| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | DUI accident. |
| More than 210,000 attorneys are licensed to practice | | | | Understandably, people want to minimize the expense |
| law in California. Of that number, 156,000 lawyers | | | | of hiring an attorney. However, it is important to |
| actively practice and provide legal services to the | | | | understand that the least expensive attorney is seldom |
| more than 38 million state residents. The Office of | | | | the best. Typically, the least expensive attorney is |
| Traffic and Safety reports more than 180,000 people | | | | inexperienced or will handle a large number of cases |
| are arrested each year in California for driving under | | | | and be unable to deliver a high level of service to |
| the influence. | | | | individual clients. On the other hand, merely hiring the |
| At some point in their career, many California | | | | most expensive attorney is no guarantee of a better |
| attorneys represent a person arrested for driving | | | | result. While the outcome may depend upon the ability |
| under the influence. However, very few of these | | | | of the attorney, the specific facts of the case and |
| lawyers, even those who regularly represent clients in | | | | circumstances surrounding the arrest are a critical |
| DUI cases, are qualified to do so. The simple fact is | | | | component as well. |
| that driving under the influence defense is a specialized | | | | Furthermore, anyone seeking an attorney to handle a |
| area of the law, requiring training and experience | | | | DUI case should know that the seemingly most |
| beyond that which attorneys ordinarily receive during | | | | qualified lawyer or law firm may not necessarily be the |
| the course of a general law practice. | | | | best. People are often attracted to a law firm based |
| Accordingly, deciding upon which attorney to hire | | | | upon the reputation of a particular attorney or |
| merits careful consideration. A skilled DUI defense | | | | publications which that attorney may have written. |
| attorney in California may make a significant difference | | | | However, many attorneys devote significant time and |
| in the outcome because all cases have the potential | | | | resources developing their individual or firm resume as |
| for a reduced sentence, dismissal or a finding of not | | | | a marketing tool rather than working on client cases. |
| guilty following trial. However, if the client decides not to | | | | In fact, it is not uncommon for the named attorney at a |
| risk taking the case to trial, a skilled drunk driving | | | | law office to not handle any aspect of a client's case |
| defense attorney must work to minimize the impact | | | | whatsoever. For this reason, anyone considering hiring |
| and reduce the consequences by negotiating the best | | | | a lawyer should obtain a commitment that the leading |
| possible settlement. | | | | attorney will actually work on the case. Additionally, |
| Many mistakes can be made by those arrested for a | | | | some attorney rating services will only review an |
| driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The | | | | attorney for a fee. For this reason, ratings may not be |
| most common mistake is not hiring a qualified DWI | | | | an accurate indicator of the attorney's skill and may |
| attorney, followed by delaying the hiring of a qualified | | | | not translate into high quality legal services being |
| attorney until critical time limits have passed and | | | | delivered to clients. |
| valuable rights are lost. Among the most valuable rights | | | | Membership in professional organizations and |
| which may be lost is the opportunity to challenge the | | | | attendance at seminars focusing on DUI defense may |
| automatic suspension of a California driver's license or | | | | demonstrate an attorney's commitment to the |
| privilege to drive in the state of California following a | | | | specialty. Such a commitment directly benefits the |
| DUI arrest. | | | | client. Similarly, California DUI defense law firms with |
| Additionally, those accused of DUI should seriously | | | | more than one attorney specializing in DUI defense |
| consider hiring an attorney because driving under the | | | | should demonstrate commitment to clients by regularly |
| influence cases become progressively more complex | | | | sending its attorneys to practice related training and |
| and the penalties upon conviction become more | | | | seminars. |
| severe if a person has more than one driving under | | | | In conclusion, while no attorney can guarantee a |
| the influence conviction. Furthermore, increases in | | | | particular result, the information detailed above will |
| penalties, called enhancements, may apply if the breath | | | | maximize the probability of finding the most qualified |
| or blood test indicated high blood alcohol levels, the | | | | attorney to handle a driving under the influence the |
| driver is accused of refusing to submit to a chemical | | | | case in order to ensure the most favorable result. |
| test, or if a person other than the driver is injured in a | | | | |