How to Find the Best DUI Lawyer Near Me
DUI charges are serious criminal offenses that have the potential to negatively impact your life for a long time, even if this is your first DUI arrest.
An experienced DUI lawyer can try to help you minimize the impact of a DUI arrest. Therefore, finding the right attorney for you must be your top priority.
With so many attorneys, how do you know which attorney is best?
You should consider working with a local attorney with a reputation for excellence and fairness among judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, like the attorneys at Andrew Flusche, Attorney at Law, PLC.
Our attorneys have extensive experience representing those accused of DUI offenses in Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg, Stafford, and King George.
We may be able to help you avoid the overly harsh consequences of a DUI conviction. Contact us today!
Our Experienced DUI Attorney Explains Virginia Law
Virginia has a tough DUI law. Under Virginia law, police can charge you with a DUI under one of three theories. These theories are:
- Driving while having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater;
- Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol; or
- Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol.
Virginia has a “per se” law for DUIs. The prosecutor does not have to prove that the alcohol you consumed affected your driving under the per se theory.
Instead, the prosecutor must only prove that you drove a motor vehicle with a BAC of 0.08% or greater.
Plus, if you refused a chemical test or did not provide a sufficient sample for a chemical test, the prosecutor will argue that you drove under the influence.
The prosecutor may also use evidence of your driving behavior, field sobriety test performance, physical appearance, and communication ability as evidence you drove while intoxicated.
Virginia also has a per se limit for driving with certain drugs in your system. Therefore, driving with a certain amount of drugs in you is a crime regardless of whether the drugs negatively impact your driving.
5 Tips for Choosing the Best DUI Lawyer
1. Choose a DUI Attorney Who is Local to You
Choosing a local DUI attorney has many benefits, starting with the fact that having your attorney nearby will make communications easier: it’s easy for you to drop things off at their office when necessary.
But commute times aside, the most important reason to choose a local DUI attorney to represent you in your case is that a local attorney will be familiar with the local police officers involved in your case, the prosecutor who is bringing forth the charges against you, and the judge who is presiding over your case.
Not only can this be beneficial when it comes to gathering evidence and negotiating a plea deal, but your attorney may also be able to provide insight into the tactics the prosecution will use, how harsh of a sentence the judge is likely to issue, and more.
2. Choose a DUI Lawyer with Great Reviews
As you search for a DUI lawyer online review sites can be a helpful resource for narrowing down your best options. Search for an attorney who has a stellar reputation, has clients who enjoyed working with them, and who has a history of success. If an attorney doesn’t have positive reviews, they are likely not worth hiring as a DUI attorney.
As a Virginia DUI attorney, I am proud of the hundreds of positive reviews that I’ve earned. You can check them our for yourself on Avvo, Yelp, and Google.
3. Choose a DUI Lawyer with Transparent Fees
Fighting a DUI charge can be expensive. Even if you are not convicted, you can expect to pay legal and court fees. To keep your costs as low as possible, you must choose a lawyer who maintains a transparent and straightforward fee policy.
When you meet with a DUI attorney, they should provide you with a breakdown of their system, which should include information about a retainer fee, how fees work if your case goes to trial if you’re charged any extra fees, and how much you might expect to pay the court.
While each case is unique, if you retain me to represent you against DUI charges in Fredericksburg, you can expect to pay legal fees somewhere between $1,900 and $2,900.
4. Choose a DUI Attorney with Extensive Experience
As you search for the best DUI lawyer, Fredericksburg lawyers who are new to the game are not likely to be your best option for representation. Instead, you want someone who is experienced in the law, comfortable in a courtroom, and has spent years handling cases like yours successfully.
If you hire us, you can be confident that we know what we’re doing. We have over a decade of experience handling DUI cases locally, in addition to our experience handling various types of traffic offenses and misdemeanor offenses. We even teach fellow defense attorneys how to fight cases via continuing education classes.
5. Choose a DUI Lawyer Who Answers Your Questions Honestly
When you hire an attorney, you should know that you’ll be working with your attorney on a one-on-one basis for weeks or months; you must be able to trust the attorney. This means that you need to find an attorney who will answer your questions honestly and transparently.
Do not hire a lawyer who promises that they’ll be able to get you off, who beats around the bush when it comes to answering questions about fees, or who won’t tell you the details of the consequences that you may face if convicted.
Some important questions to ask your lawyer, and which you should expect honest answers in response to, include:
- Can I enter a plea agreement?
- What type of sentence is possible?
- How many cases like mine have you handled?
- Have you ever gone to trial?
- What factors in my case work in my favor?
- Is it better to defend myself or plead guilty?
DUI Conviction Penalties in Virginia
A DUI conviction in Virginia has serious consequences. A DUI is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A DUI conviction could result in up to one year in jail and a fine between $250 and $2,500.
Plus, having a BAC between 0.15% and 0.20% carries a mandatory minimum jail sentence of five days. If you have a BAC over 0.20%, you may face a 10-day mandatory minimum jail sentence.
Additionally, if you’re convicted of a DUI, your driver’s license will be automatically suspended for one year. This is in addition to any suspension you may have for refusing or failing a chemical test.
The Virginia DMV will add six demerit points to your license, and the conviction will stay on your driving record for 11 years.
You must also be aware that multiple DUI offenses subject you to higher criminal penalties, longer license suspension, and stricter requirements to reinstate your license.
The Best DUI Lawyer Near Me
You may be searching, “how to find the best dui lawyer near me?” As you can tell, you will need an experienced and knowledgeable attorney to help you.
Understandably, you want the best DUI attorney. Virginia does not rank lawyers according to their ability or success rate, so there is no objective way to state which DUI lawyer is the best definitively.
So, with no ranking system, how do you know which DUI lawyer is right for you?
Some objective criteria can help you make this important decision. First, you can confirm that the lawyer you’re considering has an active law license and no disciplinary issues.
That information, however, only establishes that the attorney is in good standing to practice law. While it’s a solid place to start, many lawyers you encounter meet these basic requirements.
Client satisfaction and a documented track record of success in DUI cases are useful data to measure the quality of an attorney.
For example, if you look at our website, you will see numerous endorsements from happy clients. We also have over almost 1,000 five-star reviews on independent websites like Google, Yelp, and Avvo.
You should look for a lawyer with a superior knowledge of DUI defenses. For instance, our legal team has developed comprehensive materials devoted to DUI defense based on our experience as DUI defense lawyers in Virginia.
Our firm focuses on defending people against traffic-related offenses instead of having a general practice. Our focus helps us understand the nuances of every DUI case.
How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost?
How much does DUI lawyer cost? Cost may be one of your primary concerns when looking for a DUI attorney. In a DUI defense case, attorneys may charge an hourly rate or a flat fee.
Every attorney can set their own rate. Some attorneys may charge a low rate for a DUI case, but they may have little to no expertise in fighting DUIs. This could cost you more in the long run.
A DUI conviction can be expensive. The costs can reach well into the thousands between court fines, license reinstatement fees, increased insurance rates, and driving school.
Do not settle for an attorney just because they seem inexpensive. Instead, consider hiring a DUI expert who would be better equipped to fight your case.
Affordable DUI Lawyers Near Me
Although you may be searching for “affordable dui lawyers near me”, sometimes you get what you pay for, but not always. Hiring the least expensive attorney could work out for you.
However, there are better criteria for deciding the best DUI lawyer for you than their fees. In addition to cost, you should consider the many factors above before deciding on a lawyer.
You may consider representing yourself to save money. Although you have the right to represent yourself, doing so is very risky. DUI convictions have significant lifetime implications.
Hiring a skilled DUI lawyer will save you time, money, and many headaches down the road.
Contact Our Virginia DUI Defense Lawyers Today
The attorneys at Flusche & Fitzgerald, Attorneys at Law, understand that you’re likely under much stress due to a DUI charge. Let our DUI defense attorneys help you relieve some of your life’s stress. Call us today.