Consequences of Poor Representation of Your DUI Case

One of the first things someone accused of DUI learns once they are entered into the legal system is that the cases can be overwhelmingly complex. If proper process isn’t followed, the penalties that someone convicted of DUI face can radically effect their lives for years to come. There is a lot of misinformation flying about on the internet about how to handle a DUI charge. If you decide to follow some of this misguided advice or worse, represent yourself at your hearing, you could end up in a vary bad position.

The Worst Case Scenario: Representing Yourself

Many people believe that they can handle a “simple” DUI case. The fact is that no DUI case is drop-dead simple. The way courts handle DUI is different in different parts of the country also. This makes any DUI case far from simple. For some reason, many people believe that they can show up, plead guilty and ask for leniency or mercy from the court. We have heard of people “pleading guilty with an explanation”. The problem here is that you’ve plead guilty and the court is under no obligation to grant leniency or modify a fine or jail time because of some explanation. You will be found guilty and you will bear the full brunt of the penalties handed down.

Realize that you are being processed through a system. A machine-like system. The system doesn’t care one bit about your explanation.

Don’t Do This Either: Hire a Generalist

If you just grab the first lawyer you think can handle your case, just stop. If you don’t know enough to represent yourself, do you think you can judge whether or not a generalist lawyer can handle your DUI case? You can’t. It’s similar to getting an aircraft mechanic to work on your car. Both types of mechanics are experts but not in each others area (necessarily).

Hire an Expert DUI Attorney

Your best hope for the best outcome is to hire an expert DUI attorney with a proven success record. Here’s why:

• DUI cases have layers of complexity
• It is possible to incur penalties if proper procedure isn’t followed throughout the case
• The risk of long-term damage to your life is too great

You may not even think about doing research about legal representation for a DUI case before it happens. But if you are even a casual drinker, a little research could really help you. If you’re charged with DUI, it’s going to be a whirlwind and find an expert DUI lawyer is going to be the last thing you want to deal with. Do yourself a favor and be prepared by saving the contact information in your contact for a good DUI attorney. Otherwise, the hangover could last a lot longer than you ever imagined.