First and foremost, the level of communication I offer sets me apart from other attorneys. I do not have an office number. Every phone call that comes into my firm goes straight to my cellphone, so all the calls are forwarded to me. I think being accessible to clients is a big thing that separates me from other people. I’m excellent about returning phone calls and very good about returning text messages.
Also, I’m a former assistant prosecutor, and there are not very many OVI/DUI defense attorneys that are former prosecutors. So, I know what a prosecutor does when it comes to preparing for a case. I have that relationship with the officers as a prosecutor and now for being a defense attorney for so long, so I know most of the police officers who make these types of requests.
Also, I think a big thing that our firm does that other firms do not is we do sentencing memorandums on cases and a two-fold approach. Number one, I always look to see if we can beat a case because the client’s best outcome is to win it. Alternatively, I think it’s crucial to mitigate a case as much as possible. We start that from the first meeting, getting the mitigating information, preparing sentencing memorandums and recommendations to clients, and providing information to get the best possible outcome. I have a list I give all my clients when they come in to meet with me of potential treatment places, where to get alcohol assessments, what insurance companies are accepted at that location, what their address is, and contact information because I think it’s incredibly important to approach a case proactively. Do not wait until a prosecutor offers you a plea deal to start mitigating your case. That should be done from the very first meeting providing clients with that information.
At this point, I’ve had my practice for almost ten years, and I try a lot of cases because I am not afraid to litigate cases. So, I think it’s important to find attorneys that are trying to avoid litigation. I mean, for instance, some attorneys would charge one fee for a negotiated plea, and they’ll charge you additional fees to fight your case. To me, I think that’s crazy because if a client pays you a price, that should cover all your representation, including the trial.
I would much rather charge a client a reasonable fee that includes everything to decide whether to litigate a case, not on how much more money they have to give me but on the merits of the case.
Is There Anything Else That We Didn’t Cover That You Can Think Of Off The Top Of Your Head?
License suspension is incredibly complicated because people don’t understand that there are two different suspensions. The BMV suspension is what you get as soon as you’re arrested, but once your case is resolved, the court gives you a suspension. So you have that BMV suspension known as the Administrative License Suspension, and then you have a court-ordered suspension. So eventually, when your case is resolved, if you’re convicted of anything at all, whether it’s a reckless Op. or an OVI, the court’s going to suspend your license. And so that BMV suspension goes away. They terminate that suspension and waive the reinstatement fee. Then you’re facing the court-ordered suspension.
Of course, the officers don’t explain that to you when you have the minute to decide whether you want to take a breath test or refuse. It’s just so complicated trying to understand these two suspensions that kind of go into place when it comes to determining the outcome of your case.
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