Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community  

Go Back   Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community > The Academy > Tilted Life


 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-29-2008, 05:47 PM   #1 (permalink)
Addict
 
soma's Avatar
 
Location: USA
Hiring A Lawyer For A DWI

I don't know if I'm allowed to even ask this question, if not, I'm sorry and have no problems with this thread being locked/deleted.

I got my first DWI on Friday and am considering hiring a lawyer. I'm trying to find good information online about whether or not it's worth it to hire a lawyer for my offense, but all related articles are hosted on law firm websites which I can't really trust. I just want to hear what real people have done with their own situations.

If you have or have not hired a lawyer for a DWI offense, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience. I also understand that any advice I get here is not professional legal advice and will not take it as such.
__________________
Having Girl Problems?
soma is offline  
Old 09-29-2008, 11:55 PM   #2 (permalink)
Young Crumudgeon
 
Martian's Avatar
 
Location: Canada
I think the advice is going to be highly specific to your circumstances. You might be able to get off with community service if it's your first offence, but as projected I am not a lawyer, so don't take my advice as anything other than what it is -- an amateur opinion.

I seem to recall that you're in college. If this is the case, you can probably get free or cheap legal advice on campus. That would be my first line of inquiry.

In other news, driving drunk is a fucking terrible idea. Be thankful you didn't kill anyone.
__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame
Martian is offline  
Old 09-30-2008, 03:19 AM   #3 (permalink)
You had me at hello
 
Poppinjay's Avatar
 
Location: DC/Coastal VA
It depends on the level. But the best advice is yes, hire a lawyer, make sure you bring him your BAC readout, and he will likely get you into a diversion program.
__________________
I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet
Poppinjay is offline  
Old 09-30-2008, 08:09 AM   #4 (permalink)
Insane
 
skizziks's Avatar
 
Location: out west
Ok, I'm probably going to come across as a dick, and I don't mean to. I would like to know why you need a lawyer? Are you trying to be found innocent? If you were caught drunk, then you are guilty, and you go to court and get your sentence. I know you want to protect yourself, but I don't think the court will send you to maximum for 10 years because you don't have a lawyer to bargain down to community service.

Then again, I don't really understand the court system and why you need a lawyer. I thought you get a lawyer when you are trying to plead your side of a case when it's not cut and dry, black and white.

I'm sorry I didn't answer your question or help in any way.
skizziks is offline  
Old 10-01-2008, 12:39 PM   #5 (permalink)
Crazy
 
mixedsubstance's Avatar
 
Location: Where the wild things are.
Find a lawyer that only specialized in DWI's. Don't pay more than $3000. And, yes, it's good to get a lawyer. Have all your facts straight, any evidence, etc. You can meet or speak with a lawyer at no cost first to get an idea of how they are and how much they charge.

skizziks- you can usually get it dropped to a reckless (with passenger) or Neg1 (without passenger) unless your BAC is really high, you hurt or killed someone, or you were driving very irratically.
-----Added 1/10/2008 at 04 : 39 : 48-----
And do everything they need you to do ASAP- drug alcohol class, dui victims panel, and evaluation.
__________________
Well, isn't that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?!?

*Without energy, there would be nothing.*

Last edited by mixedsubstance; 10-01-2008 at 12:39 PM.. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
mixedsubstance is offline  
Old 10-01-2008, 12:55 PM   #6 (permalink)
Registered User
 
yes get a lawyer. the insurance will be a lot cheaper if he can get it reduced or even wiped out completely.. you never know what they might find.
Glory's Sun is offline  
Old 10-01-2008, 08:06 PM   #7 (permalink)
pig
pigglet pigglet
 
pig's Avatar
 
Location: Locash
Do you know any lawyers that can give you some advice on your particular situation? In my experience, I would definitely say that having a lawyer is a good idea if you can afford one. It might be expensive, and you might lose the case or not receive any substantial benefit. However, you don't know the system, and this is what they get paid to do. As gucci points out, if you can get it dropped or reduced, you save on insurance big time. I know in SC, you have to a special insurance program called SR-22. I think you might lose your license for a period, and then the insurance is very expensive.

That said, driving under the influence is a bad idea. I'd like to say that I never have, never will - but there have been times. And I hate to say it, but I would venture that there may be times again. As Sam Kinnison said, if they don't want you drinking and driving, they shouldn't have parking lots at bars. Seriously, what do people rationally think is going to happen?
__________________
You don't love me, you just love my piggy style
pig is offline  
Old 10-01-2008, 08:08 PM   #8 (permalink)
Tilted
 
Makedde's Avatar
 
Location: Australia
Don't you get given a lawyer for free if you can't afford one? If you are guilty, why would you need one at all?
__________________
Sun flames and moons glow, timeless the tides will flow, what will I face, what will be mine, fortune and fate the other side...
Makedde is offline  
Old 10-01-2008, 08:53 PM   #9 (permalink)
I have eaten the slaw
 
inBOIL's Avatar
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Makedde View Post
Don't you get given a lawyer for free if you can't afford one? If you are guilty, why would you need one at all?
Public defenders' offices are usually understaffed in the U.S., so the quality of free representation is usually lacking due to time constraints on the lawyers. Also, I don't believe that legal aid is given for traffic offenses; I'm not sure if this applies to DWI or not.

Even if you're guilty, a lawyer will be able to give you good advice on getting your punishment reduced. The system is set up with the assumption that you have representation or know what you're doing, so going it alone puts you at a disadvantage. And I don't know the details of this, but occasionally a judge will deny someone's request for legal aid. I believe this only happens when a defendant is deemed to have enough money to afford a lawyer.
__________________
And you believe Bush and the liberals and divorced parents and gays and blacks and the Christian right and fossil fuels and Xbox are all to blame, meanwhile you yourselves create an ad where your kid hits you in the head with a baseball and you don't understand the message that the problem is you.
inBOIL is offline  
Old 10-02-2008, 01:44 AM   #10 (permalink)
You had me at hello
 
Poppinjay's Avatar
 
Location: DC/Coastal VA
In some states, the judge in the initial hearing will tell you outright not to plead yet, and to get a lawyer.

Why get a lawyer if you're guilty? Negotiations. The law may stipulate mandatory jail time, while the community may offer diversionary programs to avoid that. Some people say screw it, I'll do 48 hours and be done with it. Some prefer to get the evaluation, do the victims panel, watch the blood on the asphalt film, and drop by the local constable's office once a week or month.

Additionally, there is also the mix of what the local community requires and what the state requires in terms of DUI. In some areas, it's both a state law and a local law, in others, not so.

So, best left to a lawyer to sort it out.
__________________
I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet
Poppinjay is offline  
Old 10-02-2008, 04:18 AM   #11 (permalink)
Mad Philosopher
 
asaris's Avatar
 
Location: Washington, DC
I wouldn't knock the PDs office; they're always very experienced, and know the prosecutors. But the Constitution only guarantees you a free lawyer if you're facing possible jail time. I don't know how likely that is for a first offense DWI. I only know how it works in Michigan -- there, it would depend on BAC.
__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche
asaris is offline  
Old 10-03-2008, 07:52 PM   #12 (permalink)
Crazy
 
mixedsubstance's Avatar
 
Location: Where the wild things are.
soma- many people's advice on here is good, some of it not. But I've had to deal with it myself. Got it dropped to a reckless (would have been down to a neg1 if I didn't have a passenger). It still felt like the end of the world, but there are great steps in which I am glad I took. Please re-read my post and trust me on it. 1- do all the DOL regulations, 2- call around for lawyers, you can interview them for free, no obligation. but do it SOON- you only have a limited time. Look up DUI laws, and questions to ask and things to look for in a lawyer. Don't get a public defender, they are not as personable and you really don't get to have any meetings with them before court.
__________________
Well, isn't that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?!?

*Without energy, there would be nothing.*
mixedsubstance is offline  
 

Tags
dwi, hiring, lawyer

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 03:03 PM.

Tilted Forum Project

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
© 2002-2012 Tilted Forum Project

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360