If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, you need a DUI defense criminal attorney to defend yourself against the charges. You can attempt to represent yourself or work with an attorney who does not specialize in DUI defense, but that is a recipe for disaster. Qualified DUI defense attorneys specialize in handling only DUI cases so they stay involved in the field of DUI law. Other attorneys may only defend DUI cases occasionally and miss out on important information that could be instrumental to your case. Working with a DUI defense criminal attorney is the best way to start your case off on the right foot and your best chance of winning your case in court. If you want to present a solid defense, hiring a DUI defense criminal attorney is the best way to go.

Consulting with a DUI Defense Criminal Attorney

When you consult with your DUI defense criminal attorney, it should be immediately after your arrest while everything is still fresh in your mind. You will need to tell your attorney your side of the story so you can work together to plan your defense. Your attorney will work with you to get this ready for any pre-trial hearings or conferences that occur prior to your actual trial date. If you don’t work with a DUI defense criminal attorney right from the beginning, you’ll lose out on the opportunity to consult with a legal professional when all of the facts from the day of your arrest are still clear. Over time, you may forget important details so it is extremely important that you make the phone call to a DUI defense criminal attorney as soon as possible.

Preparing Your Case with a DUI Defense Criminal Attorney

While you are waiting for your trial, your DUI defense criminal attorney will be gathering information that can be used during the trial proceedings. Your attorney may get your blood samples and have them sent to another lab for independent testing. This can help determine if testing errors occurred or if the testing was valid in the first place. Expert witnesses may also be contacted to appear during your trial. These witnesses can be used to back up or refute testimony depending on the source. Expert witnesses are often used to refute chemical testing results and show why the results were invalid or inaccurate. Your attorney will also help you to prepare yourself for your upcoming trial. If it’s the first time you’ve ever faced criminal charges, you won’t know what to expect, so your DUI defense criminal attorney will outline the process and answer any questions you may have about the upcoming trial.

The DUI Defense Criminal Attorney at DMV Hearings

In most states, your driving privileges will be suspended immediately upon being arrested for driving under the influence. Some states give you the opportunity to appeal the suspension by submitting a written appeal within a very specific time period. Once your appeal is received, you may be assigned a hearing on the matter. Having a DUI defense criminal attorney speak on your behalf at the hearing can help you to get your driving privileges back. Since having no driving privileges means you have no way to get to work or school, this is very important for being able to continue with your normal activities. If you’re not represented by a qualified DUI defense criminal attorney, you risk losing your freedom and the opportunity to live a normal life.

The DUI Defense Criminal Attorney in Criminal Sentencing Proceedings

If for some reason you end up being convicted of a driving under the influence offense, you will need a DUI defense criminal attorney to speak on your behalf prior to sentencing. If you don’t make a plea on your behalf, the courts may not consider all of the circumstances at hand. Your attorney can let the court know of leniency in sentencing should be shown because you are disabled, have a serious illness, need to work to support your family, or need to care for children or elderly relatives. This opportunity to have an attorney speak on your behalf is very important, so you should be sure that you have a DUI defense criminal attorney on your side during your trial.

Successfully defending yourself against a charge of driving under the influence may be one of the most important things you ever do. Give yourself the best chance of winning by hiring a qualified DUI defense criminal attorney to represent you during your administrative and criminal proceedings.

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There are a number of situations in life when you have to decide whether to hire a lawyer. For instance, if you’re purchasing a house or having trouble paying your bills, hiring a lawyer may not be a necessity, but it’s a good idea nonetheless. However, if you’ve been charged with driving under the influence, assault, or some other crime, hiring a criminal lawyer is mandatory. You’ll want to make sure that your legal rights are protected throughout the entire judicial process.

But where do you begin, when you’re hoping to hire a qualified criminal lawyer? One of the best ways to find an effective attorney is to consult with your family and friends. There is nothing better than a personal recommendation, especially one that comes from someone who is close to you. However, there are times when it might be difficult to obtain a personal referral. In those situations, you might consider consulting the local bar association or an Internet site such as lawyers.com. The Internet, in fact, can provide a wealth of information about individual lawyers. For instance, you can find out about a lawyer’s level of expertise in criminal law, biographical information, whether the lawyer is in good standing with the bar, and other pertinent facts. In addition, online archives of your local newspaper might include articles about cases that a particular lawyer has tried. You’ll want to hire a lawyer with plenty of experience in the area of criminal law involved in your case, whether it be traffic offenses, drug crimes, or white collar crimes.

The next step is contacting the lawyer’s office. If an attorney cannot meet with you on short notice, don’t count the lawyer out. Effective lawyers are quite busy, so, if a lawyer is short on time, that may actually be a positive sign. Pay close attention to how your call is handled by the lawyer’s staff. The staff should be courteous and be willing to answer all of your questions.

You should be aware of the fact that criminal defense lawyers tend to charge by the hour. As an alternative, they may charge a flat fee up front. Generally speaking, rules of professional conduct bar a lawyer from charging a contingency fee for a criminal case. Since legal fees can vary, you might want to engage in some comparison shopping. However, be advised that the better lawyers tend to charge more for their services. Since your freedom and reputation are at stake, you should invest in the best lawyer you can afford.

Given the fact that criminal cases are often settled through plea agreements with a district attorney’s office, it can be important for a criminal lawyer to be on good terms with the D.A. Certainly, good relations between the two can only enhance your case. Therefore, you’ll want a lawyer who has fairly regular contact with the prosecuting attorney in the county in which your case resides. Also, it’s a good idea if you hire a lawyer who is affiliated with a group such as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Such an association shows that your lawyer wants to keep abreast of new developments in the area of criminal law.

Prior to hiring a criminal lawyer, be sure to ask for references. You’ll want to know how clients view the attorney’s expertise. You should also obtain a copy of the law firm’s brochure, so you have a clear understanding of the outfit you’re dealing with. It is also vitally important that you obtain a copy of the lawyer’s retainer agreement so that you’re aware of any up-front costs involved in obtaining legal representation.

In the end, you’ll want to select a lawyer that you’re comfortable with, one that truly understands your case and can work well on your behalf. You’ll find that an effective criminal attorney is well worth his or her fee.
About the Author: It is a directory of criminal lawyers across the United States.

After an arrest, if not given a Desk Appearance Ticket, a criminal defendant will appear before a judge to determine the amount of bail or whether the defendant should be held in jail without bail. This can be done at a bail hearing or combined with an arraignment where a formal reading of the charges is made.

The judge will usually release a defendant on bail and set the amount of bail which must be posted. The judge will also decide if the bail must be posted in cash or if the defendant will be allowed to post a bail bond.

Most criminal defendants who retain a private criminal lawyer, will use the public defender to represent them at the bail hearing/arraignment. Should you take advantage of free representation provided by the public defender, when it may cost you a few hundred dollars for a private lawyer to represent you?

Each case is different and it is not possible here to provide advice as to what to do. In fact, legal advice for your specific case can only be provided by a lawyer licensed in your state and only after consulting with you directly. However, generally if a criminal defendant has a prior criminal history or if the charges are a serious misdemeanor or felony it may be worth calling a private criminal lawyer to represent you at the bail hearing.

An experienced criminal lawyer knows what information to ask a client and what needs to be presented to the judge to have their client released ROR (without bail) or with an affordable bail. The public defender is a licensed attorney who is charged with zealously representing the defendant and since the public defender represents many defendants at bail hearings everyday, it can be said that the public defender is very experienced.

So, what’s the difference between a public defender and hiring your own criminal lawyer? Time and attention. The public defender represents many defendants at the same time, while a privately retained criminal lawyer is concentrating on you. With many defendants to represent, the public defender simply does not have the same amount time available for personal attention as a private lawyer will have.

How much time is necessary? In only 15-30 minutes, a private lawyer can obtain enough information from you and family members, if present, to provide the judge with a picture of you in the best light. Unfortunately, the public defender usually cannot afford to spend that much time with every defendant.

What is the difference in the end result? There may be no difference. However, the additional time and attention that a private lawyer can provide may result in a defendant being released “ROR” (without bail) or with a substantially lower bail. A lower bail bond can be the difference between immediate release or staying in jail for a few days or longer and a higher cost for the bond. The savings on the cost of a lower bond can be greater than the cost of a private lawyer at your bail hearing.

Additionally, because of the additional time a private criminal lawyer can spend to obtain information, a private lawyer may be better able to obtain more favorable conditions of release.

If you have a prior criminal history, have been arrested for a serious misdemeanor or felony, will simply feel more comfortable knowing that you have the undivided attention of your own criminal lawyer, or will be retaining a private lawyer later, consider retaining a private criminal lawyer to represent you at your bail hearing/arraignment.

About the Author:

Philip L. Franckel, Esq. is the founder of the Criminal Lawyer