once the arrest is made the records are public and instantly available to local lawyers. the person that was suspected for driving under the influence is contacted by various attorneys and law firms, usually through the mail. time is of the essence since several things must be dealt with:

1. dmv hearing: there is a chance that the suspect can get his or her driver’s license back after the dmv hearing if the dmv decides that the suspect is innocent. this trial is completely separate from the criminal DUI trial at the courthouse. this hearing can be scheduled quite soon from the date of the arrest so deciding if a DUI lawyer’s services are needed and which DUI attorney to choose is important.
2. initial court hearing: the defendant will talk to the provided public defendant if their own attorney is not provided. based on the DUI case details, the public defendant will likely give the defendant his or her options and the potential outcomes. the public defendant may also let the defendant know that a certain outcome is highly likely since they have worked with the judge and district attorney for so long. a deal can be made with the DA. the defendant can request time to acquire their own attorney if they are not satisfied with what the public defender has to say.
3. enter plea: after meeting with the public defender or DUI lawyer the defendant will be asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest. if a deal has been made with the prosecuting attorney then the outcome of the case will be stated here. the actual conviction (if any), any fines or fees, jail time, probation, and/or rehabilitation programs will be determined.
4. DUI trial: many DUI cases do not go to trial because it can get extremely costly to the defendant. depending on the circumstances a deal can be struck between the DA and the defendant’s lawyer that may be acceptable to both parties. if the case does go to trial then the jury must be selected and so on and so forth.

retaining a dui lawyer is not necessary beneficial in every case. all factors must be considered when determining if a DUI lawyer will be needed. some things that can happen if convicted with a DUI charge:

• auto insurance premiums increase by a high percentage
• inability to stay with the current auto insurance provider
• criminal record: jail time served will show up in background checks, even if time for the drunk tank is credited and the defendant does not go to jail
• inability to visit canada (driving under the influence is very serious in canada)
• first time offender program: the convicted may have to attend a program that takes one day per week or month for a long time (several months)

there are good DUI lawyers and there are bad DUI lawyers. be reasonable and understand that the public defender may net the same results as the DUI attorney does. the public defender will not represent someone at the DMV hearing. search online for reviews DUI lawyer reviews before committing many thousands of dollars toward an unknown outcome. ask the DUI lawyer to provide examples of how he or she can provide their worth in your case.