections with court clerks, DMV staff, and other important individuals in the system.

Life After DUI: Preparing for Recovery and Moving Forward

While the immediate concentration is on defending against the DUI charge, it is also mentally healthy to consider life beyond your DUI case that can have a resolution to it. Best DUI lawyers understand this and assist you in planning not only for the legal case but for your life after also.

License Suspension Planning

If you are facing suspension of your driver's license, be it due to a criminal conviction or through an administrative action, you must plan for alternate transportation options during the suspension. This may entail adjusting your work schedule to facilitate us of public transportation, arranging carpools, or using ride-sharing services to facilitate getting to work and back. In some situations, it may even make sense to consider relocating to be closer to your work, or in proximity to an identifiable public transportation line.

Finding Positive Aspects

Some defendants find that once they're forced to adapt their lifestyles due to a suspension they actually experience positive lifestyle changes - for instance, by having more time for walking, they end up spending more time in their communities, and re-examining their relationship with alcohol.

Proactive Compliance

Although many people are not aware that the consequences of a DUI can be modified and/or reduced if you plan ahead and comply with the plan. Deliberately completing alcohol education or alcohol treatment programs over and above the minimum requirements, may allow for some negotiations towards an earlier release from elements like a license suspension or ignition interlock. Additionally, being employed appropriately, as well as maintaining steady employment and being otherwise trouble-free can also play a part in asking for a modification of a sentence or seeking early termination of a probationary period.

Professional Licensing Considerations

Professional licensing perhaps deserves special consideration and planned attention to detail, whether dentistry, social work or counseling, etc. If your profession requires you to obtain a professional license, whether you are a doctor, nurse, lawyer, teacher, or finance professional, there could be potential ignitions for you to navigate with your licensing board after the DUI charge. Some lawyers understand professional license defense and may be able to collaborate with your DUI defense attorney to come up with a full defense strategy that mitigates the fallout for you on both fronts.

Insurance Implications

There are also potentially more challenging insurance fallout scenarios that you will want to mitigate. Following a DUI conviction, there is an extremely high probability your insurance company will either raise your rates or cancel your insurance altogether. If you shop insurance with the prospect of getting cancelled, you will have more appealing options than getting a better rate once you have been cancelled.

Employment Considerations

Then there's employment. Some employers use background checks routinely and a DUI conviction may also violate employment policies even if it should not affect your work. Proactive communication is generally beneficial to your continued employment. Many times it is better to talk to HR or your supervisor about the situation instead of waiting until they find out for themselves.

The Last Piece of the Puzzle: Action When Nothing is Certain

After taking all of this in, you may feel overwhelmed, even more so than at the beginning of this conversation. And that is normal. The DUI defense process can feel overwhelming, but remember that it is overwhelming for you because you don't know how to navigate it, and the confusion will at least be controlled based on your advocate's direction until your case is over.

The Importance of Immediate Action

The most important thing you can do today is to begin the consultation process immediately. Even if you tend to think you would handle the case differently talking to seasoned DUI defense attorneys will give you an accurate sense of what you are facing and your options. Most will offer a free consultation, so there is no financial risk in learning about your situation.

Do not let pride, embarrassment or concern about the cost keep you from taking action. When it comes to DUI's, the deadlines are firm, and opportunities lost early in the process cannot be retrieved later. The deadline for the DMV hearing does not allow for delays.

Making the Right Choice

Once you decide to make the first call, remember - You are not just hiring someone to do the paperwork - you are hiring someone to protect your future. Feel free to ask difficult questions, trust your gut for the fit and do not settle for someone that does not seem to fully care about your case.

This decision is likely one of the most important and impactful decisions you will ever make. Whether the outcome is good or devastating often depends on the quality of representation you select during the first couple of weeks of your case. You have lives ahead of you after this case is through but the window to protect them will not be open long. Make that first call. Start the process. Take control over this situation before it takes care of you.

A Final Word of Assurance

The time after a DUI waiting for charges can be the most stressful and isolating experience imaginable. Your initial thought may be that you have made a mistake that will follow you for the rest of your life. It is imperative to understand that the arrest does not equal a conviction. The initial Arnold must beat their burden of proof (beyond a reasonable doubt) and to advocate for you, a skilled defense attorney will serve its purpose in this capacity.

It may be difficult but doable. Achieving this will require courage, the right support, and understanding of the requested process. By seeking to broaden your search from a simple "drunk driving lawyers near me" – to a smart and painstaking search for a specialist in the area of DUI defense you are taking the single and most impactful step to get control. Create not only a legal process, but a life plan moving forward to protect not only your freedom, but your driving privileges and criminal record.

This is an incident in your life - not your life, and with the right advocate in your corner, you will get through this, learn from this and move on. Take a breath, and start the calls. Your future self will certainly appreciate the thoughtfulness and care you put into this moment.