DUI Lawyers that Represent Drunk Driving Cases

DUI attorneys specialize in defending clients who have been charged with DUI, or driving under the influence of alcohol.  In your state, the term might be OUI, DWI or OWI, but they all mean the same thing – you’ve been arrested for drunk driving.

Attorneys that Specialize in DUI

Lawyering is not a one-size-fits-all business. You wouldn’t go to a foot specialist for heart problems, right?  Or have a house painter paint your portrait. In the legal profession, while any lawyer could technically represent you, it’s best to find one who makes DUI defense his or her specialty.

Attorneys might specialize in family law and divorce, personal injury and medical malpractice, real estate, tax law or some other branch of the business. DUI attorneys focus on drunk driving cases and give you the best opportunity to beat the charges, or at the very least, minimize the impact they have on you and your liberty.

What Sets DUI Attorneys Apart?

The DUI laws are pretty straightforward, but how someone is convicted of DUI is quite complex. For example, the breathalyzer is a common tool used to determine DUI. But a breathalyzer test can read up to 20% higher than it should for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with your blood alcohol content.

Just a few of the reasons for false tests include rapid breathing on your part, taking certain medications, having blood in your mouth (e.g. from an accident) or the officer failing to correctly calibrate the machine before giving the test. Skilled DUI attorneys know all of these reasons and more.

They are well-versed in proper procedure to administer field sobriety tests, breathalyzer tests, blood tests or urine tests. If the officers involved in the investigation don’t go strictly by the book, a competent attorney might get the case thrown out.

DUI Attorney Costs

Good legal representation doesn’t come cheap. The costliest DUI lawyers have high fees because they have a high rate of success in getting cases dropped, having some charges reduces or dropped and minimizing the harsh consequences of any conviction.

So how much does that cost?  Most competent DUI lawyers are going to cost you at least $100 an hour, and some can be as expensive as $500 per hour or more.

How does that translate into total costs?  For most of those who are charged with DUI, the total bill will be $5,000 minimum with an average closer to $10,000. If the case goes to trial, this means many more hours for your DUI lawyers and a final bill that might easily reach $20,000. Then, you might have fines to pay on top of that.

When you’re counting up the total cost of a DUI conviction, don’t forget that your car insurance costs are also going to rise by as much as 400% for up to 5 years!  Keeping all of these costs in mind can serve as a deterrent to getting behind the wheel when you’re under the influence of alcohol.

Paying for DUI Attorneys

Most lawyers will want a lump sum down at the start, often called a retainer fee. That’s going to be at least $2,500, though some want $5,000 or more. Then, once that money has been used up in hourly fees, court filing costs and expenses for gathering evidence, you’ll be billed at the hourly rate and expected to pay as you go.

Don’t Go to Court without Legal Representation

Despite high DUI attorneys’ fees, it is wise to have a DUI lawyer on your side when facing charges. When you consider the fines imposed on drunk drivers, the huge increase in your insurance rates, the loss of your license for a period of time and the potential loss of wages from spending time in jail, you’ll see that paying attorney fees can actually save you money in the end.

If you’ve been charged with drunk driving, contact several DUI attorneys and ask them what they can do for you and what they charge. Choose one with skill, experience and a good track record of minimizing the damage to their clients from DUI charges and convictions.