If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Hawaii, you shouldn’t waste time trying to understand the criminal justice system. You have to work on your defense right away, for which you need a reliable and experienced legal team on your side. If you are new to hiring a Hawaii DUI Lawyer, we have a few suggestions below for your help.
- Start with a list. You need to make a list of at least two to three law firms that you can contact for help. always choose one that’s responsive and takes your case on priority. An attorney who doesn’t return your calls is certainly not an option to consider.
- Check online reviews. What are other clients saying about a DUI lawyer? If you find that an attorney has too many negative reviews or poor ratings, that’s clearly a red flag. You can also ask the chosen lawyer for client references.
- Ask about their success rate. Always work with a lawyer with a proven success rate. Ask them about their landmark DUI cases, how they have managed to turn things around for their client, and what they think of your case.
- Find more about their expertise. Only a few lawyers are “Certified Intoxilyzer 8000 Operators” and “Certified Blood Alcohol Test Analysts”. You need to check what an attorney brings to the table because their expertise matters over everything else.
- Check their trial experience. Does the attorney have credible experience going to court? If yes, how often have they been successful? If they have failed a few cases, what were the reasons? You have every right to ask for these details.
- Know their fee. While hiring a DUI lawyer may seem expensive, you have to make sure that you understand the costs. Ensure that you discuss expenses related to the case in advance, including their fee, which could be an hourly rate.
- Ask about availability. Is the lawyer available to handle your case personally? That’s often an overlooked aspect of such cases. You wouldn’t want to pay a high fee for a lawyer who is letting their junior associate do all the work.
If you are new in Hawaii, you can also ask around for references. It is essential that you engage a DUI Lawyer at an early stage, which allows them more time to work on the case and evaluate the evidence that the prosecution is likely to use against you in court.
