DWI ANSWERS FROM COLLIN COUNTY ATTORNEY

How much DWI experience does the lawyer have?

DWI litigation is one of the most complex areas of criminal law. Developing DWI expertise requires extensive knowledge of the law and procedure surrounding DWI litigation. Further,there is no substitute for DWI trial experience.J. Michael Price II has tried hundreds of DWI cases with an extremely high rate of success. Any lawyer can accept a fee and subsequently plea a case, but atrue DWI defense lawyer will have a proven record of winning.

What part of their practice is devoted to defending DWI cases?

DWI laws and techniques in defending DWIs are constantly changing. What worked yesterday may not be the best approach today. It is important to find a lawyer who stays on top of current laws, trends and what occurs in courts every day. Does your lawyer get his or her continuing legal education (CLE) hours at general seminars or does he or she concentrate his or her CLEs on DWI specific seminars? The better DWI lawyers get their CLE credits at DWI-specific seminars and will be members of the National College for DUI Defense.

How many DWI cases have they handled?

Experience counts, especially trial experience! There is not a set number of cases or trials to say a lawyer is qualified to defend you, but alawyer who does not concentrate a majority of his or her practice to DWI defense, and handles the occasional DWI, is unlikely to have the necessary experience to successfully defend you.

How many of their cases plead guilty?

Far too many lawyers plead their clients guilty without conducting any real investigation and before they litigate any pretrial issues. In my cases, pleading guilty is the last resort rather than a first option, and never takes place until a complete and thorough investigation and review of all the evidence has occurred.

Additionally,prosecutors do not respect lawyers who plead their clients guilty without any investigation, but they sure dolikethem. Those lawyers make the prosecutor’s job much easier. They also do not negotiate plea bargains with them because the lawyers often take the first offer.It is important that the prosecutors know that the lawyer representing you will fight for you and that he has a reputation for winning in trial.I have had many cases dismissed on the day of trial when the jury is outside the courtroom and I am at counsel table reviewing the jury list ready to go to trial.

Are they affiliated with the National College for DUI Defense?

The National College for DUI Defense is a nonprofit professional organization dedicated to the dissemination of information on drunk driving litigation and to improving the quality of DWI defense lawyers. Its mission is to provide the best advanced legal training to the DWI defense lawyer to ensure greater success in defending people against the sanctions of a DWI conviction. You will find that the best DWI lawyers are active members.

Do they own a copy of “Texas Drunk Driving Law” and “Drinking/Driving Litigation: Criminal and Civil” textbooks?

These textbooks are designed to educate the lawyer on changes in DWI laws and to assist them in increasing their trial skills and techniques. Many lawyers consider these two books an essential resource for DWI defense, and agree that an attorney cannot do a competent job of defending people accused of DWI without them.A lawyer who is serious about winning your DWI case should have copies of both.

Do they receive the “DWI Journal” and “The Drinking/Driving Law Letter”?

These publications are also designed to educate lawyers on changes in DWI laws and gives in-depth analysis of important rulings on DWI cases from across the nation. Many valuable hints and strategies are obtained from keeping up to date with these publications.

Are they familiar with the breath test machine used in Texas?

To the average defense lawyer, a breath test above the legal limit means “plead guilty” from the beginning, even though he or she will not tell you this until after the fee has been paid.To a true DWI defense attorney, a failed breath test in no way means you are, or will be found, guilty.

Especially in a case involving a failed breath test, the lawyer’s understanding of how the breath test machine works, the philosophy behind breath testing, and how alcohol is absorbed and eliminated from the body are often the difference between a guilty and not guilty verdict. If you are serious about being found not guilty, it is a must that your lawyer be very knowledgeable about alcohol and the human body and its affect on breath testing.

Does your lawyer own a copy of the Texas Breath Alcohol Testing Regulations?

Can your lawyer tell you a list of the breath machine’s shortcomings off the top of his head?

If the lawyer cannot answer these two questions positively, you may want to look elsewhere.

Are they skilled in the proper administration of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests?

Most DWI prosecutions involve results of “field sobriety tests,” some of which have been the subject of scientific studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, pronounced as “Nitsa”) and police agencies who knew their work was being scrutinized. NHTSA has admitted that these tests, in order to be reliable, must be administered in the “prescribed standardized manner” each and every time they are administered. Any deviation from the prescribed standardized manner affects the tests’ accuracy and reliability.

It is essential that your lawyer know which field sobriety tests have been approved by NHTSA and how to determine if any deviation occurred when the tests were administered to you.

Also, your lawyer should have a copy of the police officer’s student training manual for field sobriety testing. If he or she does not have one, you may want to look elsewhere. If he or she does, does it look brand new or used? That will tell you a lot.

Do they have any specific Field Sobriety Test training?

Often the better lawyers will have some type of formal Field Sobriety Test training. Some lawyers have been certified in administering these tests. I have specifically trained police officers on how to properly administer field sobriety tests, as well as how to write reports, investigate DWIs, and most importantly, how to testify in front of juries.

Will they handle my license suspension case in addition to the DWI charge?

When you are arrested for DWI, you actually have two different cases as a result. One is the DWI and the other is the hearing on the suspension of your driver’s license (Administrative License Revocation hearing, commonly referred to as the “ALR” hearing). Many lawyers who do not aggressively defend DWIs do not handle ALR hearings. If the lawyer does not personally handle both, you may want to look for a different lawyer.

Is there a proper way to handle the hearing on the suspension of my license?

Many lawyers take the easy approach and will either not have a hearing on the suspension of the license or will conduct them over the phone by conference call with the prosecutor and judge. In most cases, the proper and most effective manner to handle these hearings is in person in the courtroom, and only after subpoenaing the arresting officer. This takes more time, but the lawyer gets to look the officer in the eye, determine if he or she would be a strong or weak witness for the prosecution in your DWI case, and get sworn testimony about the facts and circumstances surrounding your arrest. This is where your real defense begins.

You also need to find out if your lawyer will personally handle the hearing, or if he or she will let an associate do it. Remember, there is no substitute for the real thing.

Will the lawyer I hire handle all aspects of my case?

Some lawyers take on too many cases and have associates or friends handle important aspects of cases for them. These associates or friends may not have the necessary knowledge and skill to effectively represent you. From time to time, I do assist my partners with their DWI cases. They bring me in on their defense because of my knowledge, expertise and proven record of winning DWIs. But if you hire me,I will personally handle all aspects of your case.

What will a good DWI defense lawyer cost?

This is a very difficult question because every case is different. In general, the lower the fee, the less experience the lawyer has, and the greater your chances of being convinced by your lawyer that you should plead guilty. Some lawyers offer low fees with payment plans while other lawyers offer skill, experience and a proven track record of winning. You usually do not find both in the same lawyer.

It’s been said many times that;“Good lawyers aren’t cheap, and cheap lawyers aren’t good!”Oftentimes, a “cheaper” lawyer is actually more expensive! The lower the fee, the more affordable they are to the public in general, and the greater the likelihood they will have more clients than they can handle effectively. This means they will have less time to represent you and your chances of being convicted go up, andconvictions are expensive.

Be sure you have a clear understanding of the fee the lawyer will charge, as well as what the financial penalties are for pleading guilty. Your financial obligation to the lawyer should also be in writing.