Questions to ask your DUI Attorney

lifestyle — By Kellee Parker on March 20, 2012 at 9:40 pm

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If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of being pulled over for a DUI offense in California, you might not be in the best position to ascertain who should be your DUI attorney, at least not in that immediate moment. Too much will be happening. However, make no mistake that from that moment forward, you will need a qualified DUI lawyer. Even if you are ultimately found not guilty of having blood alcohol content of .08 (which is the legal definition of driving while drunk in California), your initial arrest will have generated a report that is now part of your personal history. That is an item that will follow you anywhere until it is expunged.

The best course of action is not to put yourself in a situation where you might be pulled over. Call a cab or have someone else drive you home. In that worst-case scenario where you are arrested and taken to jail for the night, you could be bonded out in the morning and begin your search for a qualified DUI attorney to help you with your case.

While there are some federal standards with regards to drunk driving on the books, each state has the right to regulate their own guidelines as it pertains to the sentencing of DUI offenses. Recently, the state of California enacted a new law that is a third strike law for repeat DUI offenders. Anyone who has been convicted of a third DUI could have their license revoked for up to 10 years. Before this bill was passed, the longest a license could be suspended for was three years. This is why you don’t want to get close to that conviction. In many cases, a DUI attorney serving Orange County can help you avoid those dire circumstances.

The First Thing To Ask

One of the first things you should ask a drunk driving lawyer in Southern California about is the percentage of cases that they take on that are DUI cases. You also want to know what their record of success is. A DUI attorney serving Orange County that specializes in this area will be more qualified than a lawyer who has only handled a handful of DUI cases. That same drunk driving lawyer in Southern California who can show you a majority of successful outcomes is obviously someone who understands how the court system works when it comes to this area of law.

During an initial consultation, you should inquire how many cases the DUI attorney serving Orange County has personally handled. This is important to ask if you are consulting with a larger law firm that has many offices located throughout the area. As you enter into this process, cost will also become a factor. You need to be clear about the fees you might be expected to pay. There is also a caution with trying to find a “cut-rate” attorney to save money. It might just turn out that your bargain-basement lawyer will cost you quite a bit in the long run.

Kellee Parker

Looking for an O.C. DUI attorney? Kellee C. Parker is an experienced SoCal DUI attorney.

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