Finding a Good DUI Lawyer
It can be a very trying process to locate and retain a San Diego DUI lawyer. Many attorneys are either inept, lack experience, and/or dishonest. By asking the following specific questions you can simplify the process:
- Is the lawyer able to secure technical expert witnesses in police procedures and does he/she have access to blood/breath analysis? Will he/she have a lab reanalyze the blood samples?
- Results of a trial are never certain. Does the lawyer make any promises about the results of the case? A lawyer who has professional integrity would never make any guarantees.
- Do charges include all the “extras” (DMV license hearing, blood reanalysis, trial, subpoena costs, expert testimony, etc.)? Is there a retainer fee? Most importantly, are all fees laid out and explained in a written contract?
- The field of DUI defense is very specific and complex. Does this lawyer handle criminal cases as well as drunk driving cases? How many cases pertain to drunk driving out of his/her entire caseload? Handling multiple kinds of cases is analogous to a family doctor who covers heart transplants, cancer research, and pediatrics all at once. (For more details, please see an article in the American Bar Association Journal about today’s need for specialization in DUI defense.)
- Where does the lawyer stand with the State Bar? Have there been any negative comments about him/her?
- Was the attorney’s law school a highly regarded institute? Is the lawyer Board-certified by the National College for DUI Defenses, and is he/she a member of the college?
- The highest score for capabilities and principles is “A-V”. How did the Martindale-Hubbell International Directory of Attorneys rank the attorney?
There appear to be only three law firms in California which both specialize in drunk driving defense exclusively and are "A-V" rated ("very good to preeminent") by the Martindale-Hubbell International Directory of Attorneys. Two of these firms are headed by former Deans of the National College for DUI Defense and, under the auspices of the American Bar Association, are both Board-certified by that prestigious organization. One of these maintains offices in Carlsbad:
Law Offices of Taylor & Taylor: San Diego DUI Attorneys
This 4-attorney firm has offices in North San Diego County (Carlsbad) and specializes in representing clients charged with drunk driving. A former prosecutor, Fulbright professor of law and dean of the National College for DUI Defense, Lawrence Taylor is the author of the leading DUI defense books Drunk Driving Defense, 7th edition and California Drunk Driving Defense, 4th edition. The firm is listed in the Bar Register of Prominent Lawyers, and is apparently unique in having its own technical support staff of law enforcement, DMV and blood/breath alcohol experts.
Further information helpful to locating lawyers in San Diego County and across the country who specialize in DUI defense:
San Diego DUI Lawyers
Legal information about DUI laws and lawyers in San Diego County.
National DUI Defense College
Professional association of drunk driving lawyers across the country.
California DUI Law Guide
Statewide legal resources for Californians facing criminal charges, including recommended lawyers.