Choosing a Virginia DUI Defense Lawyer: 6 Mistakes to Avoid
If you have been charged with a DUI, that is, driving under the influence, in Virginia, that can surely be a quite overwhelming experience. There is the immediate stress of the arrest, and then there is the fact that you could be facing fines, potential suspensions, mandatory education programs, increased insurance costs, and sometimes even jail time, after a charge like this. Of course, that will depend on the actual circumstances of your case, but there is no denying the fact that it can also depend on the quality of the legal representation you will have.
What does this mean precisely, though? To cut right to the chase, it means that you will absolutely have to hire a DUI defense lawyer to represent you in your case, because trying to go through all of it alone is absolutely not a good idea, as it can lead to some unfavorable outcomes, given that you may not be that familiar with all the laws and all the defense strategies. And, Virginia certainly does have strict DUI laws, and the actual legal process can be quite complicated, especially for those people that are unfamiliar with the court system.
All of this goes to show that hiring the right professionals to represent you is the absolutely best idea here. When you work with a great Virginia DUI defense lawyer, you can expect them to help you understand your rights better and evaluate your specific options, as well as build the strongest defense possible for you. It is, thus, clear that choosing a great professional to represent you is of utmost importance here.
The only thing is, though, not all DUI defense lawyers will be the same. Meaning, thus, that you will have to take your time to carefully choose the right one for your case. And, well, it is not uncommon for people to make mistakes in this process, which then leads to them not being happy with the choice they have made. To avoid such an outcome yourself, what you should do is get familiar with some of those mistakes and then do your best not to make them in your hiring process. Below we are going to list some of the most common ones for you, thus, in an effort to help you avoid them when trying to hire the right DUI defense lawyer for you in Virginia.
- Not Checking for DUI Experience
It is not uncommon for people to assume that every lawyer practicing in criminal cases can actually handle a DUI charge. This, however, is a mistake that you absolutely shouldn’t make. After all, a DUI involves specific legal issues, such as field sobriety tests, BAC evidence, constitutional protections, traffic stop legality, chemical testing requirements, administrative driver’s license issues, and similar. So, what you want to do here is hire a professional that regularly handles DUI cases, as they will typically have greater familiarity with all of those issues, and thus be able to represent you successfully.
- Assuming All DUI Cases Are the Same
Along the same lines, you also shouldn’t assume that all DUI cases are pretty much the same. After all, every single arrest of this type has its own unique facts. So, your case may involve, for instance, multiple prior convictions, or it may be a first offense. Then, there could be some prescription medications involved, you could have been in an accident, and there could be other circumstances that are making your case unique. In any case, the point is that you should avoid those attorneys that promise some outcomes before actually reviewing your case carefully, since experienced professionals will know that every case depends on those individual circumstances and evidence.
Learn about DUI charges in general: https://www.findlaw.com/dui/charges.html
- Not Checking Local Court Experience
Okay, clearly, you want to hire a lawyer that has plenty of experience with DUI cases, as we have previously explained. But, you should also not fail to check for their local court experience. Not all courts in Virginia are identical, and those procedures, courtroom expectations, as well as scheduling processes, can differ in various jurisdictions. What you want to do, therefore, is choose a lawyer that is familiar with the local court procedures, as they will know how to handle the case in your particular area. Sure, nobody can guarantee results, but local experience can definitely be of great advantage during the legal process.
- Choosing Based on the Advertising or the Price Alone
Another thing that people often do is they choose their legal representatives based on the ads they have seen, or based on the fees that they are charging. Those are not good ideas, though. While advertising can be helpful when it comes to finding potential candidates, it should never be your main deciding factor. And while you do want to understand the fees in advance, they should also never be the main criterion. So, do use advertising to your advantage, and do check the prices, but always keep all the other important factors in mind as well.
- Failing to Inspect Reputation
Not inspecting reputation is clearly a mistake as well, and it is a mistake you should better avoid. Take your time, therefore, to read some reviews that have been written by previous clients, so as to get a clearer understanding about what to expect from the specific Virginia DUI lawyers you are considering. And always aim at choosing those pros that are known to be reliable and trusted, because you want to be able to trust the lawyer that will represent you, and thus be sure that they will do their best to protect your rights in the process and fight for the best outcomes.
- Overlooking the Quality of Communication
Finally, you should never overlook the quality of communication. After all, you are likely to have quite some questions throughout your actual case. So, choose a lawyer that will return your calls promptly, that will respond to your emails, and that will be ready to explain all the legal terms to you clearly, answer your questions respectfully, and keep you updated throughout the process.
