What You Should do When Charged with a DUI
If you’re facing a DUI, you need to find a legal practitioner who is experienced with DUIs. A DUI lawyer will usually charge more than other types of lawyers, but that cost comes with a level of expertise you might not normally get.
A DUI is a Large Charge
Although DUIs are officially misdemeanors, unofficially, they are large, major crimes with a public spotlight and a large media showcasing. Juries are usually influenced by what they see on television and can be less understanding of you as a defendant and more likely to ask for a heavier sentence or convict you as guilty.
Don’t go to court alone! It’s a bad move, and it’s one that might see your life ruined with barely a fight put up to stop it. You don’t know the law so you must find someone who does. A DUI attorney is a criminal industry expert, and they know the ins and the outs of the law. They have experience defending people like you, they know how to avoid unnecessary charges or jail time, and they have done all of this before. You think your are knowledgeable when it comes to law, you might think that you can argue as well as any lawyer, but is it worth risking your livelihood just to not pay a DUI attorney? Of course not. That’s not a chance anyone wants to take, and it’s not a chance anyone should ever have to take.
Paying a DUI Lawyer
Someone who specializes in DUI defense will usually require a larger fee than a lawyer who practices different types of law. Their specialization and expertise in the industry is important for you to get through the tough time.
Chances are you’ll be offered one of the two different types of fee agreements from the lawyer. You may pay a flat fee, or you may pay an hourly rate. Whatever the case, you are expected to place an advance payment down, and the remaining fees will be due prior to the verdict, and guilty or innocent, you will owe it.
For a rough rule of thumb, a DUI lawyer in a small town will cost anywhere between $500 and $1,000, whereas a very well known expert – someone who’s hired from state to state – might cost as high as $15,000! In summation, the more proficient the lawyer and the larger the place you are, the higher the fee will be.