CHOOSING A DUI ATTORNEY
Being arrested for DUI is a frightening situation with your entire future on the line. Pennsylvania has some of the most severe DUI laws and penalties and even a first offense DUI conviction could sentence you to up to 6 months in jail with up to $5,000 in fines, among other punishments, depending on the BAC level and circumstances surrounding your arrest.
Even if you are guilty of committing the DUI, it is in your best interest to speak with a Pittsburgh DUI attorney, as they may be able to help you get your charges reduced or even dismissed.
After a DUI arrest, you may feel as though your life is spinning out of control. But the best way to take hold of the reigns again is to find the best DUI attorney you can to help fight for your rights and your future.
Choosing a DUI attorney is an important decision and one that could have a big impact on your future. You need someone who you can trust and who you know will have your back, not someone who is simply looking to take your money.
Most DUI attorneys will give you a free consultation, so this is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the attorney and what his or her strategies are, how successful they are at winning cases and how genuine and open they are.
You shouldn’t be intimidated by the attorney – you are hiring them and you deserve to know as much about them as possible so you can make a good decision.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A DUI ATTORNEY
1) How much experience and success do you have in fighting DUI charges?
Usually you can find this information on the attorney’s website or other reputable online source, such as Avvo, Facebook, or Google+. However, you may want to ask this question directly to the attorney you are considering hiring so you can hear more about their experience in their own words. You should also ask specific questions like how long they have been practicing law and how many similar DUI cases they have successfully won.
Attorney Shrager has a top score of 10.0 on Avvo, with many recommendations from clients and colleagues.
2) Do you think you can win my case?
This is a tough question for an attorney to answer because no attorney should guarantee you any particular outcome. If an attorney promises you a specific result, you will want to steer clear of them.
But this question is good because it gives an honest DUI attorney the opportunity to give you a best and worst case scenario and further explain what their strategy will be in defending your case.
3) Have you ever been disciplined by the Pennsylvania State Bar Association?
The PA State Bar is the governing body over all attorneys in Pennsylvania. If an attorney has been disciplined by them it means they were or are suspected of misconduct. You should not hire an attorney who has had disciplinary action taken against them.
In order to find out if an attorney has been disciplined, you can look up this information on the website of The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
4) What is the total cost of the legal services and how do you charge your clients?
Find out whether the attorney charges a flat rate or by the hour. A flat rate that seems inexpensive may be a warning sign that this attorney is going to do much work for you. If an attorney charges by the hour, ask how many hours they estimate they will be working on your case.
You know the old adage: you get what you pay for. But you also don’t want to pay a lot and also get an attorney who will not work hard for you. You have to be sure to hire the person who seems reasonable and can justify the pricing and who will explain exactly what they will do for you for the money.
You don’t want any surprises down the road, especially if your case could not be won.
Attorney fees may seem high, but the price you pay for a DUI conviction could be much higher without an experienced and aggressive attorney to defend your rights.
You should also find out if the fees are refundable, what forms of payment the law office accepts (Visa, PayPal, personal check, etc.)
HOW YOU KNOW YOU’VE CHOSEN THE RIGHT DUI ATTORNEY
The way the attorney answers your questions and listens to the details of your case should give you an indication of whether you can trust them and how hard they are willing to work for you. If you don’t feel comfortable with an attorney after the initial consultation, you should never hire them. Keep looking.
If an attorney talks down to you or makes you feel worse about your situation during the course of your conversation with him or her, keep looking. The attorney should always treat you and your family with respect and compassion.
If you do feel comfortable hiring the attorney, the most important thing to keep in mind is whether you feel like this attorney is a) going to really work hard for you and b) can win your case or have your charges reduced.
When you future is at stake, you don’t want to take chances.
_______________________________________________
BEING ARRESTED FOR A DUI DOES NOT
MEAN THAT YOU WILL BE CONVICTED.
CALL OR TEXT DAVID J. SHRAGER TODAY FOR A
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: 412-969-2540.
________________________________________________
WHAT OUR DUI LAWYERS CAN DO FOR YOU
At Shrager Defense Attorneys, we empathize with your situation and will talk to you plainly about the DUI Penalties you face and explain the DUI Court Process in Pennsylvania. We will examine the DUI charges brought against you and the police reports and videotape to see if the police treated you fairly and that all evidence was collected legally. If it was not, your case could be dismissed.
We will prepare you for the preliminary hearing, which will determine whether or not your case will be moved forward to prosecution. Having a good DUI lawyer present during your hearing can make a big impact on whether or not your charges will be reduced or dismissed.
We will weigh all of your options, including a trial, negotiated pleas, and Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD), to get your charges and fines reduced or dropped.
Shrager Defense Attorneys are experienced DUI Lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA who, for years, have been fighting and winning DUI cases. Don’t delay — let us defend your rights and protect your future.
The most detrimental thing you can do is simply nothing and hope this all goes away. It won’t. The longer you wait to contact an attorney, the worse your situation could get.
_______________________________________________
BEING ARRESTED FOR A DUI DOES NOT
MEAN THAT YOU WILL BE CONVICTED.
CALL OR TEXT DAVID J. SHRAGER TODAY FOR A
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: 412-969-2540.
________________________________________________
Have questions about a DUI in Pennsylvania? Here are some resources:
- First Time DUI in PA
- Second DUI in PA
- DUI Drug Charges
- Defenses for a DUI
- Multiple DUIs in Pennsylvania
- PA DUI Court Process
- Allegheny County ARD Program
- Underage Drinking and DUI Charges
- Driving While Under DUI License Suspension
- Homicide by Vehicle While DUI
- Record Expungement
- Pennsylvania DUI Laws
- Birchfield Ruling on DUI – Recent Changes to DUI Convictions and Penalties
_________________
FREE Legal Consultation
Call 412-969-2540 right now for a FREE initial legal consultation. Speak directly with David J. Shrager 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Shrager Defense Attorneys in Pittsburgh, PA will attack your criminal charges in order to protect your good name. Have a sound and solid case prepared by David J. Shrager and his legal team so they can fight for your rights.
- Learn more about our Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyers
- Read client testimonials and success stories
- First-time DUI? Learn what is at stake and how to proceed
- Contact Shrager Defense Attorneys Today