Good working chemistry between a client and DUI lawyer facilitates favorable outcome in the case

Nobody ever thinks of going to a lawyer unless they face some very compelling reasons like being slapped with some criminal charges of drunken driving. Drunken driving is not a light offence, and you must take it seriously due to its varied repercussions in life that can be a setback for you. When you face DUI charges, you must understand its gravity and the far-reaching damaging effects. If you face conviction for drunken driving life can become hell as you could lose your employment and getting a new job would be very difficult. Getting home loans and auto loans could be a forgone dream, and it could limit child custody and visiting rights if you are in an estranged relationship with your spouse.  As if it is not enough, you could become a target of future police action, and for future charges, you might face much higher penalties.

A DUI lawyer who represents your case can show the way to come out from the imbroglio with minimal adverse effects. The lawyer can help you to keep moving ahead in life without any embarrassment or stigmatization.  While you must engage a qualified and experienced DUI attorney to fight your case and relieve you of the charges, you must become familiar with the ways of dealing with lawyers.  Lawyers are professionals but unlike other professionals, working with them is quite different. You cannot entrust the job and close your eyes, waiting for the lawyer to move by himself. Clients have to interact closely with lawyers to provide the information and documents for their case, be present in the court to testify and for trial and provide all help and assistance that the lawyer may need when pleading a case.

 As you go through this article, it will be clear how you can actively participate in working closely with the attorney to make your case move quickly and smoothly to drive it towards success.

Engage a DUI lawyer

The pain of DUI offense can become much less due to the guile and skills of a DUI attorney in handling the case because his or her only goal is to provide relief to clients.  Although it might be easy to find a DUI attorney by searching the internet and typing ‘Denver DUI lawyers near me’ in the Google search box, it does not assure that you get the right person to look after your interests.  To locate the right DUI attorney, you must follow some process of due diligence just as you would do for taking any other very important decisions of your life.

Even after you have found the names of a few lawyers by searching the internet and seeking referrals from trusted sources, you must interview each person to ascertain how much comfortable you would be in working with him or her. Since the process involves close interaction between the lawyer and client, the proper working chemistry between the two is essential.

Why only DUI lawyer?

DUI laws are special, specific and centralized and lawyers are specializing in it are only capable of handling the cases conveniently and with confidence. No other lawyer can assure clients that they would be able to provide maximum relief. The processes are also special because the lawyer has to know how to restore driving privileges and reinstate driver license in case it has been revoked.  Complete knowledge of traffic laws, motor vehicle laws as well as interlock ignition devices are necessary to make lawyers perform at their best. Most importantly, the attorney must have the acumen of identifying weaknesses in the charges and challenge certain aspects and chemical testing procedures. Only a competent DUI lawyer can navigate through the confusing environment created by the myriad DUI charges to make clients reach safe shores. 

Opting for a court-appointed Defense lawyer

Engaging a private criminal defense attorney can be quite costly with hourly fees ranging between $300 and $600 for some lawyers. In case you cannot afford a criminal defense attorney to fight your DUI case, it should not be difficult to find out a court-appointed lawyer to make your legal representation in the drunken driving case.  For court-appointed lawyers, the Government bears the cost.  To get a court-appointed lawyer you have to approach the court and provide evidence in support of your claim that your financial position does not permit hiring a private defense attorney.

The procedure

When you request for a court-appointed lawyer, maybe it is the first time that you would be appearing before a judge since your arrest, and the procedure is known as arraignment. If you can avail bail, you can appear before the judge with your plea, but if you are unable to post bail and remain in custody, you could seek escort from the sheriff’s department of your county.  The judge would ask you first whether you have an attorney to represent you and in case it is not, whether you want to appoint a lawyer for your case. If you agree to appoint a lawyer, the judge will select any attorney available in the court to help you out through the remaining process of arraignment. However, this lawyer might not continue for the subsequent course of the case which would be decided after concluding the process of arraignment.

In some cases, the court would keep the arraignment on hold until an attorney is appointed for the entire duration of the case. In some other instance, the court might delay all hearings until completion of the investigation of your financial status that would determine if you qualify for a court-appointed lawyer.

You have to decide which way to go because like in any other criminal case, for DUI cases too, you are entitled to appoint an attorney. Even if you cannot afford a private DUI attorney, you can exercise your right to counsel as applicable to any criminal defendant.

 The role of a defense attorney in DUI cases and other criminal cases is paramount because it could make the difference between liberty and captivity.