DWI charges can be very serious offenses. In each case, you will have the choice to hire an individual attorney or a firm, go with the public defender or prosecutor appointed by the state, or self represent yourself. How far is the seriousness of DWI charges and which of your bases should you have covered regarding legal representation?
Driving Under Influence or Driving While being Impaired by drugs is a chargeable criminal offense in many regions. You are looking at a $500 to $1000 fine, suspension of your license for almost 12 months, and in severe cases of accidents or injuries to the other party, 3 to 5 years of probation depending on the opposing counsel. The bail charges are also high, can go up to $10,000 depending on the prosecuting parties’ demands. Hence it is essential to hire the best lawyer for DUI/DWI charges before going into criminal court.
For A Legal Opinion On Where Your Case Stands
Now legal procedures and trials can be very confusing for someone with no legal experience. It would help if you never put yourself in a vulnerable position before an attorney or a judge because the opposing party will be quick to make a move and use your lack of knowledge to their benefit, resulting in you losing more than you are responsible for.
DUI lawyers generally give potential clients initial basic advice for a small amount of money. You can show them your police reports and other essential documents. It is better to prepare yourself with a list of questions your opposing attorney may pose. You want to be in a confident position when you face them.
Meeting with a DUI lawyer before deciding on hiring an attorney will give you a general idea of the severity of your DWI charges and if you can go forward with the resources you have or should you ask for more help.
Plea Deal DWI Charges Or First Standard DUI Cases
Before the case goes to trial, each defendant is obligated to a plea deal. A plea deal is a deal of settlement the prosecution provides. Both parties decide on an amount of money, put in simple words, a fine. Everyone with a ‘standard first DUI’ is offered the same plea deal irrespective of the legal representation on their side. An offense is called a ‘standard first DUI’ when the offender has no previous DUI convictions on their name, and the offense did not involve any accidents or injuries.
It is up to you to accept this plea deal or go forward with your defense. Most individuals chose to settle. Pay the amount and forget about the incident. But, if you have an experienced DUI attorney on your side, they can point out the loopholes in that settlement or bring forth mitigating statements in your case and see to it that you are not stripped of your money too much. If the defendant has solid defenses, it is not advisable to settle for the prosecution’s offer.
To Keep Your License And Avoid Interlock Devices
As a part of the penalty, your license will be suspended from the time you are caught till the court proceedings are done. So, even after all legal procedures are seen through, your license may still be suspended for a definite time. How much time exactly? It is negotiable based on the severity of the offense. But, if you do not have an experienced DUI attorney to talk the specificities, you may be forced to give up your license for a longer amount of time than needed for the level of your case.
Also, one of the ‘punishments’ that come with a DUI suit is automobile locks. Your car will be set up with certain devices into which you have to blow each time you want to drive. The lock only opens when it is deemed that there are no drugs in your system. These devices are a headache to work with. An attorney can help you avoid such procedures.
To Avoid Harm To Your Record
DWI charges will go on your criminal record. You might have taken a plea deal and settled the matter, but this offense will stay on your record and will surface each time you apply for a job. Employers obviously will not hire anyone with a criminal record, so you need an attorney to smoothen this blow as much as they can. You may be able to perform community service and such to keep this information private. All these can be argued with the help of an experienced DUI attorney.
To Go To Trial
No matter how informed you are in basic legal aspects, once you are in the courtroom, there will be many factors acting, and the prosecutor will bring forward whatever they can to convict you. It is better to have an experienced attorney on your side as things can go down in any wrong paths if anything unwanted is said or done in the courtroom. The judge and jury will also have limited patience to hear the side of self defenders.
All in all, if you have zero or basic experience in the world of law, it is better to get help from someone who knows what they are doing as it is not clever to be in a fragile position while dealing with the law. To get the best lawyers for DUI/DWI charges, contact us today.