How Much Should a California DUI Lawyer Cost?

I've seen a lot of information out there about how much money a person COULD be ordered to pay during the course of their DUI court process, but I rarely see anything about how much they SHOULD pay. A drunk driving conviction can cost a defendant hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney costs, but there are very few situations in which spending such a high price for legal services would make any sense at all.

Truth is, the majority of DUI attorney costs charged to a defendant are rarely put towards mounting a defense. On the other hand, these types of proceedings rarely go to trial, but can cost lawyers thousands of dollars in investigation fees if they do. This leaves a large grey area consisting of defendants with drunk driving charges that need only spend money on a DWI lawyer to help them keep their driver's license and negotiate an appropriate plea bargain.

The following are circumstances that could make the process less costly. If your lawyer does not have to commit a large amount of his or her resources to defend your case, they should not charge the same amount to you as they would for others with more difficult drunk driving cases.

1^st Offense

If this is your first offense, you are likely going to be treated with more leniency than if it was your second, third, or fourth offense. This gives you and your legal professional an upper hand in the courtroom. If you do not have a criminal record, a judge will be more likely to believe that you are not a danger to society and should be given somewhat of a second chance.

No Collision

If you were arrested and were not involved in any type of collision, you face lesser penalties than if you were in an accident which resulted in injuries to one or more people. Those who face charges for driving while intoxicated that are pulled over, rather than investigated following a collision, will likely face a charge for violating VC 21352. This is far better than an injury charge (VC 23153) which can result in up to ten years in prison.

At Or Near 0.08% BAC

A person who is arrested that has a BAC of 0.08%, or close to it, is in a better position to convince the courts that they did not mean to drive while intoxicated. A small amount of alcohol can result in a 0.08% reading, not to mention the fact that the validity of BAC calculators is questionable.

A conviction on yours or your loved one's record could have a substantial impact on opportunities throughout your lifetime. Those facing charges are encouraged to contact our Orange County lawyers at (888) 250-2865 today to obtain a professional case evaluation for free. An in depth evaluation may help you better understand your court proceedings and make fully informed decisions about your future.