Selecting an attorney to represent you is a very personal decision. Of course, getting references from your friends and other lawyers is often a good way to get the name of an experienced DUI attorney. Since DUI is a very complicated and specialized type of case, we recommend that you consider hiring an attorney who specializes in handling DUI cases, as opposed to using an attorney who handles all kinds of cases.

Other sources for referrals is your local county bar association, in which the court is located where your case is being prosecuted. The county bar associations will have names of attorneys who offer their services to people who have been charged with DUI.

When selecting an attorney, ask that attorney what his experience is handing DUI cases such as yours. Has he made successful challenges to the methods used for administering field sobriety tests? Has he made successful challenges to the arrest procedures used by the police officer when you were arrested? Has he made successful challenges to the use of blood alcohol testing devices? Does he have experience handling cases in the local jurisdiction where your case is being prosecuted? The judges and prosecutors in every jurisdiction are a little different. Some are tougher on DUI cases than others. It is important for your attorney to be aware of these facts when representing you in your case.

For some, the attorney's fees for handling the case may be a factor. Some attorneys charge more or less than others. But the price of not having a competent DUI attorney may be devastating if you lose your case.

Other sources for the names of attorneys are the Yellow Pages and people who have had attorneys making successful challenges to DUI cases.