Question of the Day: The Best DUI Attorney in Washington, DC?

DCDUIAttorneyI got a call today from a young lady seeking representation for a DC DUI arrest. She said to me, “I heard you are the best and would like you to represent me in this matter.” We spoke for about five minutes and ultimately scheduled a time for her to come into the office to retain my services.

I’ll never tell you I’m the best. What I will say, however, is “I’m damn good at what I do.”* A colleague of mine has been referring to me over the last several years as “Mr DWIP”. He has noticed that a lot of my DUI cases result in Dismissal for Want of Prosecution (DWIP). Quite simply, it means that on the day of trial the government is unable – for whatever reason – or is not in a position to go forward with the DUI allegations against my client. In that event, I ask the Judge to dismiss the case for lack or want of prosecution if the government prosecutor cannot provide the court with “good cause” or reason as to why the case should be continued. Given those facts, the judge will generally dismiss the case for want of prosecution (DWIP).

I am a DUI defense lawyer in Washington, DC. Can I #help?

*This is a response that I settled on having heard that pronouncement from a number of individuals who similarly were seeking DUI representation and were referred either by former clients or another attorney. I asked friends and colleagues how I should respond and a colleague suggested that if I was not comfortable with that, then how about – “I’m damn good at what I do.” I agreed and that is my response when people say, “I heard you are the best.”

I prepare my cases (and I start from the outset with all the questions I ask a client to document as much information as possible surrounding the circumstances of the arrest.) I evaluate the prosecutor’s case for strengths and weaknesses – which facts hurts and which ones help – and give my client what I consider the best advise under the circumstances. Was the client “slurring” his or her speech? Was the client’s balance “normal” vs. swaying, stumbling, staggering, wobbling or “using the vehicle for support”? A strong odor of alcohol by itself is not “indicia of impairment.” Some cases are good, some are bad and some are ugly. A number of clients take this advise and chose to put the government’s case to the test. All too often, cases that look so damning at the outset can turn out not to be the case. I’ve lost cases, but I’ve won many more dismissals and not guilty verdicts. That is what makes a good anything – preparation! The same is true for a good DC DUI lawyer.

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