Do You Need To Secure A Lawyer When Guilty Of Drunk Driving

No matter what it is called, whether it is a DWI, DUI, OWI, or some other acronym, drunk driving is a serious crime that carries heavy consequences. In many states you could pay thousands of dollars in fines as a result of a drunk driving charge. You could end up in jail, even if you are facing your first drunk driving charge. One consideration you will need to make when facing a drunk driving conviction is whether or not to hire a lawyer. Lawyers are not cheap, so you need to make sure that you really need professional help before hiring one.

There are many reasons to consider hiring a lawyer. First, lawyers will help you understand the legal situation you are facing. Remember, the public defender may not tell you all of your options. A lawyer will be able to provide you with information that could keep you out of jail.

Understanding the consequences you face can be difficult, especially in states with confusing DUI laws. A lawyer will make sure you understand exactly which consequences you face, and how you could avoid some of them. A lawyer will also make sure that you file all of the necessary paperwork on time so that you do not end up losing your license prematurely.

You will face a day in court as a result of a DUI conviction. A lawyer will represent you in the best possible light. Lawyers know what arguments work well to lessen your charges.

So do you need to hire a lawyer? The answer depends on several factors. If you have several DUI convictions on your record, injured someone as a result of your drunk driving, or need to keep your license in order to work your job, you should hire a lawyer. In these situations going without a lawyer is dangerous.

If you are not facing these types of extenuating circumstances, you may choose to go without a lawyer. You may still want one, however, to help you understand your state's DUI laws. Also, you may want one if your blood alcohol content was quite a bit over the legal limit. In these situations a lawyer is not considered absolutely necessary, so you could consider going without professional representation.

If you still feel unsure about whether or not you could benefit from representation, feel free to contact a lawyer. You will find that many of them provide free consultations for potential new clients. Allow the lawyer to tell you exactly how he can help you, and then make your decision.

Win Your DUI Criminal Defense and Force the Government To Prove Their Case Part I

A drunken driving arrest or DUI case can be challenging, especially if you plan to win in California. When handling and taking a new client's drunk driving case, it is important to have a thorough understanding of both the criminal court case and the Department of Motor Vehicles APS (administrative per se) cases.

The current system in the Bay Area and all over California has a long line of convictions and the list is growing as the counties pocketbook finds more and more budget cuts. Defense counsel, either public or private can go to work for you and stop the political crime of DUI cases charged daily.

In 1990, California lowered her limit from 0.10% to 0.08%, knowing that it would "catch" many more people in the web than previously under the higher alcohol content limit. Let's look for a minute, in simple argument, to what 0.08% really looks like to the layperson. This small amount of alcohol means that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. A mathematician would say that it is 8/100's of One Percent of a person blood is some form of ethyl alcohol.

There are naturally more and more DUI Drunken driving cases each year, no wonder and naturally the number of people looking for a defense lawyer locally is growing each day. People need a good defense and they are looking for help in fighting their case. I even recently met a man who was in a Drunken Driving Education Program, ordered by the court for his DUI, which involved prescription drugs, which he had to take for his health, and involved NO alcohol at all.

This man had to take 18 weeks of a course to keep his already restricted drivers license and keep driving his children to school. For someone who never drank alcohol due to his medical condition and had obvious problems, counsel would have been his best option. He had decided against it and had paid the price dearly.

It is the duty of your defense attorney to counsel or maintain those actions, proceedings, or defenses only as appear to him as legal or just, except the defense of a person charged with a public offense. It is very righteous and self liberating for anyone to defend their case and make the Government prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Currently, it is estimated that approximately 1/3 of the over 170,000 California DUI Cases every year have very legitimate and authentic scientific and legal issues and defenses. Having a defense lawyer to fight for you and find these defenses is critical to your future and future decisions in court. Each DUI triggers two separate cases that every good DUI Lawyer is well voiced in. The first is the Criminal Court Case and the second being the DMV case involving your driver's license.

© 2008 Amy Pedersen, Part One of an Eight Part Series

Platinum Author: Amy Pedersen is penned as a featured DUI Defense Law Insider, whose articles provide insider tips and insightful knowledge of the complexities of a drunken driving charge in California.

Working with the Law Offices of Douglas Slain and specialiazing in Oakland, San Francisco, Contra Costa and Marin Counties, she helps people to relaize that they have options and to make sure that they do not feel trapped by their charges.