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How to find a reputable DUI Lawyer
Whether it be you or another person you know who has been convicted on terms of drunk driving, selecting the best lawyer is a process that can be very time consuming and stressful for a lot of people. You’ll want someone who is very experienced and competent at what they do who at the same time lacks any unethical practices.
One of the best ways to locate a good lawyer is to ask people you know for referrals. There are a lot of different people available to you who can recommend someone, whether it is your family’s defense lawyer himself who may know DUI lawyers, or even a family member who has previously been charged with a DUI. You might also want to go to your local courthouse to ask a bailiff or count clerk. Even police officers can also be a great referral source. Simply question who the best lawyer they’ve seen is or who they might hire if they were ever to face DUI charges.
However, one common referral service that is usually not a good place to search is the local Bar Association. The reason for this is that you will almost always quickly be referred to someone random on a list of members who simply had to place a generic request to be put on the list.
If you still cannot seem to find someone to suggest a good lawyer, your next move would be to look through the internet. Aside from researching a good DUI lawyer, you can also find helpful information about DUI laws, courtroom procedure, evidence, and penalties involved in the whole process. You will also, unfortunately, find many internet ads, websites, and directories which don’t always necessarily mean the lawyers in the ads are the best lawyers for you personally. The ads only declare that the lawyer has paid the most to have his or her advertisements show up on your computer.
Another really reputable resource to look at would be the National College for DUI Defense. More than 800 lawyers nationwide who have completed the process for the College so far are listed in a website and are professionally trained to specialize in drunk driving cases. Remember that a membership in this College never guarantees any promises of proficiency or ethics, it proves the lawyers seriousness in DUI law. Some very valuable and beneficial aspects of the College are it's notable seminars, especially the annual 3-day class held at Harvard Law School. The American Bar Association has recognized this seminar as the ONLY organization allowed to Board-certify lawyers as specialists in DUI defense.
You should consider the following when making your decision on what lawyer you wish to hire:
* Did this lawyer gain membership to the National College for DUI Defense? Which reputable law school did the lawyer receive his accreditation from? Was he Board-certified?
* When a lawyer deals with DUI cases on top of criminal and civil cases, he is oftentimes not the optimal choice for you. You should definitely ask the attorney if he specializes only in DUI cases.
* Is there a written contract including all fees and initial costs that cover any outside costs such as court costs, blood reanalysis, etc.? Make sure you have all possible fees given to you up front.
* Does your lawyer have access to a lab that can reanalyze your blood samples, witnesses, and breath analysis?
* Does the attorney assure you anything in terms of final outcome? If so, you may want to keep looking. Making promises is not only unethical but specific results are never predictable.
* How does the lawyer rank on Martindale-Hubbell's International Directory of Attorneys (A-V)?
* Check online at the State Bar Association to see if the attorney has had any complaints?
Sacramento DUI drunk driving lawyers and attorneys
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