Whether the police arrest you for your first or eighth DUI offense, you always want an experienced attorney in your corner. Eight DUI offenses is certainly a possibility, as is the case with one South Dakota man whom police arrested on May 29th.
If you do not have the money for a lawyer, then you may qualify to receive a public defender. However, even when money is an issue, you will always be better off with an experienced attorney fighting for you. Even one drunk driving offense could result in jail time and significant fines, and you want to take advantage of every asset at your disposal.
You will have less access to information
An overwhelming workload comes with every DUI case. Attorneys know exactly how to poke holes in the other side’s case, such as by revealing how breathalyzer tests can be inaccurate many times. Additionally, lawyers will work tirelessly to acquire information by speaking with people at the police station and potential witnesses. People are more likely to cooperate with an attorney, but they may not want to talk to you.
The judge will not take you as seriously
If you represent yourself in court, then a judge will likely immediately become biased against you. It will look like you have no idea of how to act in court, and the judge will be less likely to offer leniency.
You will have to juggle the case with other responsibilities
Handling a case by yourself means you will need to submit subpoenas and request formal filings. You also need to do all this within the right timeframe because you do not want to miss any deadlines. You need to do all this while you try to handle work and family responsibilities. An attorney means you can be confident someone else will handle all the heavy lifting while you continue to work to get your life back on track.