Jacksonville Florida DUI Lawyers

When you go see a Miami FL DWI lawyer, it’s important to know what evidence there is against you when it comes to your DUI. There are a few categories that this evidence falls into, and here is a list.

• Physical symptoms.

There are a few things about your physical actions and appearance which could give away intoxication, such as slurring your speech, reddenned or bloodshot eyes, and the like.

• Driving evidence.

Normally, cops will pull you over because something about your driving gives away intoxication. This could include things such as weaving in and out of your lane, driving with your headlights off, stopping and going constantly, and so on.

• What you say.

Sometimes, you just give yourself away with your words. You may say that you had a six pack of Bud Light (only!), which may seem like nothing in your drunken state but is a big hit against you.

• BAC.

Your blood alcohol level can be taken a couple of ways. Sometimes through a breath test and other times in other ways, but it’s level can determine the proof and severity of your charges. Your Miami FL DWI lawyer needs to know the results of all of this.

Did you know what the Jacksonville DUI attorney price could be? Not just the price of the attorney, but the price for the entire process and the dollars that it will cost you over the years. There are so many ways that these big dollars will come at you, but here’s a short list:

• the Jacksonville DUI attorney price. This is how much it will cost you to hire an attorney. Some attorney’s will charge you a flat rate for all of their services, and usually they separate it into two sections of preparation and defense. Other lawyers charge by the hour.
• all of the fees and fines you will have to pay because of your DUI. This includes the fine that you will be hit with, which is usually from $500 to a few thousand dollars, as well as how much it will cost for you to reinstate your driver’s license. You may have to pay a certain amount to the DMV for several years.
• bail. If you get thrown in jail as a result of DUI, you have to pay this to get out.
• insurance. After a DUI, you have to file high risk SR22 insurance, which is almost twice as expensive as regular insurance, and you have to do this for three years. Your DUI will affect your insurance premium for five years.

In the end, this cost can come up to as much as $20,000.

Although I advise getting a Jacksonville FL DUI attorney involved in pretty much every case, sometimes you have to make a decision and with money tight, want to save as much as you can. So are there any situations in which you don’t need a lawyer? Here are a few levels of need.

1. You might need a lawyer if this is your first conviction and you don’t have a good understanding of DUI law, the consequences for a conviction, and your options. It’s also possible that you will need a Jacksonville FL DUI attorney if your job is one which requires bonding, or if you have a job which could deny you a license to practice your profession based on your DUI conviction.

2. You should get a lawyer if this is the second time you have been caught for drunk driving, or if you were caught with your blood alcohol limit over .20. In these situations, the penalties are more stiff and it’s more difficult to get a plea bargain.

3. You absolutely need a Jacksonville FL DUI attorney if this is one in a string of many DUI offenses; if you were drunk driving and got into a car accident, especially if it was with another car, and even more especially if someone was hurt or killed as a result of the accident; if your job is as a driver and your ability to work depends on your use of your driver’s license.

So, once you find your Miami DUI lawyer, what exactly can your DUI lawyer do for you?

• Take a look at what’s going on. An experienced Miami DUI lawyer can tell you right off the bat what possible consequences you can face when up against a DUI conviction, and if they spend a lot of time on DUI cases, then they’re bound to know more than a representative the state might get you. This is why it’s important to hire your own lawyer if you have the money.
• Give you an explanation. DUI law is complicated, especially you get into the less populated terroritories, such as if you’re under the age of 18 (or someone under the age of 18 was in the car with you), or your BAC was upwards of .20. A good Miami DUI lawyer can sit you down and explain the ins and outs while offering possible plea bargains, so that you can decide which way you will go with your case.
• Handle the paperwork. There’s a lot of manual work that goes along with a conviction for drunk driving, and a lawyer can ease the stress by filling out your paperwork, scheduling hearings, and dealing with the DMV.
• Represent you before a judge. This is the main thing people think about when they think of a lawyer, and it’s one of the many things a Miami DUI lawyer can do for. By representing you, they can argue for you to be allowed the plea bargains you discussed a couple steps earlier.

Finally, before you go meet your Florida DUI attorney, you need to know what you’re going to say to her. You’ll need some guidance to take you through a probably tense meeting, especially if this is your first time ever meeting with a lawyer. Be prepared. It could be dangerous.

Just start thinking ahead of time what kinds of questions you want to ask your Florida DUI attorney. Here’s a possible list you could use.

• What is the percentage of the cases that you accept and handle which are related in a big way to Florida DUI law? You should specify Florida. If an attorney has handled a lot of DUI cases, but they were in another state, then it might not be helpful.
• What are the costs and how do you charge? Lawyers have different methods of charging. Some will charge you one set amount for the whole thing, others will charge you a set amount for the preparation, and then if you end up in court, another one, while still others charge by the hour.
• Is there anything else I’ll have to pay for? Sometimes lawyers may charge you for filing fees, among other things.
• Are you going to be my Florida DUI attorney, or will another attorney in your firm be assigned to my case? Remember, you don’t want to get all comfortable with the personality and experience of one attorney only to find out you’re being shoved off on a partner.

You can’t go into your DUI trial knowing absolutely nothing about what you’re getting yourself into. Even if you have the best Fort Lauderdale DUI lawyer ever, you should still educate yourself enough so that you can follow what’s going on and even possibly check on your lawyer. Attorneys aren’t prfect, after all–surely you’ve heard the jokes?

Before you even start looking for a Fort Lauderdale DUI lawyer, you should have a basic understanding of Florida DUI laws which may apply to you. Here’s a breakdown:

1. As soon as you get booked, your license is going to be suspended. You’ll be allowed a temp license for 10 days, and then for a month after that you’re license will be absolutely suspended, and then, if you qualify, you could get a hardship license to get yourself to and from work. If not, you’re license-less for the next six months.

2. A DUI conviction will go on your criminal record. This could affect future chances of employment.

3. If you are convicted of drunk driving, you could spend as much as 6 months in jail on your first time, 9 on your second and 12 on your third. The length of stays are even higher if you have a minor in the car with you or if your blood alcohol level exceeds .20

4. Your vehice could be impounded.

You’re eyes were probably a little bleary when you saw the red and blue lights reflecting across your rearview mirror as you drove. Maybe you had only ‘had a few’ or maybe you had a few too much, but either way, you probably didn’t think of the consequences when you inserted the key in the ignition, and so as you find yourself coming off of the fear and guilt and humiliation you probably experienced as you had to walk in a straight line and undergo other tests in front of other cars whizzing by, you probably realize that you aren’t prepared for this at all, and don’t know what you’re next step will be.

The primary thing on your mind should be whether or not you want a Florida DUI lawyer to represent you and your case. Even if you think the case is open and shut–you did it, right, might as well fess up?–that doesn’t mean that hiring a lawyer is necessarily out of the question. The decision should be a pretty simple one–you should. Especially in a high stakes case such as a DUI one.

The best Florida DUI lawyer will measure up to several standards. He or she will:

• be knowledgeable of Florida DUI law.
• handle DUI cases either exclusively or at least 50% of the time.
• be an expert in this area of law
• be in good standing within the bar

You shouldn’t choose a Florida DUI lawyer based only on these superficial characteristics, though. If you intend on hiring one, you should see them in person. Most of the time, you will be able to get a free or at least very cheap consultation with a DUI lawyer. You need to know if this is someone you feel you can trust, who you will be willing to work with over the course of your case. If you have difficulty finding a lawyer, just open up the yellow pages or call your state bar association. You can also find a list of DUI lawyers here.