DWI Defense - What to Look for in Qualified DWI Defense Lawyers

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Criteria For Selecting DWI Defense Lawyers

Lawyers are a dime a dozen these days. When you flip through the yellow pages, the attorney section is one of the largest single sections in the book. Lawyer ads might even appear on the back cover. If you’re looking for an attorney to handle your DWI defense, it can get quite confusing. Many lawyers advertise themselves as DWI defense attorneys, yet their sole reason for existence is to have you plead guilty and pay the retainer fees. What should you look for when selecting a DWI defense lawyer?

First, look for any special designations, certifications, or memberships. Any lawyer who has passed the bar exam can claim to be a DWI lawyer, but certain practitioners have designations or memberships that differentiate them from the herd. One such membership is the National College For DUI Defense. Board Certified members of the NCDD are required to pass a rigorous written and oral exam that covers human physiology, criminal procedure, breath testing, and other DWI defense-related procedures. Make sure the designee is at least board certified. “Regular” members of the NCDD do no more than pay annual dues for inclusion into the club. Another membership is the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. While the NACDL is a group that encompasses all areas of criminal defense law, members of this group are some of the better attorneys in the state.

Once you find attorneys holding these designations, you can dig deeper to find out about any specialized advanced training they might have taken. The NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Test, for example, teaches both students and practitioners how field sobriety tests are supposed to be conducted. Knowledge of this area is crucial to refuting police testimony in court. Note that this course is taken by law enforcement as well as DWI defense attorneys. Another course that attorneys can take is a breath instrument training course, which outlines breath instrument technology, proper usage, limitations of the devices, and many other subjects.

Training and designations do not automatically make an attorney a great DWI defense lawyer. Lousy attorneys can take classes and be members of associations. Conversely, outstanding DWI defense lawyers might not be members of any associations and may not have taken any specialized training classes, but this is rare.

Perhaps the best way to evaluate a DWI defense attorney is through their reputation and standing in the community and in the courtroom. When you find out the courtroom and judge to which your case will be assigned, take a trip and sit through some cases. During recesses, see if you can speak with court personnel at the front of the courtroom. Talk with the bailiff or court reporter. Ask them which lawyer they would hire if they were the subject of a DWI conviction. Be specific with potential firms or attorney names you’re considering, as they might be reluctant to offer specific names themselves. Other good people to speak with are the actual law enforcement officers who face the defense attorneys.