Gordon Fenderson is an attorney in Jacksonville, Florida specializing in personal injury accident claims and DUI defense. After receiving a degree in Political Science from Appalachian State University, Fenderson went on to earn his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law. He is currently the owner of the Fenderson Law Firm, and a member of the Florida Bar, Jacksonville Bar Association, Middle District of Florida, and Florida Justice Association. In this article, he explains the reasons why people should hire a lawyer to represent them in their DUI case.
It is virtually impossible for someone to represent himself in a DUI case. Or, more importantly, it is virtually impossible for someone to be successful when representing themselves in their own DUI case. I say this because generally, people have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to the rules and regulations that must be followed in court and when dealing with their own case.
Unless you have some type of extensive experience handling DUI cases—and I am not talking about having gotten a DUI before, obviously—it would definitely not be in your best interest to attempt to represent yourself if you have been arrested for driving under the influence. Hiring an attorney who specializes in DUI cases is really important if you are in this type of situation and have been charged with driving under the influence. Of course, most people don’t realize that just because they do not understand how DUI cases work.
Too many issues and rules need to be followed, as far as the rules of criminal procedure and as far as the issues that need to be brought out when you are in court, for someone to effectively represent himself in a DUI case. There are way too many legal issues that the typical lay person just would not have a way to know or understand, and because of that he could not be expected to represent himself effectively. This is the specific reason why I would never advise people to attempt to handle their own representation in a DUI case.
By having an attorney on your side, you can guarantee that you will have someone working toward your benefit when it comes to the case at hand. That’s why I tell people that finding a lawyer who specializes in DUI cases is one of the best ways to increase your chances of success when fighting the charge.
Of course, attorneys can be expensive. But in my experience, people will find a way to pay for something when it is this important. And so yes, while everyone is legally allowed to represent themselves in court—assuming you have found a judge who will allow it—that is not something I would ever advise to clients or to anyone else who asked.
