Finding a good DUI lawyer can be daunting. There are a lot of lawyers in the phone book, but don’t call the first one you see even if you need one fast. Avoid being swayed by a lawyer’s television commercials. Remember, the lawyers paid for the advertisement so the testimonials may not be from actual clients. Instead, take your time in the search so that you make a good decision for your case. The best way to start your search is with a little organization, and a little bit of caution. Lawyers need to advertise their service like any business, so don’t base your decision on advertisements or commercial listings.
Online Lawyer Databases
There are online lists of lawyers that are searchable by different criteria. Some of the possible criteria are location, cost, specialty, and name. Start by finding lawyers near you that specialize in DUI cases. Some of these lists have user reviews that can help you narrow your search, but be careful that the site that you are using isn’t a commercial site where lawyers can pay to be featured. Sites that the lawyers don’t have control of their presentation will be the ones to trust.
Lawyer Referrals
Of course, your best option for finding a lawyer is asking your friends. Have any of your friends been convicted of a DUI? Maybe a friend of a friend has. Ask whoever you know that’s been convicted for advice on how to find a good defense lawyer. They may be able to give you a direct referral if they had a good experience.
The Lawyer Short List
After you have a list of lawyers that you are considering, contact them and request to meet with them about possibly taking on your case. The list you have made should be short enough that you only have three or four lawyers to contact. After you’ve met with them all, take some time to weigh the positives and negatives of each. After your decision is made, contact that lawyer to finally discuss pricing. At this point, remember that good representation does not come cheap. If you decided to be represented by a TV lawyer, you would end up paying far less. However, the TV lawyer would not be as motivated to treat your case personally; you would be just another client. Contracting a local, serious lawyer will cost you thousands of dollars. Those thousands of dollars might just reduce the charge you receive though, and that reduction will free you of the problems a severe criminal charge on your records can cause.