How Much Does A Good DUI Lawyer Cost in San Diego?

The cost of defending your San Diego DUI charge varies according to the exact circumstances of your arrest. For instance, a second or third DUI offense will cost more than a first offense, and a felony DUI will cost more than a misdemeanor DUI.  A DUI lawyer’s reputation, experience and success rate also have an effect on cost, and you should expect to pay more for a specialist DUI attorney who does nothing but DUI defense than you would pay for a newly qualified lawyer who does not specialize.

Most reputable lawyers offer a free initial consultation and this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out exactly what your specific case should cost. Schedule appointments with a few different lawyers, making sure you get a good idea of exactly what the lawyer will do for the money. Ask direct questions about how much of his practice is devoted to DUI defense and about his track record at winning cases.

A very approximate price range for a good DUI lawyer is anywhere between $4,000 and $30,000, again depending heavily on the circumstances of your particular case. Any lawyer that quotes less than that may be a good find or may be hoping to convince you to plead guilty quickly so there’s not much work to do. You need to use your initial consultation period to try to weigh up the lawyer and choose the one that sounds like the best fit for your personality and budget.

The top DUI lawyers have gained their reputation by devoting long hours to each case that they take on, paying attention to every detail that could possibly be used as grounds for a suppression motion. This professionalism and time consuming attention to detail, as well as time spent thoroughly going over aspect of your case in person with you, means they cannot take on a large number of cases so they must make their money on fewer cases. These types of lawyers will use the initial consultation to see if your DUI case is one which they believe they have a chance of beating, so certain top DUI lawyers may not want your case and may not give you a quote.

Unlike personal injury lawyers, DUI lawyers are prohibited from charging by contingent fee agreement based upon their performance in the case. This is because it is often in the client’s best interest to resolve their DUI case before it reaches trial, and a lawyer whose fee is tied to a trial decision may not give his client the best advice to accept a plea bargain of a reduced charge, if indeed it is the client’s best option. Any lawyer that does offer a contingent fee agreement may be unethical and should be avoided.