DWI Attorneys

When you Need an Attorney

If you’ve been pulled over for drinking and driving, having a Delaware DUI attorney on your side can mean the difference between going to jail and taking a driving course. You should call a DUI lawyer as soon as you get pulled over, before you take a chemical test if possible. If you’re sure that you are drunk a DUI attorney might recommend that you refuse the test, even though it means automatically losing your license.

You have two choices when you’re charged with a DUI – you can plead guilty or you can plead not guilty. Before you make your choice, you should talk to a Delaware DUI lawyer. While your first reaction may be to fight the charges, especially if you believe you are innocent, if your Delaware DUI lawyer doesn’t think you have a good chance of winning, it may be better for you to plead guilty, especially if this is your first offense. Delaware has programs for first offenders that can help you avoid fines, points, and other penalties in exchange for DUI education.

If you do plan to go to trial, however, your Delaware DUI lawyer will be your best friend. You need an attorney if you want any chance of winning the case. Even if the arresting officer does not show up, DUI cases are still hard to win on your own.

Services of DWI Attorneys

A Delaware DWI attorney has a number of duties. First and foremost, he or she is responsible for giving you advice. When you’re deciding whether or not to plead guilty, your lawyer should talk to you about your options, and about your likelihood to win the case, should you plead not guilty. However, it is at that point where the real work begins.

A Delaware DUI lawyer’s main job is to help you collect evidence to show you weren’t driving drunk. This evidence includes:

• Your safe driving record

• Studies showing the inaccuracies of chemical BAC tests

• Testimonials from people with you that night

• Information about the arresting officer

Anything that can help your case is key. A Delaware DUI lawyer with experience should know exactly what you need to win over a judge. At the initial hearing, your Delaware DUI lawyer will represent you, and a date for the trial will be set.

Before the trial, the Delaware DUI attorney you’ve hired will likely talk to the prosecution about plea bargain possibilities. A plea bargain is a deal you take before the trial in which you agree to plead guilty in exchange for a lower sentence. Most DUI cases don’t end in plea bargains in Delaware, which means that you’ll go to trial. During the trial, your Delaware DUI lawyer will call witnesses, show evidence, and give opening and closing arguments. A judge will then decide your fate.

Costs of a Lawyer

With a DUI case, you aren’t awarded money when you win, so the costs of your Delaware DUI lawyer aren’t a percentage of anything. Instead, you’ll be charged either a flat fee or an hourly fee. Sometimes, you’ll be quoted a higher fee or additional fee if you win your case. Always, however, get in writing exactly how much you’ll be paying, along with a “cap” if the price is per hour.

How much can you expect to spend? That depends on a few things. First, if your case is harder to win, you might have to pay more, since the case will take more time. The fee could also be higher if this isn’t your first offense, or if you injured someone or had a very high BAC. Of course, price also depends on your location – everything in major cities costs more. When it is all said and done, your total cost could be as low as $500 for quick, easy case or as high as tens of thousands of dollars. Any way you slice it, getting a DUI is expensive.

Risks of not Having an Attorney

With the high costs of hiring a lawyer, some people opt to instead fight a Delaware DUI tick on their own. However, if you don’t have a Delaware DUI attorney, you run the risk of fines, revoked licenses, jail time, and more. Fines for a Delaware DUI ticket include:

First Offense:

• Loss of license for 3 months

• Fines of up to $1,150

• Possible jail time of up to six months

• Alcohol education course

Second Offense:

• Loss of license for 12 months

• Fines of up to $2,300

• 60 days to 18 months in jail

• Alcohol education course

Third/Subsequent offense:

• Loss of license for 18+ months

• $1,000 - $6,000 in fines

• One to five years in jail (mandatory 3-6 months with no possibility of sentence reduction or parole)

• Alcohol education course

Benefits of Having a Lawyer

With a lawyer, you have a much better chance of beating the ticket you’ve been given. Not only does having a professional on your side look better in court, but experience is also on your side. A Delaware DUI attorney has been through this before. While it would take you hours upon hours to track down statistics and other information you may need, a Delaware DUI lawyer can help you get through the case quite easily.

Keep in mind that in addition to the fines and other penalties listed above, you’ll also face much higher insurance charges if you’re found guilty of a DUI in Delaware. So, although a Delaware DUI lawyer might seem like a big expense at first, in the long run, it could save you a lot of money.

Delaware DWI Attorney and Lawyer

Each Delaware DWI lawyer brings something different to the table. When you need a Delaware DUI attorney, don’t settle for someone inexperienced. Always ask for references or a positive track record, and sign a contract so that everyone knows what to expect from the start.