If you have been arrested for a DUI offense, you are probably asking yourself if you should retain an attorney. It certainly is comforting to have someone on your side in that situation. Facing a courtroom and all that goes along with is a really scary situation. Do you need a lawyer to represent you in a DUI case? (Refer Driving Laws website) Hiring an experienced DUI attorney always has its benefits —  familiarity with the court system, knowledge of plea bargain details, and the ability to navigate complex administration procedures. It’s especially important if you are a repeat offender. However, if this is your first DUI and there were no additional or aggravating circumstances such as reckless driving,  DUI with a minor in the vehicle, or a high blood alcohol content (a BAC over .12) you may choose to proceed without a DUI attorney.

Pleading Guilty

If this is your first DUI, you may choose to simply plead guilty. That might be a wise choice if there were some certainty that you would be convicted — for example if your BAC is higher than .11 and the arresting officer testifies that you were driving erratically. But before you plead guilty, you should learn about the DUI / DWI laws penalties and fines in your state in order to make an informed decision. Even if you are convinced you should plead guilty, it is always possible that a DUI attorney may offer advice or counsel that could affect the severity of your sentence. Also keep in mind that if your BAC was between .08 and .11 (and there may be some question as to whether the reading was accurate) conviction is less of a certainty and a DUI attorney may be able to better plea bargain your case. Another fact to consider is that in most first non-injury first offense DUIs, judges hand down a routine sentence that seldom varies from one case to another.

Negotiating Your Sentence

In addition to plea bargaining (where the charge is reduced to a lesser one, like from DUI to reckless driving), most states have sentence bargaining. Sentence bargaining is extremely useful where a guilty plea might result in a long period of incarceration. For example, you may be willing to plead guilty to a second DUI but only if you know what your sentence will be. The same is true with an aggravated DUI cases where your BAC is over .15, or injury or death has resulted. In these types of cases you probably wouldn’t want to plead guilty unless you knew what sentence you’re going to get, and you would be well advised to have an attorney (as is generally true with all non-routine DUI cases).

Second Offenders Should Seek an Attorney

If this is not your first DUI / DWI, you will most likely need the assistance of a DUI attorney. If you’re concerned about the costs, some DUI attorneys will work with you and may offer credit payment plans or discounts.

Schedule an initial consultation with DUI attorney

Why not? If there’s no charge. You should have the facts before making a decision. Alexander Truluck focuses his practice as a criminal defense attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin and the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.criminallawyerclearwaterflorida.com
or call (727) 799-3550.