Helpful Tips For Hiring A DUI Lawyer In Houston
Getting a DUI charge can cost you dearly. DUIs normally range from $5,000 to $12,000, however, depending on the state, the costs can be much higher. In Texas, for instance, the DUI laws include extra penalties that can raise the total fees and cost up to about $27,000.
When faced with a DUI charge, your best option is to hire a professional DUI lawyer to make sure that you don’t lose your license or face other consequences. Considering how high the stakes are in such cases, you need to hire a good attorney who can represent you effectively.
Even though getting to keep your license and avoiding the fees and costs involved are important reasons to hire a lawyer, it is much more crucial to keep a DUI off your records. Having a DUI record can raise your insurance costs, taint your reputation, and harm your job prospects.
With so many attorneys out there, choosing the best one for you and your case might seem a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, to help simplify the process and enable you to make an informed decision, we have listed some useful tips that you can read through.
We try to offer a blend of advice and listing. Here are 8 tips to help you better understand what is entailed in the process of hiring a DUI lawyer.
We have separated these into three sections:
- Selection Tips
- Consultation Tips
- The Decision
Selection Tips
The initial step when choosing a DUI lawyer is finding out the qualifications of your potential lawyer. The most crucial questions follow.
DUI Expertise
Does the attorney have expertise in DUI? Is it his/her specialty? Law is wide and diverse and it covers many areas. The main categories of law are civil law and criminal law.
Since DUI is under criminal statutes, you will need to find a lawyer that specializes in criminal cases.
Keeping in mind that laws vary from state to state, look for a lawyer right in the state where you need representation in.
Testimonials
Search for testimonials and details regarding previous cases handled by a specific attorney. This way, you will be able to determine your chances of success. You will also be able to get an idea of what to expect from the attorney and what working with him/her is like.
Relationship With Prosecutors
Experience notwithstanding, how the prosecutors perceive your prospective lawyer is also crucial. This is what you will be seeking to find out. If your attorney has a good relationship with the court, this is not only a sign of professionalism but also the virtue of the adversarial system of justice.
If your attorney has an unpleasant relationship with the local prosecutors and police, then there is a high chance that you, as the client, might be unreasonably biased against them. A bad standing with the prosecutors may also be a sign of unprofessionalism and a tendency to practice poor legal tactics.
Size Of Firm
Lastly, you need to understand the size of the rim and the number of cases that they are handling. This helps to find out the level of attention and amount of time that will be expended on your case.
You need personalized legal service when dealing with such a case. Smaller firms often handle fewer cases, hence, they are able to engage more directly with you. Larger firms tend to pass down parts of the process to clerks and attorneys in training.
Hire a firm that suits your needs and gives you the necessary attention.
Consultation Tips
These tips address what you need to do when consulting with a DUI attorney. You ask questions that seek to establish how well the attorney suits you and the level of attention that you will get.
Asking these questions will also help you to decide if you are comfortable instead of just looking at the track record numbers.
Legal Fees
The most crucial question is skewed more toward the numbers than personal needs. Sadly, finding an attorney that best suits you means first finding an attorney that you can afford. Even though the costs of hiring a DUI attorney are much cheaper than the costs incurred if convicted, you still need to work within an affordable budget to avoid additional problems.
Assessment Of Case
Clearly explain the specifics of your case. You need to be completely honest and present all the paperwork you have. If you try to hide or lie about critical information from your attorney, they won’t be able to make a good recommendation on your chances.
You will also be able to find out how the attorney perceives you and your case. If the attorney doesn’t seem interested in your case, then they aren’t a good choice for you.
Comfort & Confidence
It goes without saying that humans touch the strongest. While a DUI attorney might not be confident in their ability to get a favorable outcome, they might fit your personality. They might also confident about their ability to win the case but you don’t get along with them well.
The way you appear in court has an influence on the final outcome. Therefore, you need to get both of these rights. You are the party that is directly affected by the results of the case. Therefore, before retaining an attorney make sure you feel comfortable and have confidence in them.
Make The Decision At Home
This takes us to the last tip. Don’t rush and make the final decision about which lawyer to proceed with on the spot. Give it time and after careful consideration at home, you can make your choice.
This will help to avoid feeling like you are being forced on a lawyer. In addition, it proves a high level of professionalism from the attorney. If your attorney puts you under too much pressure to make a decision, then they might not care much about your needs.
Interested in Law?
You can learn more about other legal information and insights from our blog. If this information was useful to you and want to find out more about legal options in your region, you will find topic lists for simple searching.
When faced with any legal troubles, it is essential to hire a lawyer. You might feel like the world is crashing around you and it becomes difficult to make a decision. However, as with other things in life, the more you know the better the decisions you make.
Feel free to call us today if you have any further questions!