If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence (OWI), you need legal counsel. Selecting an Indianapolis DUI lawyer to represent you is one of the most important decisions you will make. But with so many options, how can you pick the right one?
Rathburn Law Office P.C. takes a look by offering a few pointers you should consider. You can contact us today for a free case evaluation.
What Is the Lawyer’s Experience?
This is perhaps the top concern defendants have when it comes to choosing an Indianapolis DUI defense lawyer. The outcome of a criminal matter like a DUI could drastically affect your freedom and finances. So you likely don’t want someone who is just getting their feet wet in this practice area.
Before deciding on your lawyer, find out which areas they practice in. This information can easily be found online, including on the attorney’s website. If the lawyer doesn’t practice criminal law or doesn’t handle DUI cases, they might not be the right choice.
What Percentage of the Lawyer’s Practice Is Dedicated to DUI?
An attorney may have some experience with, and actually practice, criminal law. But is this an active and growing practice area? Or is this just something the lawyer “dabbles” in from time to time? Some attorneys only take criminal cases to bring in extra money for their firms. Be wary of someone who is not seriously dedicated to this practice area.
Ask the lawyer, first, what percentage of cases he or she handles that relate to criminal law. Next, ask specifically how many of the lawyer’s cases concern DUI. It’s perfectly acceptable for an attorney to actively practice in several areas. However, be cautious if the number of DUI cases is relatively low.
What Is the Lawyer’s Success Rate?
It is unlikely that any lawyer who represents DUI clients has a 100% success rate. In fact, a lawyer who says he or she has this sort of success should be viewed with suspicion. Even if it is true, why is the success rate that high? Is it because the lawyer convinced the client to accept a bad plea deal? Is that how the lawyer defines “success”?
To that point, success is defined differently in different cases. In one DUI case, success could be reaching a not-guilty verdict. In another, it could be working out a plea deal when a trial would likely have yielded much worse results.
Ask the attorney how successful he or she has been representing DUI clients. Then, ask what “success” really means. Lawyers win cases and they lose cases, but you want someone who, in general, is skilled at what they do.
How Many Cases Are Tried Versus Plea Bargained?
Another crucial point is to determine how many clients go to trial versus accept a plea bargain. Neither plea bargains nor trials are inherently bad. Some cases are simply not eligible for a plea bargain due to their seriousness or the defendant’s record.
In other cases, the clients simply refuse to accept a plea bargain and choose to try the case. On the other hand, many lawyers pressure their clients to accept bad plea deals. They’d rather do this than risk a trial because they don’t want to face the prosecution.
A high percentage of cases tried or plea bargained could be problematic. A healthy balance of both is fairly normal. Ask the lawyer to estimate the ratio of the two and then explain it. This will help you determine how dedicated the attorney might be to defending you in your DUI.
A Skilled Indianapolis DUI Attorney Is Your Best Defense
The above questions are just a few you should ask before deciding which attorney should represent you. Rathburn Law Office P.C. would be happy to answer these and other questions and explain how we can serve you.
Charged with a DUI? Reach out to us to start building your legal defense today.
