If you’ve been caught and charged with driving under in the influence (DUI) in Austin, Texas, you need to look into hiring a lawyer immediately.
With DUI charges, the penalties are severe. If convicted, you’re looking at both criminal and administrative penalties. What that means is that you will face fines, possibly jail time as well as have your license taken away.
A good DUI lawyer is crucial to helping you understand and navigate through your case, as well as finding a potential defence to help mitigate your punishment. Hiring the right lawyer can be tricky, so we’ve put together a list of questions to ask your DUI lawyer.
Read on to learn about what you should be looking for when hiring a DUI lawyer.
5 Essentials Questions to Ask Your DUI Lawyer
Keep in mind that there are many competing DUI lawyers and you don’t have to hire the first one you meet.
1. Who Is Your Average Client?
You want to work with a lawyer who has handled similar types of cases in the past. If they’ve previously only represented corporations in tort law cases or worked as a divorce lawyer, they’re not going to have the experience you’re looking for.
Keep searching until you find a lawyer who has represented clients who have been in a similar situation as the one you’re in.
2. How Much Experience Do You Have with DUI Cases?
This is a deeper look into your lawyer’s background and experience than the previous question. Understanding their background will help you determine if they are the right person to represent your case.
As part of this line of questioning, you’ll want to know how long they’ve been working on DUI cases and how many they have handled during that time. Part of a lawyer’s experience is also their success rate so ask them how often they take cases to trial.
3. Do You Have Any Special Training for DUI Cases?
Ask your DUI lawyer if they have trained specifically for DUI cases.
Find out if they are certified by the DUI organization The National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) or if they have any other certification that they are a DUI specialist.
If they don’t have these certifications, then you need to find out what makes them a better fit than another lawyer.
4. What Are Your Fees?
Get a complete picture of how much their services will cost, including how often you will need to pay and the payment forms that they accept. Ask if you will be billed an hourly rate or a flat fee.
Additionally, find out what the costs are for extra services including expert witnesses or blood sampling. While most lawyers offer a free consultation, you need to understand all of the payment terms before you hire them.
5. What Do You See as the Outcome for My Case?
Obviously, lawyers are not fortune tellers, but they should be able to explain the possible outcomes of your case once you’ve explained the situation to them.
Don’t Wait on Hiring a Lawyer
As much as you want to put the entire incident behind you, it’s important that you don’t wait on hiring a lawyer. With these questions to ask your DUI lawyer, you’ll be better equipped to hire the best lawyer for your case.
Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation if you’re looking for legal services in Austin, Texas.