The last thing that you expected to happen was ending up at the police station facing drunk driving charges. Before anything else happens, you need to find and hire a DUI lawyer in Toronto who can take on the case and provide the advice that’s needed to deal with the situation. Make sure the lawyer that you choose has the following qualities.
The Ability to Practice in the Local Jurisdiction
While you may have a buddy who could take the case, that lawyer doesn’t reside in the local area. Your friend may or may not have the credentials to practice in the jurisdiction where the charges are made. In this instance, the best that your friend can do for you is recommend a colleague who does have local standing and could take on the case.
A Solid Grasp of Applicable Laws
The lawyer you choose should have a lot of expertise in relating various laws and precedents to the particulars of your case. One indication that this quality is present is how long the lawyer has been in practice. This may be measured by the number of years since the lawyer was admitted to the bar rather than how long the lawyer has been with the current practice. That’s because the legal counsel may have previously spend years with a different firm.
A lawyer who is well acquainted with all laws related to driving under the influence and impaired driving is in a better position to evaluate the circumstances and determine how to structure the defense. This is good news for you, since it could increase the odds of being able to overcome the charges and get things back to normal.
Strong Communication Skills
In order to build a case, you need a lawyer that’s capable of helping you understand what’s going on and the possible approaches to a defense that are likely to work. At the same time, that lawyer must have the ability to listen closely when you share information, ask questions, or interact in any way.
The two of you will need to communicate without any problem in order to determine how to fight the DUI arrest and work for the best possible outcome. This one trait will make facing the charges and preparing for your day in court a lot simpler.
An Excellent Track Record
Feel free to look closely at the lawyer’s past record. Do you see many instances in which the legal counsel was able to get charges reduced for clients? What about situations in which the lawyer was able to convince the court that the charges should be dismissed? How about the cases that did end up in court? Are there lots of instances in which the lawyer convinced the court that the clients were not guilty?
While the lawyer cannot guarantee a specific outcome, knowing the legal counsel has been successful with a number of clients in the past provides quite a bit of comfort. You have every reason to believe that things will go well for you too.
Never face charges of this type without having legal counsel by your side. Listen closely to what your lawyer has to say and cooperate in every way possible. Your choices now could make a big difference to the way your case turns out.