Although most general criminal defense lawyers defend DUI, a really effective and knowledgeable DUI Lawyer will not defend general criminal charges.
Why? Because DUI is one of the most complex, scientific, technical and challenging offenses to understand and competently challenge.
The District Attorney's office has acknowledged the unique and complicated nature of DUI, and for that reason has responded by implementing specially trained DUI prosecutors for drunk driving related cases.
If charged with DUI in San Diego, you will be at a disadvantage if you hire a general criminal lawyer who spreads his or her practice across a broad range of various crimes, and who lacks dedication and commitment to DUI science specifically.
1 Has the attorney you're interviewing taken numerous DUI cases to Jury Trial and achieved many "not guilty" verdicts?
2 Has the attorney you're considering achieved multiple "Hung Jury" verdicts resulting from Jury Trials?
3 Has the attorney in question successfully achieved numerous DUI case dismissals?
4 Is the attorney you're interviewing a Sustaining Member of the NCDD?
5 Is the attorney you're considering a member of the California DUI Lawyers Association?
6 Does the attorney employ a full staff of California DUI specialists, including a California DMV expert?
7 Is the attorney certified as an Instructor and Practitioner in Standard Field Sobriety Tests?
8 Is the attorney certified as Maintenance Technician and Operator of the Intoxilyzer 500 Breath Testing Machine currently in use by the California Highway Patrol?
9 Is the attorney in question very knowledgeable in forensic chemistry, toxicology, the partition ratio, rising blood alcohol levels, and biological factors that can affect the validity of a BAC test?
10 How many cases has the attorney in question actually handled, and of those cases, how many resulted in a complete dismissal, not guilty verdict, or hung jury?
If the answers to these questions aren't concrete and positive, ask yourself if you expect this attorney?s performance to be any different when it comes to resolving your DUI case. If you are hiring an attorney in the first place, it is obvious you are serious about achieving a favorable outcome in your case. Don't hire an attorney who has a pattern of producing guilty verdicts in DUI cases. Instead, hire a lawyer who is going to be a superior match to the DUI specialized prosecutor is likely going to be representing the people vs. DUI defendant (you).
No attorney can guarantee an outcome for any particular case, nor promise you will be acquitted. The only guarantee a defense lawyer can provide is a guarantee of his past performance. If you hire a lawyer who has a pattern of winning, you are much better off than if you retain a lawyer with an established pattern of "guilty" verdicts, obviously.
