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Should I plead guilty?
You may have just been arrested for DUI and are thinking to yourself, "I shouldn't have been driving" and just want to get it over with by going to court and pleading guilty to the DUI. It's embarrassing and a quick out seems attractive. However, you may be cheating yourself by doing this.
You owe it to yourself to at least consult with an attorney fluent in Orange County DUI Defense or in the court you’re going to be prosecuted in regarding the facts of your particular situation. A half hour consultation with a DUI attorney will allow you to weigh your options and understand the benefit of hiring a skilled attorney. A word of caution though: while much can be gained from a consultation, no attorney can completely assess your case after an initial consultation. Never hire an attorney that talks to you briefly and then guarantees a result. Investigation and research are key in any case, and usually that takes place after a full review of your police reports, the video from the patrol car, and the breach machine maintenance and calibration logs, or a re-testing of your blood.. While there may be a silver bullet to win the case or little that could be done to avoid the conviction, these conclusions should only be reached after careful review and pursuit of all available legal options.
Many potential clients worry that fighting their case may actually make things worse and just want to plead guilty to DUI. However, the judge knows that the reliability of the system depends on those challenging it, and actually wants to hear from both sides and make sure your case is fully investigated and dealt with before you plead guilty. When a DUI attorney gets involved in your case, they investigate the procedures used by the police in your detention and arrest, the field sobriety tests (FSTs), the blood alcohol testing, and other factors. This is important for you and the State. Mistakes discovered by DUI attorneys in individual cases help to fix errors in the process. While they may help you avoid conviction in your individual case, they are learning tools for future cases for the State. Judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement actually appreciate when clients are represented by skilled attorneys because it strengthens the system.
Even if a DUI conviction cannot be avoided in some manner, in most cases having an attorney can lessen the impact of a conviction by working toward minimum penalties. Add to this that having an experienced DUI attorney can help even further with knowledge of alternatives that most attorneys may never know of.
So, when a potential client asks me if it is worthwhile to hire an attorney for their DUI, I advise them that they should. Given the potential impact of a DUI conviction on the person's life, it just makes sense. An attorney can make sure your rights are protected and that you understand what is happening throughout every stage of the DUI process.
If you’re interested in learning how to find the best DUI attorney for your case, click on How Do I find a DUI Lawyer?
If you would like to speak in person, or have questions, please call (877) 568-2977, or email us through the Contact the Firm page.
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