When you start looking for an attorney to defend you against DUI charges, you're going to have to interview a few. You need to find someone who has certain qualities that will make getting through your case easier. Even if you know you're guilty and are just trying to get a lighter sentence, you still need someone who you are happy with. When you start talking to attorneys, look for these qualities to find the best person.

Ability to Explain Things in a Straightforward Manner

Unless you're a lawyer yourself, you're not likely to find speech full of legalese to be very helpful. Your attorney has to be able to explain things in a straightforward manner so that you understand them and so that the court case doesn't take longer than it has to. A jury might not be so happy with an attorney who expects them to know legalese too.

Ability to Handle Additional Circumstances in Your Case

Cases involving DUI charges aren't all alike. There are basic cases--like someone getting drunk and stopped at a checkpoint -- but there can be complicating factors, such as immigration status, prior conviction history, probation status, and so on. There are also cases where the supposed intoxication was really due to complications from diabetes. For instance, changes in blood sugar levels can mimic intoxication and, in some cases, give false positives on breathalyzers. So your attorney needs to be skilled in presenting medical statistics. Your attorney has to be able to handle the additional circumstances that come with your case.

Ability to Keep You Involved

That sounds like a strange quality because if you're being charged with a DUI, of course you're still going to be involved. But what it really means is that the attorney should keep you in the loop and not make you feel like you're taking up his or her time when you ask questions that anyone charged with DUI would ask. The attorney should be someone who you feel comfortable with. This is going to differ for everyone; some might like a more aggressive, take-charge attorney who takes care of everything and just gives clients a brief update of what to expect next. Others feel better working with attorneys who keep clients involved in each step.

There are many attorneys out there who are dedicated to helping people charged with DUIs. Keep looking until you find the right one.