A lawyer’s job is to make sure that clients have solid legal support and understand the charges that they’re facing. Often, this means tempering expectations and encouraging our clients to understand what the most likely outcomes are.
Getting the best outcome after a DUI charge requires clients to be aware of the possibilities, so they can actively focus on the right kind of defense or consider plea deal options. Not every charge for the same offense will have a similar outcome because no two cases are exactly alike.
To give yourself the best opportunity for a good outcome in your DUI case, the very first thing that we, as attorneys, need to do is to thoroughly review all of the evidence that the State intends on using against you. Next, we review this evidence or lack of evidence with you and obtain a full understanding of your position. We then explain to you what are the best reasonable expectations you should have in your case. Once this is done, you will have a better understanding of your legal defenses and potential risks and in turn, know what expectations you should have in resolving your case.
Misinformation is damaging to those looking for a positive outcome
During your DUI case, it is important not to take advice from those who aren’t familiar with the laws. Friends and family members mean well but they may not be attorneys, so their advice should, typically, not be taken. In law, it is rare that advice is always 100% helpful in every scenario, which is why you need to go over the specifics of your case with someone specifically focused on your situation.
Finding balance and being willing to listen may result in the best outcome for your case
With every defense, there is a point where a possible penalty is reasonable compared to the charges. There may also be a time when the best outcome for your case involves accepting a plea deal instead of going to court or being willing to go through an alternative court and seek substance use disorder treatment in exchange for having the charges dropped. Your attorney’s job is to go over what is reasonable in your case. For you, that may be taking your case to trial because of the State’s lack of evidence or accepting a reasonable plea offer negotiated by your attorney based on the specifics of your case.