What Happens if I Can’t Afford to Hire a DUI Lawyer?

How to Pay for DUI Lawyer Fees - DUI with a Lawyer
Many drivers cannot afford a lawyer for a DUI, DWI charge case. For people who do not have the funds available to pay for a DUI attorney, utilizing free legal advice from an expert DUI lawyer is still the best first step to take for immediate free attorney advice to fight a case successfully. Local pro bono DUI lawyers near you is another option an arrest review can provide drivers who struggle to pay legal fees.

Pro Bono DUI Lawyers – How to Pay for DUI Lawyer When You Can’t Afford It

Most people are fully aware of the truth that DUI lawyers are not cheap, and just as true is that many people have no money immediately available to pay the sudden unexpected cost of attorney legal fees. However, there are ways to solve this problem without any money to afford a lawyer after a DUI, DWI arrest happens. Below are some tips on how to pay for a lawyer with no money.

DUI attorneys around you are like most other types of lawyers in that they bill by the hour or charge a flat fee. Many lawyers require an additional payment up-front to retain their services.

Though there is often room for negotiation with these charges and payment plans may be available, some people are still unable to afford private attorneys due to DUI debt or other financial reasons. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the cost of DUI lawyer fees that do not require pleading guilty to a DUI charge.

When a driver arrested for DUI can’t afford to hire a lawyer, and still wants a strong legal defense to fight charges or needs questions answered about your legal rights, a person can get immediate free legal aid in your court. Every criminal court in the country provides free legal services with a “public defender”, and does not require any legal fee.

An even better free DUI defense option, many local expert law firms provide pro bono lawyers for DUI that are usually much more effective at winning than a public defender in most cases. Not every person will meet financial requirements to get a pro bono DUI attorney nearest their location, and an online arrest review can provide help meeting the minimum financial criteria along with alternate solutions to local pro bono lawyers.

DIY Legal Research

After receiving a free DUI arrest review from FightDUICharges.com, some people do their own legal research, gather documents that support their innocence, and complete the paperwork required to fight the charges in court. When necessary, they consult with experienced attorneys who charge by the hour, helping to keep costs down without compromising their defense. Another no-cost option that an arrest review provides is helping drivers get a free DUI lawyer or public defender in cases when a driver is having true financial difficulty to get a higher-priced private local attorney.

By relying only on reputable information available in print and online, these individuals are able to build strong cases. They may discover that their rights were violated during the car stop or that alcohol test equipment or results were inaccurate. Armed with knowledge of applicable laws, they are able to prove this to the court and have their DUI charges dismissed.

Pro Bono DUI Lawyers – Local Public Defenders

“I recently got a DUI, and I don’t have any money to hire a lawyer. How do I go about going to my court date empty-handed? If I don’t have a public defender or no money for a lawyer to represent me, will I get charged with a more severe penalty?”

Many defendants in criminal cases are considered legally indigent and unable to afford attorneys. In May 2023, the law prohibits states from prosecuting these individuals unless attorneys are provided to them. In response, most states have local public defenders, licensed lawyers who represent only defendants in criminal cases who are deemed indigent. Another free DUI defense option, are private local attorneys near you who are called pro bono DUI lawyers – which means they will fight a case free of charge or legal fees.

Free public defenders are different than a local law firm’s pro bono attorneys, since public defenders are paid by the government and spend much of their time in local courts so they understand how the court system works. Public defenders who are good at their jobs and don’t have the immediate warning signs of bad attorneys for DUI, act in the best interests of their clients. However, with the large amount of cases public defenders handle, private pro bono lawyers are likely to have more time to devote on each case and have greater odds at getting a better outcome or plea deal.

Drivers that do not financially qualify for using a free DUI lawyer or public defender, still have the best affordable DUI lawyers available as a defense option with low legal fees and payment plans.

In some jurisdictions, one public defender is assigned to a defendant for the duration of a DUI case. In others, different public defenders may handle different aspects of the case. It is the responsibility of each lawyer to prepare comprehensive documentation regarding his or her involvement in the process so the defense does not suffer.

Whether a defendant in a DUI case is assigned a public defender at no charge or is able to afford limited legal representation with a pro bono lawyer, the goal is to build the strongest case possible against the DUI charge. A conviction may result in fines, license suspension, and jail time, so the stakes are high. Lack of funds should not prevent an individual from fighting a DUI charge and winning in court with local pro bono DUI lawyers available to provide free legal help drop charges or get a case dismissal.

Recommended Posts

How to get DUI Reduced to Reckless Driving

How likely is it for a DUI or DWI to get reduced to a lesser offense, such as reckless driving?

Best Legal Defenses How to Get a DUI, DWI Dropped (Fast) Getting DUI charges dropped in court happens frequently with expert ...

What questions should I ask a DUI lawyer?

12 Things To Ask Your DUI Lawyer, For More Possible Ways How To Beat A DUI Arrest Charge Case

Review Important Questions to Ask a Lawyer About a DUI Case If you have been arrested for a DUI or DWI ...

How Can a DUI Lawyer Help Me Beat My Case?

Fighting a DUI case is not something that you should do without an attorney. However, finding the right attorney is necessary ...

Miranda Rights not read during DUI arrest

Can a DUI Get Dismissed if the Officer Did Not Read My Rights During the Arrest?

Review Miranda Rights and How they Apply to Recent DUI, DWI Arrests When are Miranda Rights not required? Miranda Rights must ...

7 thoughts on “What Happens if I Can’t Afford to Hire a DUI Lawyer?”

  1. My son is 20 and just got a DWI and we cant afford a lawyer. Please please tell me what to do or what our options are. I need to know what i can do to keep him from going to jail. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • I got into a car accident and the police charged me with a OVI even though I wasn’t drunk or intoxicated. The police who arrested me didn’t care for my side of the story, and made me take a breath test over 10 times and it kept coming back 00.0 Inconclusive.

      The officer wanted something to be there that wasn’t … denied me medical care and my neck was broke from the accident. So because the test result wasn’t coming back how he wanted it to be, he said I refused and don’t understand how when I took the breath test 10 + times.

      Reply
  2. I got a dui and resisting arrest charge. I wasn’t driving, my friend with a license drives me to my appointment errands ect. I was very intoxicated, I don’t remember anything when I sobered up.

    They told me I was going to jail for dui. I was at dmv to get my license, and they said no. 2014 I got a second dui, sentenced to 18 mo school and $2000.00 in fines and it took me more than two years to complete. I had one more one on one for 15 min and I went jail for something else and never got that dui class certificate of completion.

    Now they say I have to do dui school classes all over because they only hold for two years. It’s been five years and I cannot except that I have to get some kind of credit for all that time. There has to be something legally to help me with this dui nightmare when I can’t afford legal fees that I already paid for the first time.

    Reply
  3. Hi my name is William, and I got arrested for my 3rd DUI in Wareham Mass and my first 2 DUIs were 25 years ago. I declined the breathalyzer and told the cops I was a drunk. I have been in recovery for 18 years. Even though I did drink, but was really nervous. My next court date is Feb 6th I need legal help.

    Reply

Leave a Comment