Reader’s Question:

I was caught drunk driving so I was charged with DUI here in Bloomington, Indiana and they say that I am not taking it seriously. I wanna know if I can represent myself in court. What can a lawyer actually do for me?

Finn

Bloomington, IN

You may choose not to hire a lawyer and represent yourself on your DUI charge in Bloomington, Indiana. But let me just emphasize to you that it is not a very good idea. Having a drunk driving or DUI charge is a very complex matter with increasing tough ramifications. There is a minefield of complicated constitutional, evidentiary, procedural, sentencing and administrative license issues.

A lawyer who is not qualified in this highly specialized subject can do nothing for you. It is like getting a family doctor when you need is a brain surgery. You should get a qualified lawyer who can review your DUI case for defects and suppress evidence. A good DUI lawyer can also be able to compel discovery of things such as calibration and maintenance records for the breath machine, obtain expert witnesses for trial, contest the administrative license suspension, having blood samples independently analyzed, negotiate for a lesser charge or reduced sentence, etc. You have to make sure that the one that you will get is not just a regular lawyer but an experienced DUI lawyer.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI advice, DUI lawyer