Is It Worth Hiring A DUI Attorney? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Is It Worth Hiring A DUI Attorney?

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If you are facing a DUI and plan to plead guilty, you may be questioning whether hiring a DUI attorney is worth it. You are going to plead guilty, so why should you waste more money on a DUI attorney? – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Is It Worth Hiring A DUI Attorney?


1
Is It Worth Hiring A DUI Attorney?
2
Introduction
  • If you are facing a DUI and plan to plead guilty,
    you may be questioning whether hiring a DUI
    attorney is worth it. You are going to plead
    guilty, so why should you waste more money on a
    DUI attorney? Well, while it may seem like a
    waste of money, avoiding working with DUI lawyer
    to represent you when pleading guilty for DUI
    case could be a big mistake. To keep you
    informed, here is why it is absolutely worth it
    to hire a DUI attorney even if you are going to
    plead guilty.

3
Table of contents
  • What it means to plead guilty for a DUI
  • How a DUI attorney can help
  • Helping you present the facts of the case
  • Protecting your rights
  • Reducing sentences or ensuring that the
    punishment fits the crime
  • Consider all other options

4
What it means to plead guilty for a DUI
  • While many people believe that pleading guilty to
    a DUI charge is different from conviction, the
    opposite is trueit is the shortest route to a
    conviction. Even a first-time DUI where there is
    no injury to another party or damage of property
    carries high fines and jail time in most states.
    Besides, several court-required activities may be
    imposed on you, including the possibility of
    alcohol rehabilitation and attendance of a DUI
    School. Your car may also be impounded and stored
    at your expense. Additionally, your criminal
    records may not be sealed for up to 7 years after
    the completion of the case.

5
  • This may have detrimental effects on your chances
    of getting any professional license or
    employment. In other words, a guilty plea wont
    avoid the following
  • Probation
  • Loss of professional license
  • Deportation
  • Loss of your drivers license
  • Reducing your earning potential and/or employment
    options
  • Impeding you from getting into a public housing
    program
  • Being denied a chance to own a firearm

6
  • So, even if you think that you are guilty of a
    DUI, there are a lot of details of the charges
    that you are probably not aware of, and that
    should be proved by the prosecutor for them to be
    considered binding upon you. However, pleading
    guilty to the charges simply means that you have
    accepted all the charges at face value and the
    court will slap you with all the penalties
    prescribed by the laws youve broken.

7
How a DUI attorney can help
8
Helping you present the facts of the case
  • Even if you think you are guilty of a DUI, you
    still have the right to defend yourself in court.
    A DUI attorney will help you establish and state
    the facts of your case. While this doesnt imply
    that you will be proven innocent, it will give
    the court a hint of what happened on the day or
    night you got arrested.

9
Protecting your rights
  • Even if you are found guilty, your rights must be
    respected. A DUI attorney will ensure that you
    get a fair trial in court and that any evidence
    gathered incorrectly is not used or admissible in
    court. If a lab technician didnt store your
    blood sample correctly, for instance, the
    evidence shouldnt be admissible in court.

10
Reducing sentences or ensuring that the
punishment fits the crime
  • A DUI attorney can help determine the type of
    punishment that you get if you are found guilty.
    A good attorney will ensure that you get
    reasonable jail time, fines, community service,
    etc. and some attorneys might even help you avoid
    jail time even if you are found guilty.
    Generally, attorneys are experienced negotiators
    and know the strategies to use to properly
    negotiate with the prosecutor on the appropriate
    recommendation for sentencing. Lawyers know what
    should be said before the court and how to
    represent your case in a way that can be
    favorable to you.

11
Consider all other options
  • No prosecutor will sit down with you when you
    face a DUI. In other words, they wont discuss or
    explain to you the options that you have should
    you plead guilty. The judge is not concerned
    about explaining or giving you the best options
    for your case. They are just interested in doing
    their jobs.

12
  • If you dont get the representation of a DUI
    attorney, for instance, you will never know that
    you might qualify for an Alcohol Education
    Program. But even if you are found guilty and
    you are a first-time offender, you qualify for
    this program and a couple of others in most
    states. Attending some of these programs can
    benefit you in the long run because some will
    mean that you dont get DUI on your record.

13
The Bottom line
  • DUI punishments can be severe and life-altering.
    Getting the representation of a DUI attorney who
    will argue your case in court and help you get
    the best outcome is very important even if you
    plan to plead guilty. An attorney understands the
    law better, knows the aggravating factors that
    apply in your case, and understands what sort of
    mitigating factors he or she needs to present
    before the court to mitigate any sort of
    potential punishment.

14
Contact Details
  • Kirk Freeman Law
  • Address 200 Ferry Street, Suite A2, Lafayette,
    IN 47902
  • Phone 765-429-7035
  • Email kirk_at_kirkfreemanlaw.com
  • Website https//www.kirkfreemanlaw.com/
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