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Rick DeMichele
Richard A. DeMichele, Jr. is a seasoned litigator, devoting a substantial part of his practice to family law and personal injury matters.

My advice: Hire the best DWI attorney you can!

Field Sobriety TestYou have a problem!  You have been arrested and charged with DWI in a New Jersey Municipal Court. You are not sure of the DWI consequences but you know you need the help of a lawyer.  You are not sure where to begin to hire a competent and experienced  NJ DWI attorney who will fight for you. A few days go by and your mail box is suddenly filled with lawyer solicitation letters that give a slick pitch as to why you should hire the lawyer who sent you the letter. Is the lawyer that sent you the solicitation letter the best lawyer for you?  You don’t know. You should always meet with your lawyer before making the decision to hire them.   During your meeting with the potential lawyer he or she will ask questions about what happened.  Hopefully the lawyer knows which questions to ask and is trying to get an understanding or the facts to support your defense.  Just as it is important for the lawyer to know which questions to ask you; you need to know which questions to ask your prospective lawyer. Here are five areas of  questions to ask the lawyer you are considering hiring to defend you in a New Jersey DWI case. FIRST – How many years has the lawyer been in practice?  Experience counts. Find out if the lawyer has ever worked as a municipal court public defender or a municipal court prosecutor.  Municipal court prosecutors and public defenders, by the nature of their jobs,  handle and try a significant number of DWI cases.  There is no substitute for experience! SECOND – How many DWI trials has the potential lawyer done and with what results?  Your case may not go to trial, but there is a big advantage in having a DWI attorney with trial experience.  Has your potential DWI lawyer ever had DWI charges outright dismissed? You want to know how often their client’s hear the words, “NOT GUILTY!”  If the prospective lawyer has not had a DWI dismissed – ask why.  If the lawyer you are talking to has never had a New Jersey DWI dismissed you may want to consider this in making you hiring decision. THIRD – Who in the potential lawyers office will be responsible for my case? Your driving privilege is too valuable to trust your case to some new associate who is just starting to figure out DWI law in New Jersey.  You want to make sure the lawyer you are interviewing  is the attorney to get to represent you in court.  You should know which attorney in the firm will be analyzing the state’s discovery in your case and making the court appearances.  If the lawyer you are interviewing is not going to be primarily responsible for your case  you may want to consider another attorney. FOURTH – How will the potential lawyer keep you informed about your case? Will you be able to speak with the attorney about your case.  How will the lawyer review the states discovery with you? Will the discovery be reviewed in office, over the phone or on the court house steps?  You are buying advice and you are paying for someone to keep you informed about how the case is going and where it is going.  You should know up front how you will get information from your lawyer?  Remember, only after you have become informed and received advice can  you make decisions about your case. FIFTH – What is the fee?  How much will the lawyer’s representation really cost? A DUI case is costly and fees vary wildly from attorney to attorney. You need to know the fee structure. Will you be charged a “flat fee” covering all the work or will you pay by the hour?   How are additional court appearances handled?  Is their a fee for each appearance ?  Is the cost of discovery included in your lawyer fee?  Will I need an expert and if so how much will this cost? If you or a loved one needs strong representation  to defend against a DWI or Refusal in New Jersey, contact the municipal court defense lawyers at DeMichele & DeMichele today. We are experienced DWI attorneys who are ready to defend the charges against you. Contact us now for your confidential and free initial consultation. You can also reach us by telephone (856) 546-1350. Don’t just plead guilty and risk your driving privilege or driving record.  
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Rick DeMichele
Richard A. DeMichele, Jr. is a seasoned litigator, devoting a substantial part of his practice to family law and personal injury matters.

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