After being arrested for driving under the influence, it’s time to find a lawyer who will represent you. From the moment that you retain legal counsel, it’s important to work with your lawyer in every way possible. Doing so increases the odds of being able to beat the DUI charges and get on with your life. Here are four tips that will help you work with the lawyer on every level.
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Provide All Details to Your Lawyer
In order for your lawyer to defend you, it’s important to know all there is to know about the arrest. That includes what was happening before the arrest, who you were with, what the arresting officers said and did, and how you responded. Everything that you can remember should be relayed to the legal counsel.
Why does this matter? Your lawyer knows what grounds are acceptable for approaching someone who is expected of being inebriated. There’s also the matter of confirming if the officers followed the protocols dictated by current laws. If there’s anything amiss about what took place, there’s a chance that your legal counsel can use that information to have the charges dropped.
Listen as Your Lawyer Explains What Could Happen
While you understand that this is a serious matter, the enormity of what is happening may be escaping you. While your lawyer is not interested in overstating the situation, expect your legal counsel to be frank about what could happen.
If you have prior convictions, that may impact what happens this time. Even if you don’t there can be significant consequences that a conviction would trigger. Some of them are immediate and some will be with you for many years to come. Your lawyer wants you to understand the gravity of the situation, so listen closely and take what is said to heart.
Be Mindful of Your Conduct While Waiting for the Court Date
While planning your defense, the last thing that your lawyer needs is more difficulties created by your actions. For this reason, expect the legal counsel to provide suggestions about how to conduct yourself until the court date arrives. This could involve staying away from certain places or even keeping your distance from certain people until the issue is resolved.
While it may be difficult, remember the goal is to ensure that you can be perceived in the best possible light when you enter the court. If nothing has happened in between the day of the arrest and you court date, that’s one less hurdle to jump.
Follow Courtroom Protocol
Court procedure and proper conduct is not something you know well. That’s because you’ve never been to court before or it’s been a long time since the last appearance. In any case, your lawyer will provide you with tips on how to behave while your case is under consideration. That means refraining from outbursts, talking while the court is in session, and doing anything that might disrupt the proceedings. Rest assured the lawyer will help you understand how to discreetly convey information if the need arises.
The role of DUI lawyers in GTA is to ensure that their clients have fair hearings and a reasonable chance to be found not guilty of the charges. By committing to working with your legal counsel, the chances of being heard and possibly being able to walk away from the charges are much greater.