After an arrest, most accused citizens begin the process of searching for DUI lawyers near me to do whatever is needed to keep a DUI off his or her record. One major consideration is the cost of DUI lawyer legal services, which is the general theme of this extensive page.
The types of cases range from the simplest (e.g., a first-time DUI offender stopped at DUI checkpoint with no bad driving observed, and the DUI suspect knew to not talk and to not try to perform any field sobriety tests) to the toughest (i.e., a repeat DUI offender who caused a highway crash that resulted in felony offense vehicular homicide charges).
Since about half of all DUI arrests in the Peach State occur within counties located within a 50-mile radius of the Capitol Dome, 50% of those facing Georgia DUI arrests focus on hiring a DUI-DWI attorney who serves Atlanta, and the surrounding areas. As will be learned below, the range of lawyer fee widely vary, depending on skill level, success rates and the “track record” for case reductions or dismissals by that criminal defense attorney.
Due to our United States Constitution (in the Sixth Amendment) guaranteeing legal aid representation to all people charged with crimes, those without funds for legal representation may be defended by pro bono lawyers near me in Atlanta. Until your first court date (which is called the “Arraignment”), it may not be possible to learn if your criminal court judge will assign a free lawyer near me.
If I Need a Best DUI Attorney Near Me, What Will That Cost?
DUI attorney cost varies widely. Two simple maxims almost always hold true:
(a) If a low fee is quoted by a Georgia attorney, then (statistically) a higher percentage of the clients retaining these lawyers for their cases end up with DUI convictions.
(b) The second maxim is that if a high fee is quoted by a law firm with top legal industry credentials, that private attorney near me will be fighting your case on every obscure legal theory, and every hidden legal error or flaw in the arrest, booking and ticket-writing process. These lawyers are “in it for the long haul,” for as long as it takes to get a victory. This aggressive defense approach will include helping you to find the best solution for the administrative license suspension issues (at the start of your DUI GA case) to filing a stack of pre-trial motions seeking to exclude much of the State’s evidence, before trial starts.
In the final analysis, logic tells you that if the high-priced legal professional was not obtaining “great” outcomes, he or she would not be able to stay in business by charging more than the cheap DUI lawyers. As a rule, the prices charged by a top-rated DUI lawyer will vary somewhat depending on these factors:
- Experience level of the DUI defense lawyer that you are interviewing, and this qualification means FOR FIGHTING By reading the online attorney ratings from prior clients, plus reading any posted case histories (in highly difficult cases), you can get an idea about those DWI attorneys near me who fight relentlessly (and get great results), even for seemingly impossible DUI cases.
- The identity of your Court, and its location (in proximity of the law firm’s office) and that local court’s prior history (and the “difficulty” level) of your court and its judges. With over 1000 different courts processing DUI cases, you may rest assured that many pro-prosecution courts are not “easy” to work with. Others will be both reasonable and predictable about how their prosecutors and judges will “handle” certain cases. The best DUI lawyers near me KNOW these courts because they have had vast trial and litigation experience in all Georgia courts.
- When a distant court must be traveled to and from several times, those ours and costs of getting back and forth will be an added expense. However, if you goal is to NOT have a DUI on your record, you want the legal warrior who will not turn tail and run, when the going gets tough.
Like surgeons, you want to find and hire the best lawyers for DUI near me, since a botched surgery is the last thing that a person wants to experience. Plus, in the Internet era, the “victims” of botched surgeries will quickly spread the word about their bad outcomes.
What Is the Cost of a DUI, If I Hire a DUI Defense Attorney Near Me?
Luckily, over 80% of all DUI arrests each year are for those facing a 1st DUI charge. The accused citizen has no idea if it will be a flat rate fee to hire a lawyer in Atlanta, or if lawyers charge by the hour. So, what are the attorneys’ fees for top drunk driving lawyers?
In addition, most people have an immediate fear and aversion to possibly serving jail time. Secondly, many criminal defendants have a fear about to undergoing a jury trial, even if she or he is indigent and qualifies for free legal representation. Even in the indigent case, these defendants will have fines, court fees and DUI school to pay for, out of their own pockets.
Before you get an answer to the question “How much does a lawyer cost?” and opt to not fight your DUI in Georgia, spend some time learning more about the DUI penalties and long-term consequences of a DUI conviction. Plus, since you are NOT a drunk driving defense lawyer, you cannot judge how good or how bad your DUI GA case may be.
Legal services for defending a driving under the influence case vary greatly, especially when you compare what the top-rated DUI law firms do to fight cases, compared to what the low-cost lawyers will undertake on your behalf. One north Fulton County municipal court prosecutor told our senior partner that only 1 in 10 DUI attorneys who came to her court representing their clients had even procured the DUI arrest video before pleading their clients guilty.
Cost of an Attorney vs Cost of Being Convicted. The many, painful DUI penalties and long-term consequences of a DUI conviction will haunt you for decades, if not the remainder of your life.
When a valuable job is lost, this loss of future income can easily exceed a million dollars or more. It can be far more expensive to NOT fight a DUI case and try to deal with impediments and limitations on your future business and family plans, than the relatively minor DUI lawyer cost needed to hire the best DUI lawyer in Georgia.
How much does a DUI cost over ten years? This calculation of the “DUI price” cannot merely look at the out-of-pocket costs for the guilty plea to a GA DUI. For example, if you can no longer rent a car from AVIS or Hertz, or travel to places like Canada, what is that “cost?”
Boosted car insurance rates will follow for at least three years. If you buy life insurance, your premiums will usually be higher, due to you showing higher risk behavior. Even loan rates can be non-preferred at banks, of your credit report picks up that conviction.
The Difference Between a General Practitioner and a Specialist in DUI Defense
In addition to being local attorneys near me with payment plans, all three partners at our DUI law firm in Atlanta GA are legal book co-authors. William Head has over 12 DUI books to his credit, as the author or co-author. Larry Kohn and Cory Yager each have two DUI law book co-authorship credentials, so far.
Mr. Head’s first book (written in 1991), 101 Ways to AVOID a Drunk Driving Conviction is still the top-selling book on how to beat a DUI conviction.
Ask Our DUI Lawyers About Our DUI Attorney Payment Plan
For most clients, DUI defense attorney fees at our DUI law firm can be paid in monthly increments since our criminal cases typically last for many months or even for years. The Pandemic that started in 2020 has stretched cases out for longer than usual.
When taking with one of our criminal lawyers, ask about our DUI attorney payment plans. Our legal team answer calls 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, including holidays and weekends. Our affordable DUI lawyers near me know that citizens facing the embarrassment and humiliation of a DUI arrest in Georgia need to speak with knowledgeable legal counsel as soon as possible.
Call TODAY and speak to a law partner, and receive your FREE PDF copy of Mr. Head’s 430-page drunk driving book for clients. Expect to receive a FREE case assessment, and a FREE lawyer consultation from one of our award-winning DUI attorneys. 404-567-5515. We always respect your privacy.
Other helpful links that may be of some help to you:
Steps to try to qualify for a free attorney near me
For NC DWI arrests, how to locate top DWI lawyers near me in the Tar Heel State
For OWI lawyers near me in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, or Indiana
OUI attorneys in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Affordable attorneys near me for DUI-DWI defense in other states
