Being arrested on DUI charges can be frightening. It’s important you have a lawyer by your side who you really trust. Here are some important questions to ask before you hire a Bloomington IL DUI lawyer.
How Many DUI Cases Do You See in a Year?
You want this to be a substantial number. If the answer is “maybe a dozen,” keep looking for a DUI lawyer with more experience.
How Often Do You Take Cases to Trial?
Knowing how often a lawyer takes cases to trial and how often she reaches a plea agreement with the prosecution is helpful. It gives you an idea of the working relationship your Bloomington IL DUI lawyer from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols has with the prosecutor’s office. That can work in your favor.
How Well Do You Know the Prosecutor in My Case?
If your Bloomington IL DUI lawyer knows the prosecutor in your case, she may know the cards the prosecutor will play in a typical DUI case. What expert witnesses are called, what visual aids are used and what opening and closing statements sound like can only help your lawyer mount a compelling defense.
Are You Certified By Any DUI Organizations?
Certification by The National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) or a similar state bar organization gives your lawyer extra training and testing to be recognized as a “DUI specialist.”
In Addition to Your Standard Fees, Will I Have To Pay for Expert Witnesses or Other Costs?
Your lawyer may charge you a straight fee for all expenses incurred during your DUI defense, or she may itemize expenses you’ll be responsible for paying, including expert witness fees or blood sample re-testing.
Is a Plea Agreement a Possibility?
Depending on the facts in your case and the relationship between your Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols lawyer and the prosecutor, your attorney may be able to tell you the likelihood of any pleading your charges down to a reckless driving charge known as “wet reckless.” Such a reckless driving charge has one major advantage over DUI: wet reckless convictions don’t involve suspension of your driver’s license.
Which Facts Work in My Favor and Which Work Against Me?
Factors in your case include things such as whether you were speeding, whether you were weaving, whether you were in an accident, whether you refused to take a field sobriety test or breathalyzer and how polite you were to the arresting officer.
Should we go to trial?
At the end of an initial consultation, a Bloomington IL DUI lawyer should have an idea of the strength of your case and be able to recommend either going to trial or trying to get a plea bargain.