Cost of Hiring a Good DUI Attorney Varies by Jurisdiction
Once needing a DUI Attorney, one of the first things to think about among all the other issues, is the DUI Attorney cost.
Moreover, the DUI Attorney cost has many variables to it. You should expect to pay more in large metro areas than in small towns in rural areas. You'll have to pay more for a second offense than a first. A felony DUI will be considerably more expensive than a misdemeanor.
With that in mind, you will find a wide range of fees. Typically, the top DUI attorneys charge more than new attorneys, or attorneys with lesser skills or reputations. However, there are some good DUI attorneys charging less than some terrible ones. For this reason, price alone should not be your main criteria when selecting an attorney to represent you.
As a general rule, when it comes to legal representation, you should not expect anything for free. A DUI attorney in a private practice will probably not agree to take your case pro bono (for free).
Call Around for DUI Attorney Quotes Relative to DUI Attorney Cost
To evaluate the DUI Attorney cost it is best to get an overall picture of the situation and take into account by looking at many different DUI Attorneys.
When the economy is good, many DUI attorneys try to charge as much as possible for each client. When the economy is poor, there are often bottom-feeder attorneys who charge insanely low prices for defending DUI cases. These bargain attorneys typically take on way too many cases to be effective in any of them. They often leave their clients wondering whether they would have been better off with a public defender.
If you want an excellent DUI attorney, and you should, expect to pay for it. Expect to pay between $4,000.00 and $30,000.00 or more. Depending on the location, the facts and complexity of the case, your criminal history and other factors.
High quality DUI attorneys charge substantial amounts of money to put their expertise and skills to work for you. They often times don't make any more money than the "bargain" or "bottom-feeder" attorneys, because excellent DUI lawyers are excellent because they view their profession as a calling and accept far fewer cases so they can do the best possible job for each and every client. Money isn't always the only determining factor of whether you will be able to hire the best DUI lawyer in your area.
Difference Between DUI Attorneys Relative to DUI Attorney Cost
The truly excellent DUI attorneys get plenty of referrals and don't have to beg or bargain for cases. Some will assess you to see if your expectations are realistic and if your personality will be a pleasant one for them to work with. With that said, "bargain" attorneys don't care about their clients' personalities because typically they plead them guilty at the first possible opportunity and therefore don't have to spend much time with them anyways. Top DUI lawyers spend a lot of time with their clients and earn their fees. Because they are going to invest so much time and energy fighting for you, they want to make sure that the time they spend with you is going to be enjoyable. Search for an experienced DUI attorney in your state, city, or county to begin the process of fighting your DUI process.
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