In Los Angeles, the slightest punishment for DUI (first offense) might end you up in jail for 6 months and result in a suspension of your license for 1 year.
How about more serious types wherein you’re caught for the fourth time or you ended up injuring others while driving under influence? Imprisonment may last for three years or 16 months. The court will also implement a suspension of your license for four years, with the possibility of permanent license suspension.
Caught red-handed? Seems that you’re in trouble. Nevertheless, you’re still far from being finished. Hire a DUI lawyer to prove your innocence, as everyone has the right to defend himself or herself in court. In this article, read some tips on how to find the best Los Angeles DUI defense lawyer.
Find People Who Won Their DUI Trials
The most effective way for you to find a good DUI lawyer is to get in touch with people who have been charged with drunk driving before and won their trials. To find these people, you might want to utilize online forums and social media websites. You can also ask friends if they know someone who underwent a DUI trial and won it.
Once you find these people, ask who their attorneys are and request a referral. A much better approach is to ask for the contact details and the office address so that you can visit or call the attorneys yourself.
Online Database Will Help You Shortlist
If you want to find a good DUI defense lawyer without a lot of legwork, then consult websites that make a comprehensive list of available DUI defense lawyers. Examples are as follow:
- National College for DUI Defense – has a list of certified and non-certified member DUI defense lawyers. Lawyers that you find in NCDD specialize in DUI trials.
- The State Bar of California– allows you to search for a defense lawyer according to name and specialization. However, the search results are basically generalized. You never know if the lawyers on the list handle DUI cases well.
Consult Law Office Websites
Law offices in Los Angeles have websites nowadays. You can use these to look for DUI defense lawyers since these entertain consultations done by sending an email or by calling. Here are some tips that you want to remember when looking for DUI defense lawyers with the websites of law offices.
- look for client reviews page and portfolio page
- look for blogs that educate you about how DUI cases are handled usually
- look for a website page that shows you a list of lawyers working for the law offices and their specialties
In Conclusion
When caught driving under influence, don’t panic as the authorities won’t impose a punishment right away. They will give you a chance to prove your innocence. To do this successfully, hire a competent DUI defense lawyer. If you don’t know how to find one, start doing the methods discussed in this article.