Suppose you’ve been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) crime in Hayward and wondering whether to hire a DUI attorney; the answer is yes. A DUI attorney is the first person you need to contact immediately after you’re arrested for DUI.
Maybe you’re worried about the costly legal fees, or you aren’t clear what an attorney can do to help overturn your case. Is hiring a DUI attorney in Hayward worth it? Or can you take your chances and represent yourself in court?
In Hayward, there are numerous reasons to avoid working with a public defender or representing yourself in a driving under the influence case. Considering what’s at stake and how to put up an effective defense, you’ll discover why it’s best to hire an experienced DUI lawyer.
The following are some major considerations for hiring the best DUI attorney in Hayward to represent you. But if you ask us, we’d recommend Louis J. Goodman – DUI Attorney in Hayward, as your best bet.
Area of Specialization
Before selecting a lawyer for your DUI, ensure it’s one with legal expertise renowned for handling DUI cases. Only a Hayward DUI defense attorney conversant with drunk driving laws can increase the chances of winning your DUI case.
Thus, you don’t have to settle for just any lawyer. When evaluating lawyers for DUI cases, ensure you check their credentials to discover if they have a DUI laws specialty. Besides, looking at the attorney’s specialization, ensure they’re qualified enough to handle your case.
Furthermore, make sure the DUI defense lawyer is licensed to practice in California and is conversant with California’s legal system.
DUI Legal Experience
There are several benefits to working with a DUI attorney in Hayward, especially for first-time offenders. An experienced DUI defense attorney has an in-depth understanding of drunk driving laws and their loophole and can leverage that to increase the chances of succeeding in your case.
A professional Hayward DUI attorney is properly-versed in the DUI procedural issues. More so, a seasoned DUI lawyer will ensure your papers are appropriately presented in court while complying with California DUI law. Thus, you’ll need to be sure the attorney you hire has extensive experience in handling DUI cases.
Credible References
Besides the DUI attorney’s experience, you need to check their references and ensure they can deliver. After all, you can come across a lawyer with many DUI cases, but all were poor jobs.
References can help you determine whether the lawyer is successful or not. Before you entrust prospective best-rated DUI lawyers with your case, ask after their credible references to their past clients. We recommend calling these clients to be sure they’ve worked with the DUI defense attorney and if they were satisfied with the services they got.
Free Legal Consultations
Almost all DUI attorneys in Hayward offer free consultations to their clients. However, most mandate the client to hire their services in return. The best attorney offers free consultation unconditionally.
Taking advantage of the free consultation, you can easily meet the DUI defense attorney in person, ask them some questions about the case, and listen while they give you solutions to your DUI case.
DUI Lawyer’s Reputation
Reputation is one of the most important considerations to make while searching for a DUI attorney in Hayward. For instance, hiring a lawyer with many discipline cases against them is an extreme sport and will significantly lower the chances of winning your case.
Before finally deciding on a particular DUI defense lawyer, run a background check on their reputation. You can check California State Bar Association to discover whether the attorney you pick has ever undergone disciplinary actions before or been involved in malpractice.
Thus, it’d be best if you had an attorney with an untainted record that doesn’t have any baggage or controversies.
Legal Fees
Although this shouldn’t be considered, a Hayward DUI attorney charge for their legal services is worth considering. The truth is, you can only work with a lawyer you can genuinely afford. Therefore, ensure the attorney you choose will charge an affordable fee.
Suppose you search for a “business attorney near me,” you’ll be besieged with many law offices to choose from. Ensure you don’t hire cheap lawyers seeing as most of them are new attorneys and thus possess limited experience in drunk driving cases. Rather, find a reputable lawyer that charges reasonable fees to clients without exploiting them.
Disadvantages of Allowing a California Public Defender to Handle Your DUI
Although many talented lawyers work as public defenders, certain factors mitigate a successful DUI case from a public defender.
Many view public defenders as legal counsel who don’t care about the people they defend, pushing people through the court system quickly. While many public defenders make great attorneys regardless of their demanding job, there are major disadvantages of allowing a public defender to handle your DUI case. They include:
- It’s often challenging getting representation by a public defender. Public defenders are usually reserved for “indigent” clients. You’ll have to disclose your personal financial information to the judge in open court to qualify as an indigent. The judge will use their discretion to determine whether you’re qualified for public defender representation.
- Once you’re assigned a public defender, you’re stuck with the lawyer till the end of the case, even if you don’t like the way the attorney is handling the case
- Most public defenders don’t possess enough experience specializing in DUI law or have the adequate understanding needed to defend your drunk driving case. DUI cases involve a specialized arm of criminal law.
- Public defenders will only take care of the criminal case, and you’ll be left with handling the DMV hearing. Unlike a DUI lawyer, who’ll help you with the DMV hearing and criminal case. A drunk driving charge involves both the administrative DMV hearing and criminal case, both of which have potential penalties and effects on your life.
- Public defenders often have many cases and clients and thus are under too much pressure, which might affect their ability to pay utmost attention to preparing your DUI defense.
Summary
Having a reliable and experienced DUI attorney in Hayward will significantly increase the chances of winning your case regardless of whether you’re a repeat offender or a first-timer.
While DUI cases are seen as minor misdemeanor offenses, it’s consequences are far-reaching. It can affect your relationship, work, and other vital areas of your life. Hopefully, with these considerations, you can make an informed choice when choosing a DUI attorney in Hayward for your DUI case.
