Lawyers in Salt Lake City

       By: Bifford Malibu
Posted: 2010-08-26 05:16:49
If you're in a situation where you are faced with impending legal action in Salt Lake City, UT, you need to have the right information to make a sound legal choice. Should you hire a lawyer? If so, what type of lawyer is the best, how do you decide? More importantly, what can you expect during the legal process? Check out these top tips on how to decide whether you need a lawyer in Salt Lake City, who to hire, and what to expect.Step 1: Do you Really Need a Lawyer?
You may be wondering what line needs to be crossed before you consider hiring a lawyer. That's not always an easy question, since a lot of it will boil down to what you're facing legally, what you can accept as a possible punishment, and what the facts of the case are.If you find yourself with an unpaid parking ticket or something similar, you can probably just move on and be okay with things. Pay the fine, get on with your life, that's all.What if it's a more serious situation? Using a DUI charge as an example, a first time offense in Salt Lake City can carry the following penalties:A 48-hour minimum jail service
Community service, which may vary depending on the facts of your case.
A series of fines starting at $700 plus court costs and a charge for the victim's restitution fund. In Utah the general average of fines will be approximately $1,650 to start.
The suspension of your driver license for an additional three-month period or longer, for as long as 2-years time.
Treatment for alcohol or drug abuse, whether you have a problem or not.
The court may also require the installation of an "interlock" device on your car that checks your breath for alcohol before the ignition will operate. These will usually be required on a vehicle for an entire year, and cost approximately $1,000 to install. Any measurable level of alcohol detected by this device will send a message to the police, even if under 0.08% BAC.
Court ordered probation, during which time you may be ordered to perform random drug and alcohol tests. During this time the court will order you to abstain from alcohol completely.If you're not a trained legal professional you could easily try to represent yourself and find yourself on the losing side of things, something you don't want to happen. So, step one of this process is to ask yourself if you're okay with losing. If not, read on.Step 2: How to Choose a Lawyer
This may seem like the most daunting task, and it is incredibly important, but it's also very easy if you take the right steps. The first thing to understand is that you want an expert to represent you, not just a one-size-fits solution.Seek out lawyers that focus on only a few areas, or if possible, just one. Who would you rather have defending you in the case of a DUI? A lawyer who has tried hundreds of DUI cases, or someone who usually handles divorce cases? In Salt Lake City alone there are well over 1,000 lawyers practicing all kinds of cases... make sure to pick the right one for your specific needs.Second, figure out what you can afford to pay. Lawyers can range wildly in pricing, so make sure to get quotes up front.Step 3: Listen!
Once you've made your decision and retained a lawyer to represent you it's very, very important to listen to what they have to say. If you don't follow this step you can easily derail your entire case. Your lawyer is there to shepherd you through this process, so above all listen to what they have to say, and also remember to always be truthful, even if it's embarrassing to do so.If you follow these simple steps you'll have the best odds of winning in your day at court. If not, well, that's another story.
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