What Qualities Should a DWI Team Possess?

Defense lawyers, like a DWI team, are a vital part of our judicial system. If you’re involved in a DWI incident, you need a good DWI team at your side. The stages of a DWI case include the arrest, an arraignment, fact gathering, negotiation stage, trial, and sentencing. A police officer may ask you to pull over if there’s a suspicion that you committed a violation or a crime, most especially if you’re still outdoors driving in early morning hours or late at night.

The result of the Field Sobriety Test or FST or admission on your part can be a probable cause for the police officer to arrest you or tow your vehicle. You’ll also likely be asked to take another breath test at the police station, and refusal may result in an overnight stay in prison or suspension of your driver’s license. A good DWI team will help you find out if there are any issues with the arrest, such as failure to implement the FST in an acceptable or standardized manner, faulty or false calibration of the breath machine, or absence of reasonable suspicion to pull you over.

So, what are the best qualities should your DWI team possess? Let’s find out!

1. Keen to Details

A good DWI team should be observant and pay close attention to tiny bits of information while conducting the legal research. Thorough research should be conducted into the alleged DWI incident and other circumstances that the police officers might have overlooked. After the arraignment, your DWI team will request from the prosecution a fact-finding procedure or “discovery” materials, which involve the following steps:

• Gathering of pieces of evidence such as police report, tickets, statements of witnesses, accusatory instruments, photos, and CCTV videos
• Assessment of your case’s strengths and weaknesses
• Analysis of information
• Filing or motions to challenge allegations
• Request for additional hearings to suppress evidence that the prosecution tries to use against you

2. Good Negotiation Skills

Prosecutors and defense lawyers negotiate agreements through plea bargaining, and these are taken to the judges for approval. You need a good DWI team to make the best possible deal or negotiation for your DWI case. You can check dwiguy.com to find out more.

As your legal representation, the responsibility of your DWI team is to outline all available options to you. Your DWI lawyer will also:

• Provide you the risks and rewards of beneficial and realistic options available in your best interest.
• Help you understand the best plea bargaining agreement for your case.
• Reduce the amount of a penalty.
• Negotiate a compromise for you to have a shorter sentence or a lesser charge.

3. Excellent Communication Skills

Hire a lawyer who is a skilled communicator – someone who is an excellent speaker and can use his skills in and out of the courtroom. Also, a good DWI attorney should have excellent writing skills (e.g., write briefs and other legal documents), which is also a good mode of communication to let the judge and prosecution know and strengthen your points and arguments. You’ll highly benefit from a DWI team that’s a good communicator in a trial, which involves:

• Presenting your defenses before a jury or judge. Multiple attorneys may also work on a single trial for the best results.
• Preparing and presenting the most persuasive possible arguments to counteract the pieces of evidence the prosecution will present.

4. Experienced

An experienced DWI lawyer has already built connections with district attorneys and judges. Relationships play a crucial role in a DWI case. Hiring experienced lawyers can be advantageous for you, most especially if they have a stellar reputation. An experienced DWI team is fully aware and knowledgeable of the following:

• Fines and surcharges
• Jail term
• Driver’s license suspension and revocation time frame
• Alternative plea bargaining options (e.g., community service, Impaired Driver Program enrollment, ignition interlock installation)

5. Good Track Court Record

You’ll have peace of mind if you know that your lawyer has been faring well in court for many years. A reputation of winning will give you confidence and also a higher chance to win your case. Of course, choosing a reputable criminal defense lawyer should have a spotless ethical record, such as:

• No history of malpractice
• Has not been sanctioned by the state bar
• No disciplinary record

Conclusion

In some cases, a DWI case needs the help of multiple lawyers, so having a dedicated DWI team can be your best option for the best results. Of course, you need to hire a lawyer who has integrity and is honest and credible. Hire a DWI team that prioritizes your best interest by providing you with the best legal option and will fight with you until the end.