Why hire a lawyer to represent you in a DUI case?

Courts are now regularly imposing jail time for even first offenders and jail time that far exceeds the statutory minimum for a multiple offender. Another practice evolving is that Courts are taking persons (particularly multiple offenders) in to custody on their first court date, before they have been convicted and requiring them to post bail or take other action.

You need to speak to an experienced DUI lawyer before you go to Court. You need to have your case assessed and to take steps at the earliest possible date to keep you out of custody and protect your license to drive. The consequences from a DUI can stay with you for many years and adversely affect your life for an even longer period of time. A DUI is a crime. Most people involved with DUI are not criminals. An experienced attorney can help you understand the legal process that can be quite intimidating to most people. An attorney can be a buffer between you and the Court and reduce or eliminate the intimidation of the legal system. An experienced attorney can help soften or reverse the consequences of a DUI.

How Do I Choose a DUI Lawyer?

DUI cases can be very complicated. Proper representation in even a basic DUI case involves familiarity with a significant body of scientific instruments, tests, articles, concepts and studies that many attorneys haven’t even begun to consider. When you are seeking to hire a lawyer to represent you in a DUI case you need to try to ascertain whether the lawyer has more than just a cursory understanding of the important studies and evidentiary scientific instruments related to a DUI case.

Good questions to ask a prospective attorney are:

• whether the attorney has attended specialized classes given by DUI defense groups such as the National College for DUI Defense or similar organizations?
• has the attorney ever visited a law enforcement forensic lab to personally observe how law enforcement scientists (Forensic Toxicologists) perform their duties and utilize the instrumentation that he will later have to cross-examine them regarding?
• has the attorney ever visited a police station to inspect a breath exam room, booking area and holding cell for the purpose of preparing to cross-examine the officer regarding conflicting statements between the officer and the client?
• has the attorney ever personally inspected, held or utilized a breath testing instrument?
• has the attorney has ever personally visited a hospital where blood is drawn to determine whether legal requirements for taking and preserving blood samples are being met?
• when was the last time the attorney took a DUI case to trial?
  

Don’t be afraid to ask questions to challenge the lawyer’s knowledge and experience.

At the Law Office of Johnson & Johnson we are experienced DUI attorneys. We have done and regularly do the things listed above (and many others) in order to fully understand the case and take advantage of any potential detail that can give us an advantage in representing the client against a Prosecutor who has likely done none of these things and likely has no more than a basic understanding of the myriad of issues that can make or break a DUI case. In determining what lawyer to hire give yourself the advantage of having an experienced and informed DUI lawyer.

Having an understanding of the various concepts involved with a DUI defense though is basically meaningless if you do not have a lawyer who is going to put that experience and expertise to work effectively. Ask the lawyer whether he regularly goes to trial in DUI cases. If the lawyer is not an effective trial lawyer you will lose the most important advantage you have over the prosecutor in your case. Your DUI case will be part of a legal system. You need to have an attorney who has excelled in all parts of the legal system that can effect your case.

At the Law Office of Johnson & Johnson we have a reputation for being tough and effective trial attorneys. We WIN cases -- that's the kind of lawyer you want!

Proper defense in a DUI cases also involves a significant familiarity with legal principles that can be effectively used to win a DUI case. Many defense attorneys fail to pursue motions during the course of the DUI defense that can win cases or gain further advantage over the prosecution. This is often the case due to complacency or lack of knowledge. An attorney cannot be an effective and aggressive advocate without utilizing law and motion procedures. Ask the attorney whether he or she regularly files pre-trial motions and trial motions when conducting a defense. We have won many cases in the motion stage, including those that other attorneys would not view as having a legal basis for a motion.

In conducting an effective DUI defense the attorney has to be interested enough to fully investigate your case, experienced enough to recognize when an issue exists, creative enough to make an issue of something that might otherwise be missed and energetic enough to present your case in an effective manner. After consulting with an attorney ask yourself whether the attorney seems interested, knowledgeable, creative and energetic. At the Law Offices of Johnson and Johnson we pride ourselves in excelling in all these areas. Give yourself every advantage, choose a lawyer that can deliver.

No lawyer can guarantee success. There are too many factors in the legal system that a lawyer cannot control. However a lawyer that meets the criteria set forth above will give you the greatest advantage and place as much control on your side as is possible. Any lawyer that guarantees you success does not possess another very important trait to consider when choosing a lawyer, integrity.

At the Law Office of Johnson & Johnson we will not guarantee you success –however we will guarantee that we will take all steps to insure that your legal interest are advocated to an extent that exceeds what would be expected of a professional, experienced advocate. In doing this we can accomplish success.