- Court Procedure and Attorneys in DUI Cases
- Do I need an attorney?
- What to look for in an attorney
- How much does an attorney charge for drunk driving?
- I didn't get a ticket. What now?
- Should I accept an impaired?
- An overview of probation: the consequences of a plea
- What is "discovery" in drunk driving cases?
- Drunk driving: Bench trial or jury trial
- The Maze Legal Group
- Michigan's Drunk Driving Laws
- Driver License Sanctions and License Reinstatement
- Drunk Driving Defenses
- Field Sobriety Tests
- Breath and Blood Testing
- Michigan's Courts Enforcing Drunk Driving Laws
- Michigan Police Departments Directory
- Resources and DUI Attorney Directory
- DUI DWI Defense Videos
- News and Updates from the Maze Legal Group
- Home
Finding the Right Attorney
Printer friendly page of this article.
Finding the right attorney in a drunk driving case is difficult. Nearly every attorney has handled at least one drunk driving case, and many attorneys handle several drunk driving cases a year resulting in only casual review and a plea to the lesser included offense of driving while impaired.
Understanding that you can accept a plea to impaired on a first offense with no jail, you want to avoid an attorney that will do the same thing for you without properly reviewing your case. It bears repeating: Why spend money on an attorney if that attorney isn't going to review your case for defects and defenses?
Ultimately, it may be in your best interest to enter a plea agreement to impaired; however, this is not a decision that should be made instantly upon reviewing the police report.
In selecting an attorney, you need to be aware that properly representing a client charged with drunk driving is expensive and time consuming. An attorney providing an aggressive defense in these matters will spend many hours collecting and reviewing the evidence, drafting motions, and attending hearings. As such, these attorneys charge more than most attorneys because they are spending more time on your case.
When selecting an attorney, ask whether the attorney will be seeking evidence in the possession of the police, such as videotapes and audio recordings. Find out how the attorney will review the blood or breath test results. Ask whether and how many drunk driving jury trials the attorney has had in his or her career.
Finally, be blunt and honest on the issue of money. If you can't afford the cost of an expensive defense, there may be less expensive alternatives or payment plans available.
