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Understanding Your DUI Charges & What To Consider When Talking With Attorneys

Comprehending the Specifics of Your Charges

When faced with DUI charges in New Jersey, it is crucial to understand the specifics of your case.

Begin your consultation by asking your attorney to explain the charges against you. What evidence does the prosecution have? Are there any aggravating factors, such as a high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or involvement in an accident? Understanding these details will provide a clearer picture of your situation and help you make informed decisions moving forward.

Exploring Potential Penalties

A DUI conviction can lead to severe penalties, including fines, license suspension, and even jail time. Ask your attorney about the potential consequences you might face. What are the mandatory penalties for a DUI conviction in New Jersey? Are there any factors that could lead to harsher penalties, such as prior convictions or refusal to take a breathalyzer test? Knowing the possible outcomes will help you prepare for what lies ahead and assess the seriousness of your situation.

Evaluating Legal Options and Defenses

It’s essential to explore all possible defenses and legal strategies available to you. During your consultation, ask the attorney about the potential defenses in your case. Are there any procedural errors or issues with the evidence that could be challenged? Can the reliability of the breathalyzer or field sobriety tests be questioned? Understanding the various defenses and legal strategies will help you and your attorney build a robust defense plan.

Assessing the Attorney’s Experience and Success Rate

The attorney’s experience and track record can significantly impact the outcome of your case. Ask about their experience in handling DUI cases specifically in New Jersey. How many DUI cases have they defended? What is their success rate in getting charges reduced or dismissed? An experienced attorney with a proven track record will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of your case and provide you with the best possible defense.

Understanding the Costs and Fees

Legal representation can be expensive, and it’s important to understand the financial aspects of hiring an attorney. Ask about the attorney’s fees and the overall cost of your defense. Do they charge a flat fee or an hourly rate? Are there additional costs for things like expert witnesses or investigations? Understanding the costs involved will help you budget for your defense and avoid any unexpected financial burdens.

Learning About the Legal Process and Timeline

Navigating the legal process can be overwhelming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with it. Ask your attorney to explain the legal process and the typical timeline for a DUI case in New Jersey. What are the key stages of the process, from arraignment to trial? How long can you expect each stage to take? Having a clear understanding of the legal process will help you stay informed and prepared as your case progresses.

Ask The Right Questions & Find The Best Attorney For You

Facing DUI charges can be a daunting experience, but asking the right questions during your initial consultation with a New Jersey attorney can make a significant difference. By understanding the specifics of your charges, potential penalties, legal options, attorney’s experience, costs, and the legal process, you can make informed decisions and work towards the best possible outcome for your case. Remember, being proactive and well-informed is your best defense in navigating the complexities of a DUI charge.

Legitimate and reasonable questions are not an issue when talking to an attorney.  If the attorney hesitates in answering any of these valid questions, the person charged with DUI should be guided accordingly. Reisig Criminal Defense & DWI Law welcomes these legitimate inquiries and will answer these questions in a willing and forthright manner. The more a person charged with DUI learns about a law firm, the easier it will be to make an informed choice of the appropriate DUI attorney to represent their legal interests.

Yes. I make all consequential critical court appearances for my clients charged with DUI. While my associate attorneys may make preliminary appearances for my clients on pre trial matters, I personally appear for all significant stages of the client’s DUI case. Unlike other law firms who send associate attorneys to appear on all court appearances for their client’s DUI charge, that would never happen with my DUI clients.

I resolve all of my client’s DUI cases. If my client’s DUI charge results in a trial, I will be the trial attorney. There are no exceptions to this rule in my law firm. I know why people hire me to defend their DUI charges. They are hiring me because of my experience, my reputation, and the results that I achieve for my client’s charged with DUI. Therefore they will see me in court as their attorney for all important stages of their DUI charge. I insist on it. I would not have it any other way.

Any attorney can pay money to have a technical specialist optimize their website and say that they defend DUI cases. However, that does not make an experienced DUI attorney. Far from it.

The person charged with DUI should be careful when actually reading about the attorney on the particular website and their so-called accomplishments. Many of these attorney websites do not provide any specific information about their actual track record in defending DUI cases. Rather, they use general language describing their legal services.

Conversely, my website describes in detail some of my landmark accomplishments in defending DUI cases. For instance, it sets forth the dominant role that I played in the historic New Jersey State v. Chun (Alcotest reliability hearings) and the fact that I have tried contested DUI’s in every county in New Jersey. No other New Jersey attorney makes a similar claim in their website.

In addition, I have a Testimonial Page which features actual comments about my law firm from just a few of my many past clients who were successful in beating their DUI charge. Also, I have a Recent Results page which lists actual DUI cases that were successfully defended by me. These are some of the areas that someone charged with DUI should actually consider when making the important choice of which attorney to hire in defending their DUI.

Results. I have listed recent results in my website for a reason. Because I want prospective clients charged with DUI to see my record. An Individual charged with DUI needs to walk out of Municipal Court without a DUI on their driving record.

Therefore, it is critical for that person to inquire of the law firm that they are consulting with whether they have recently successfully defended a DUI. Although every DUI has its own unique facts and circumstances and it is impossible to predict the outcome of a given case, a prospective client has to know that it is possible to actually beat their DUI charge. After all, that is why an individual hires an attorney to defend their DUI in the first place.

We live in a results oriented world. So do attorneys. I will match my results in defending DUIs against any other attorney in New Jersey. Anytime. Anywhere.

In a word, experience. Quite simply, I have almost unparalleled experience in representing clients charged with DUI. I started my legal career in 1995. In 1997, I was hired my Francis X. Moore, then the recognized leader in New Jersey DUI defense.

Mr. Moore was a legendary figure in the history of municipal court practice (His Law Firm ultimately disbanded in 1998. He passed away in 2003). I was his last associate attorney. At the time I worked for him, he had stopped appearing in court for his clients. That became my job. In my first year of working for Mr. Moore, I tried over 100 separate DUI cases for the firm. In just this the first year alone, I tried more DUI’s than experienced trial attorneys defend in an entire career. Necessarily, this trial record has increased with each succeeding year of legal practice. I established my own law firm in 1998.

Nothing is more important in a courtroom than trial experience. You don’t get trial experience as an attorney by sitting in your office talking to prospective clients. You do not gain trial experience by having your clients’ plead guilty to DUI. You do not gain trial experience by sending other attorneys to appear in court for your clients. Rather, you gain trial experience by actually defending DUI’s in Municipal Court.

I will match my experience in representing individuals charged with DUI with any attorney in New Jersey. I will similarly match my trial experience in defending DUI’s with any attorney in New Jersey. Bar None.