After being arrested for DUI or drunk driving, the first and most important thing to do is to find the right lawyer. It is just like needing to find a doctor to do an important medical procedure; once you find the professional, your job is to wait there and let the professional do the work. If a person is charged with DUI, then on his first day in court the defendant in misdemeanor cases will usually not have to be present if represented by an attorney.

The cost of a DUI defense attorney varies due to many factors, including geographic location, reputation, skill and training, and the number of hours required for a particular case. Each of these factors can affect the fee charged by a DUI attorney to defend a drunk driving case. Other factors include the facts of the particular case, whether an accident or other aggravating factor was involved, whether the person has prior DUI or DWI convictions, whether a jury trial is necessary, whether a DMV or driver's license hearing is necessary, whether an expert witness is necessary, and whether a jury or court trial is necessary.

Usually, hiring your own lawyer provides you with the most experienced attorney who can provide you with the best possible investigation and defense of your case, and you are the sole focus of your attorney. And if you simply plead guilty, you may wonder for years if you could have had the charges against you dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense.

One of the benefits to hiring a San Diego DUI lawyer to represent you is that the lawyer can go to court for you. This means that in many instances, you can go about your normal schedule, and only go to court if the case actually goes to trial. A San Diego DUI lawyer should do many things for you, like bring you peace of mind and make your life as normal as possible during a pending DUI.

The San Diego DUI attorneys work independently and offer various financing plans, and let you know what your options are if you can not afford to pay your retainer fee for a drunk driving case.