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Should I hire a lawyer for drunk driving?
I got pulled over the other night while I wasn’t completely sober, and now I have to go to court. I know it’s not good, but I’ve never been to court for anything before. Do I need to hire a lawyer for my DUI charge?
Pat Roache · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
It’s a hard lesson to learn, but at least no one got hurt in the process. While you don’t have to hire a lawyer when
facing a DUI charge
, doing so is your best bet to contest your charges and avoid the maximum penalties. A lawyer can help you minimize the following penalties depending on where you received the infraction:
- Prison sentencing
- Fines (typically between $500 and $2,000)
- License suspension or revocation
- Court-mandated treatment or education
- Community service
- Probation
There’s no guarantee that the charges or punishments will be dropped, but first offenders have a better chance of reducing their court-appointed penalties when they hire a lawyer to represent them. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons and make your own decision.
Unfortunately, unless you can get the charges
dropped from your record
, a DUI can send your insurance rates through the roof. But have hope—the Jerry
app can help! A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies, signing you up for your new policy, and helping you cancel your old policy. View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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