When you face a driving under the influence charge in Richmond, it will lead to severe consequences, especially if this is your first time. To come out of this condition, it will be best to hire a DUI lawyer who can take several steps to your rescue. Here are the best qualities of DUI lawyers you should follow while hiring a lawyer for your case.
Table of Contents
Qualities of a good DUI Lawyer
Here are the qualities that a DUI lawyer must have.
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Appropriate knowledge of the law
You have to hire a DUI lawyer with extensive knowledge of DUI law and court proceedings. Since criminal law changes frequently, the lawyer should be updated with all these changes. In this way, he can provide you with the perfect defense.
While going to choose your attorney, make sure that he has membership with several associations that provide updates regarding the changes in DUI law and the criminal justice system. Without proper insights into the law, no one can defend DUI cases.
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Experience
Experience is another important quality of a Richmond DUI lawyer. Before deciding to hire a DUI lawyer, check his record. How many DUI cases has he handled in his career, and what is the outcome of these cases? If you find an overwhelming success rate, then you can go ahead to hire a lawyer.
You should verify that the attorney has experience negotiating and defending the cases in court. Since they require different skills to perform excellently, it would be the right approach to hire a DUI attorney with a longer period of experience handling these cases. He must have a good track record in defending the DUI cases.
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Excellent communication skills
Most people can’t achieve better popularity as a lawyer due to poor communication. However, the majority of their job is to prove their client innocent. Since most attorneys know how to speak and write effectively, not all are great listeners. You should hire an attorney who has the active listening quality to all your concerns.
A lawyer with better communication skills will be able to speak on behalf of his client and defend him perfectly. He will negotiate with the involved parties, and in this way, chances are the sentence will be reduced to any extent. This type of case’s outcome entirely depends on how your lawyer presents the court case.
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Privacy of the case
You should hire a DUI attorney who respects your privacy and doesn’t leak any confidential facts to others. Since a DUI lawyer takes the oath to keep all the communication between the client confidential but sometimes, in some situations, a few of them breach this oath and open up with your secret communication. When the information gets leaked, that can be used against you, which may jeopardize the negotiation and another process. Therefore, check out the previous clients’ reviews regarding that particular lawyer, and then you can make the final decision. Hire a good Richmond DUI lawyer who can keep your information confidential.
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Dedication toward the case
Honesty and dedication are the two major qualities by which a lawyer can assure the win of your DUI case. You should hire an attorney who won’t hesitate to speak the truth. If your DUI case can be resolved outside court without a jail sentence or without losing your license, then it will be the best outcome for you. Sometimes, DUI cases end up with hefty penalties, and in such conditions, the lawyer works dedicatedly to lower the penalty and jail term. A dedicated lawyer can deliver a better outcome, which is why you should hire one with a better track record.
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Should respect your time
Lawyers are indeed busy, but they should equally respect the precious time of their clients. When scheduling an appointment or court hearing, they should be available to represent the case. In this way, the chance of winning will be multiplied because the lawyers are professionals who know the law and represent their clients effectively before a jury. If you find that the lawyer ignores your call or is not too serious about the case, you can drop him.
Conclusion
DUI lawyers play a crucial role in defending the interest of their clients. If they lack the qualities to handle the case, it will be a blunder to hire them.
