For the average motorist, being charged with a driving under the influence offense, or DUI, is a relatively frightening and intimidating experience. Once the initial shock of the arrest wears off, the next thought is typically related to the multitude of negative consequences a DUI conviction brings with it. If you have been charged with a Nebraska DUI and have made it this far in your thought processes, your next thought should be about finding an experienced attorney to represent you. If you have never needed a criminal defense attorney before you may not know where to start looking for one or how to limit the options to the right attorney for you. Ultimately, only you can decide who the right attorney is for your case; however, there are some common steps people take to find the right Nebraska DUI attorney, including:
- 1. Ask friends, family, and co-workers for a reference. Your initial reaction to this suggestion may be that you don’t want people to know about your arrest; however, you will likely be surprised when you do ask how many of your friends, family, and co-workers have needed a DUI attorney in the past either for their own arrest or for a close family member. A personal reference provides you with a wealth of information about a prospective attorney.
- 2. Search the internet. In the 21st century almost all attorneys have an internet presence. Although a final decision should not be made entirely on information found on a website, you can gain valuable information about an attorney’s experience, practice areas, and geographic areas served by spending some time researching Nebraska DUI attorneys in the internet.
- 3. Interview prospective attorneys. Once you have narrowed down your option by using steps one through three, make an appointment with your top two or three prospects. This is an important decision and you have every right to “interview” attorneys before deciding who to hire. Before your meeting, put together all the documents you have from your case and prepare a short list of important questions to ask the attorney. Writing your questions down will ensure that you don’t forget any of them once you get there.
Attorney Interview Questions
When interviewing an attorney, here are some important factors to consider:
- 1. How many DUI cases have you handled? Drunk driving offenses are sometimes complicated and the defense of them requires knowledge of specific scientific and procedural facts.
- 2. Have you handled cases in with my prosecutor before? Knowing the habits and customs of the prosecutor’s office involved in your DUI case can be a great advantage to a successful resolution.
- 3. How often do you appear at the courthouse? Some attorneys rarely go to court. Make sure you are selecting an attorney that is comfortable conducting DUI hearings and trials.
- 4. Are your questions about your case answered by the end of the interview? The most important factor is how does the attorney communicate. Some attorneys give off the sense that you are bothering them or that your case is not important. You may be facing serious penalties and huge collateral consequences of a DUI charge. Your attorney’s job is the make sure your rights are protected and thoroughly represent your interest. Complex information needs to be packaged in a courteous and easy to understand way.After your interviews you should be ready to make your decision.
Attorney Petersen was invited to join the National Advocacy for DUI Defense (NAFDD) organization in 2013. NAFDD vets thousands of lawyers and only chooses those who have achieved stellar results in DUI defense cases. Attorney Petersen was named one of the Top 50 defense attorneys in Nebraska out of more than 5,000.
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