a) What percentage of your cases are DUIs?
It is a full-time job just keeping up with DUI law and science, and serving DUI clients in a professional, complete and conscientious manner. Ideally, the lawyer you choose should devote 95% or greater of his/her time to defending impaired driving charges. At a minimum, the DUI defense lawyer should spend at least half of his/her time on DUIs. An Phoenix, AZ lawyer who does personal injury, divorce, bankruptcy, wills and DUI (although probably a good lawyer and a good person) is not going to serve all his/her clients well all the time. Even a full time criminal defense lawyer who defends all kinds of crimes cannot turn over every stone in your DUI case. Arizona DUI law is too vast and complex for one person to conquer all areas.
b) What percentage of your DUI cases plead guilty to a non-reduced charge?
Keep this in mind: you do not necessarily need a Phoenix, AZ lawyer to plead guilty as charged. Some so-called DUI defense lawyers plead 100% of their DUI clients out, without so much as a deduction to a lesser charge or a break in sentencing.
c) How many DUI cases have you worked on in the last couple of years?
Phoenix, AZ DUI law changes constantly. Even though a lawyer may have handled thousands of cases years ago, it is their most recent experience that assures they are experienced with Arizona DUI law, the courts and the prosecutors. Beware of the lawyer you have to dust off.
d) Do you have any specific DUI training?
Some have been prosecutors in Phoenix, AZ. Some policemen. Some have been through training in alcohol science or field testing. Some have even read a book. Some often network and plan with other dedicated DUI lawyers through forums like the National College for DUI Defense and various other groups, while others don't do anything.
e) What kind of support staff do you have?
This question, while in the past was not relevant, is becoming more important in Phoenix, AZ DUI cases. A new court rule says that all DUI cases must either end by a plea bargain or go to trial within 6 months from their start date. In the past, this was not the case. Your lawyer must now have the energy and resources to litigate your case in a shorter time-frame.
