By: Miami DUI Attorney Albert Quirantes
A DUI offense is one of the most common criminal violations the Florida and the United States. The difference between DUI and other criminal offenses is that the usual suspects are not what you’d think of as a “criminal element”. In fact, many Florida politicians, police officers, lawyers, prosecutors, and judges have been convicted of DUI along with doctors, accountants, firefighters and even nurses.
Due to how our society pressures most people into drinking alcohol at social events, anyone who’s not paying attention can get into his car and drive away right into peril. Fortunately, most people in Miami-Dade County know they can count on finding a Miami DUI lawyer who can work with them to make sure they are not convicted unfairly just because of an officer’s “opinion”.
Finding the right Miami DUI lawyer to fight for you can mean the difference between being found innocent or guilty. It might be the key to having your drunk driving charges reduced or dropped – or getting your arrest and court records sealed or expunged. So take a little time to find the right Miami DUI lawyer – but not too much time. In a Florida DUI case, you only have ten days (10) – that’s TEN DAYS to fight to try to save your Florida driver’s license. That’s because your lawyer must file an administrative petition for a formal review of your license suspension to even exercise your right to fight it. Now that’s what you call a short period of time!
Even though you can easily find DUI lawyers in Miami who can defend your case, you must at all costs not take your Miami DUI case for granted or wait to go to court first before speaking to or hiring a lawyer. This case can really have a huge impact on your family. Some worst case scenarios associated with DUI in Florida are losing your job, and your license and landing in jail.
Working with an aggressive Miami DUI attorney who will fight your case might be easier to do than you realize. Many DUI attorneys in Miami offer Free Initial Consultations, reasonable fees and payment plans to suit almost any budget.
The main benefits of working with your private DUI lawyer are as follows:
- You will have someone who is going to put time in your case to figure out all the possibilities of fighting the charges. It may be possible for you to prove that you didn’t commit the crime because remember, you are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
- You will always have someone by your side all throughout each of the legal procedures and through all the court appearances that you have to make. You will the mistakes and pitfalls you’d make if you were representing yourself.
- You will also have the best possible chance of avoid the risks you are facing which include jail time, costly fines, loss of license and a criminal record that will last a lifetime.
- You will also have an experienced professional by your side to help you face any additional charges civil or criminal charges that you may be dealing with
- You won’t typically qualify for a Public Defender to help you on a first offense DUI with no serious bodily injury, or a second DUI arrest outside of 5 years since your last conviction unless the State Attorney certifies they are seeking jail if convicted. So, you will likely be looking at a plea of guilty or a long technical trial where you will be at a big disadvantage to the trained Assistant State Attorneys.
- Even if your case involves mandatory jail upon conviction and you qualify financially for a Public Defender, you will likely be placed in a pool of hundreds of defendants assigned to each Assistant Public Defender and will not benefit from the experience and personalized attention which may be offered by your own private DUI lawyer.
Accused individuals who work with a private DUI lawyer have a much better idea about what their options are and what they should possibly do in order to avoid the worst possible outcomes. Every person’s needs are different but with the assistance of an experienced Miami DUI lawyer, you can potentially get the best possible outcome available in your particular driving under the influence case. It is therefore not wise to enter a courtroom without having hired the best DUI attorney in Miami that you can afford.
When it comes to hiring a Miami DUI lawyer for your case, your best bet is to go for experience. Along with a reputation for excellence, experience in handling your DUI case in the jurisdiction that it will be fought in is critical to gain an advantage. You can’t just pick your lawyer by advertising, that’s your best avenue to run into a “high volume mill” or “clinic” that needs lots of cases to pay for their expensive advertising campaigns. Instead, look at Google and Avvo reviews from people who’ve used the lawyer to see what their experience has been.
Find out whether they have a YouTube channel and see if they have sincere client reviews. Check out their social media pages on Facebook for commentary and more reviews. Don’t take shortcuts or hire your DUI lawyer over the phone, that’s a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Sit down with your DUI lawyer to see if you get the right feeling. Your gut instinct on this will keep you out of trouble.
You’ll want and need a friend in court, someone who cares about you as a human being. You’ll need a lawyer who is not looking at you as a number or a dollar sign. You’ll need someone you can trust in when it comes to making decisions which will impact your case and your future. Interview your lawyer like you are interviewing an employee. You’ll be much happier if you take the time to research your lawyer and meet with him or her personally.
At my firm, I like to say that I’m more than just a lawyer to my clients, I’m a friend. If I take a case, it’s because I’m comfortable representing my client and look forward to a longstanding friendship on this side of the jail cell. My clients are not just clients, they are treated like family. That’s been my recipe for success at the office and in the courtroom over the past 28 years and over 8000 families I’ve helped in court.
Increase your knowledge! If you want to know more about how to resolve the problems you face when charged with a DUI, criminal offense, or traffic ticket in Florida, then you can follow Albert M. Quirantes – Ticket Law Center, A Criminal & DUI Defense Law Firm on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
If you have any questions about this or any other DUI or criminal defense accusation, call Miami DUI Defense Lawyer Albert Quirantes at: 305-644-1800 or visit DUI firm for a direct link to the office or a text message or a map and directions to our office.