subject: Should You Hire A Dui Lawyer Or Represent Yourself? [print this page] Some people will tell you that hiring a DUI lawyer is a waste of resources. The police don't push forward with charges unless they have the solid evidence of a failed breathalyzer test or, in many states, the equally damning evidence of your refusal to take one in the first place. Many defendants don't even pause to consider fighting the charges. They show up in court, accept their punishment, and move on with a life that is markedly worse than it was before. It doesn't have to be this way. Representing yourself in any legal contest is always a worse choice than hiring a qualified attorney. Read on to learn more.
The Courts
It's important to remember that there is a difference between being allowed to do something and it actually being a good idea. Technically speaking, you can get behind the wheel while intoxicated. It's against the law, but if there's no one there to stop you, it is physically possible to do so. It certainly isn't wise, however. The same can be said for representing yourself in court. You are technically permitted to do so, but few legal experts would recommend it. This is as true for hiring a DUI lawyer as it is in a trial for murder or robbery. Your rights still deserve protection and you may still have a case.
The Procedures
Someone who chooses to represent themselves in court is assumed and expected to know the rules and procedures of the law. He is presumed to, in fact, know the law as well as any attorney, even if that clearly isn't the case. There are no special rules or motions for leniency for those who do not hire representation. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Since you do not, in fact, know the rules and procedures of the courtroom as well as a DUI lawyer, the door is wide open for you to make mistakes. These mistakes could cause you to suffer harsher penalties than you otherwise would have.
Experience
The most important thing a DUI lawyer brings to the table is experience. Unless this is your tenth time being arrested for the same charge, you probably don't have a lot of experience with these kinds of cases. Even attorneys arrested for charges outside their field know better than to represent themselves in the case. With experience, a good attorney will know where to look for evidence, will know what to ask witnesses in court, and will know how to make a convincing argument to the judge or jury hearing your case.
