1) Hire an Attorney Who Focuses on DUI Cases
Many attorneys and firms will advertise themselves as generalists, and claim to be able to provide services for all sorts of different legal issues. However, DUI is such a packed area of law that it would be impossible to claim expertise in it and many other areas of law. To defend your case successfully, you need an attorney who focuses specifically on DUI issues.
2) Hire Locally
A successful DUI lawyer needs to be local to Orlando. A proximal location makes the attorney more accessible for you, allowing you to meet with them in person on a regular basis. A local attorney will also be better versed in the particularities of the area’s legal and court systems, allowing them to represent you more effectively.
3) Courtroom and Field Experience
A good DUI lawyer needs to have provable experience in both field and trial settings. They should be able to demonstrate a solid record of past cases, addressing a wide range of DUI issues.
4) Meticulous Attention to Detail
Much of DUI defense comes down to very technical details. Seemingly insignificant issues may be enough to prove police officers failed to follow appropriate protocol, or lacked probable cause to pull your vehicle over. An attorney who is able to identify and appropriately present these technical lapses may be able to convince a judge to throw out your case entirely.
5) Client Referrals
If you’re looking for a good DUI lawyer, your friends, family and other contacts are a good resource. They can provide personal insights you won’t be able to glean from the firm’s website or from the attorney directly, and will be able to recommend an attorney who has defended them successfully in the past.
6) Be Wary of False Promises
If an attorney makes promises to get you off scot-free that seem too good to be true, they probably are. No attorney can “guarantee” a particular outcome, and any that purports to do so should raise a red flag for you. Use your best judgment – if law enforcement has collected a mountain of evidence against you but your attorney is still promising to have all charges overturned (without a specific game-plan), you may want to look elsewhere. A good attorney will give you a strong but realistic appraisal of your chances in court, and advise accordingly.
