Seattle DUI Lawyer

At this point you are probably pretty scared. You've been arrested and charged with DUI, drug possession, assault, or some other criminal act in the Seattle area. Unless you have some experience with the criminal justice system, you probably have no idea what to expect or who to ask for help.

The first thing you need to know is that you need an attorney. And the quicker you can find one, the better. But that is easier said than done. Attorneys all over the Seattle area market themselves as criminal defense lawyers. And it is nearly impossible to tell who is good and who is not. So what are you to do?

The first thing you should do is ask around to friends and family for references. If you don't feel comfortable asking for yourself, act like a friend is in trouble. People will tell you without reservation how their experience was with an attorney. If they didn't like the person, chances are that you won't either. The second thing you should do is avoid the cheapest attorney you can find. In the legal industry, most of the time, you get what you pay for. If you want a cheap legal defense, hire a cheap criminal lawyer. The stakes are high when you are charged with a crime. Be willing to pay for the level of expertise you need for your case.

Even after this, you will still have that first meeting with your prospective Seattle DUI lawyer. To find out if they are qualified and if you can trust them, ask these ten questions.

1. What kind of cases do you handle?

Sadly, criminal defense has earned a reputation as something that is easily practiced in the legal field. In reality, however, it is the farthest thing from the truth. It is as complicated as any area of practice, and because of the volume of cases, is probably one of the most evolving practice areas. To be a good criminal lawyer, you don't have to practice criminal law exclusively, but it should be at least 50% of the practice. And, if you are faced specifically with a King County or Seattle area DUI, it is important that they spend time practicing DUI law.

2. How long have you been a criminal defense or DUI attorney?

It is true that a bad lawyer who is experienced is still bad, he's just older now, but there is something to be said for having some experience in the practice area you need help in. Someone right out of law school with no training or experience wouldn't be good for a murder trial. Before signing up with your attorney, find out about their experience, and make sure you are comfortable with that level of experience. Your Seattle criminal lawyer should have at least a year of experience working their own case load before helping you with yours.

3. How many cases have you handled (of the crime you are charged with)?

This question, although seeming to be highly relevant, is really just for your information only. While experience in a specific area (criminal law) is important, the number of actual cases handled for a specific crime is only relevant in a few circumstance. For example, if you were charged with murder, child abuse, rape, bank robbery, and even DUI, in Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, Everett, Tacoma, King County, or Pierce County, you probably want someone that has handled a case like that before. The reason is that these are complicated cases, and DUI cases, in particular, involve a lot of scientific evidence and precise procedures that your attorney must be familiar with.

4. What is your phone call return policy?

Any good Seattle criminal lawyer or DUI lawyer is going to be busy. Criminal law requires a lot of court appearances and time out of the office. Because of that, it is important to know what the policy of the attorney is for calling people back. Sometimes it is within 24 hours, sometimes it is the same day (but may be after hours). Whatever it is, make sure they tell you what they are going to do, and that they do it.

5. Do you offer a 24 hour telephone answer line and what hours are you available to discuss my case?

Most good Seattle DUI lawyers have a 24 telephone answer line, since most DUI's seem to occur outside of business hours. If yours has one, that is great, if not, it shouldn't be a deal breaker (in Washington, you are afforded counsel at anytime by asking, and the defender's office has people on standby to help you in the event you run into trouble and can't get in touch with your attorney) you should figure out how to get in touch with them after hours if you need to. Most DUI attorneys will be flexible with meeting times, understanding that your schedule and theirs may make meeting between 8 and 5 impossible.

I've only done the first five of ten questions you should ask your Seattle criminal lawyer before hiring them because it is a lot of information to digest, and I wanted to give you a little time to think about these five before moving on to the next.

If you decide not to ask all of these questions, it is okay. But remember, hiring an attorney is an important process, and you should make sure you have the right person for the job. Don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they are dumb. Your lawyer will be glad you did because it shows you care about your case, and you will be able to sleep at night knowing you have someone that cares about you helping you out.