Updated: October 9, 2023 | Original Post: October 16, 2017
Table of Contents:
When Facing DUI Charges, Who You Hire to Defend You Can Make or Break Your Case
What You’ll Learn in This Post
Ask Around and Do Your Research
The Best DUI Attorney Near You May Not Be On Ads or Billboards
Look For a Lawyer Who Focuses on DUI Cases
There is No Substitute For Experience
James Newby Law: Rated the Best DUI Defense Attorneys Near Colorado Springs For Good Reason
When Facing DUI Charges, Who You Hire To Defend You Can Make or Break Your Case
If you need the best DUI defense attorney near Colorado Springs, you need to know what to look for. That is because finding an attorney with the experience, skill, and commitment to defend you against these extremely serious charges is perhaps the most critical moment in your DUI ordeal.
The DUI lawyer you choose is the only thing standing between you and a DUI conviction and all of the immediate and long-term consequences that follow. As such, you need to do some research to ensure you make the right choice. You must also understand the qualities that make for the best DUI lawyers. Then, as you start your search, you need advice for selecting the best DUI attorney near you who can guide you through the process, protect your rights, and fight tirelessly to obtain a dismissal, acquittal, or reduction of the charges you face.
What You’ll Learn in This Post:
- The DUI lawyer you choose is the only thing standing between you and a DUI conviction and all of the immediate and long-term consequences that follow. Making the right choice is critical to your freedom.
- Finding the best DUI defense attorney near you requires research, but you also need to understand the qualities to look for in a DUI defense attorney.
- Look for a DUI lawyer who focuses on DUI cases, has substantial experience, and a track record of success defending against DUI charges,
- Meet with multiple attorneys and ask thoughtful questions. Treat those meetings like a job interview – after all, you are hiring someone to keep a DUI off your record and keep you out of jail.
Ask Around And Do Your Research
There is a good chance that this is the first time in your life you’ve needed a criminal defense attorney. In fact, this may be your first time looking for a lawyer. But you don’t have the luxury of time. If you face DUI charges, you must get a defense attorney as soon as possible.
Start by asking around – your friends and family members may have been through a similar experience and will be able to give you some names. If they do not, or you are uncomfortable asking them, a search on Google will give you a good starting place.
Once you have some names, do some online research about them. Look at the attorneys’ websites to learn about their experience, credentials, and general approach, especially with cases like yours. Check out other neutral websites for any reviews and client testimonials, as you’ll only see glowing reviews on an attorney’s own site.
Then, pick up the phone and arrange a consultation with two or three DUI defense attorneys near you.
Related: Keeping Your License After a DUI – Must Read
The Best DUI Defense Attorney Near You May Not Be On Ads or Billboards
There is no shortage of attorney advertising in Colorado Springs. But just because a lawyer’s picture and phone number stand 20 feet tall over the highway doesn’t mean they’re the right DUI defense attorney near you. All that those ads mean is that they have money to spend promoting themselves.
Most attorneys, including many of the top DUI attorneys in Colorado Springs, don’t rely on expensive ad campaigns – their reputation and success rate in court are all the advertising they need. When hiring a DUI lawyer, don’t limit your choices to what you see on billboards, TV ads, bus stops, and so forth around Colorado Springs.
Look For a Lawyer Who Focuses On DUI Cases
There are all types of lawyers in Colorado Springs who handle different types of cases, just like there are all types of doctors who focus on distinct areas of medicine. But just because a podiatrist is a doctor doesn’t mean you want them to perform your open heart surgery. The same goes for lawyers. Just because someone has a law license doesn’t make them competent to handle the complexities of a DUI case.
You need an attorney who knows DUI inside and out. Your lawyer needs to be someone who doesn’t “dabble” in DUI defense or handles such cases from time to time. Colorado’s drunk driving laws are complicated, and you don’t want a lawyer who has to get up to speed on the fly and on your dime. You want a DUI defense attorney near you who understands how to effectively scrutinize every aspect of your stop, testing, and arrest, and discredit the prosecution’s evidence and witnesses.
But there is more to fighting DUI allegations than the law. Understanding the science of accurately determining blood alcohol content (BAC) and how to challenge test results can often be the difference between obtaining an acquittal and facing conviction.
There Is No Substitute For Experience
Attorneys attended law school to learn about the letter of the law. But there is much more to being an effective criminal defense lawyer than what you can learn in books and classrooms. Being an effective DUI defense attorney near Colorado Springs requires the irreplaceable quality of experience.
The criminal court system in Colorado Springs is complicated. Each judge is different and has their own hot buttons, and every courtroom has its own way of doing things. Often, understanding the unwritten rules of DUI defense is as important as knowing the law. That is something only experience can provide.
Make sure that the DUI lawyer you choose has a solid track record defending clients in the Springs in cases like yours. Even better, look for a DUI lawyer who was previously a prosecutor, as they may have significant insights that can help them craft the best strategy for your case.
Learn More: Why Former Prosecutors are the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys
Ask Good Questions
In your initial meetings with DUI lawyers you are considering hiring, treat the interaction as a job interview – where you are the interviewer. After all, you are looking to hire someone for a job of utmost importance: keeping you out of jail and a conviction off your record.
As in any job interview, the key to vetting a candidate is asking good questions. When you first speak with a DUI defense lawyer to discuss your case, consider asking some or all of these questions:
- How long have you practiced criminal law in Colorado?
- Is criminal defense the only focus of your practice?
- How many DUI cases have you handled? How many are you handling now?
- What is your track record defending DUI cases?
- Will you handle my DUI case personally, or will you be handing my case off to some other attorney in your office?
- How much will you charge to defend me against my DUI charges, and do you offer any payment plans?
Finally, after you have done your research and found one or two DUI defense attorneys near you with the right qualifications, experience, and record of success, choose the one who makes you comfortable, treats you with patience and respect, and gives you a feeling of confidence that everything is going to be okay.
James Newby Law: Rated The Best DUI Defense Attorneys Near Colorado Springs For Good Reason
The Colorado Springs criminal defense lawyers at James Newby use the experience and insights he gained as a former DUI prosecutor to defend the rights of individuals facing DUI charges. They have the know-how and tenacity to attack the prosecution’s case and will look for every possible weakness to put you in the best position to obtain a favorable outcome.
Contact James Newby Law today to arrange for your free, confidential initial consultation.
