Hiring a drink driving solicitor in London – This Is How We Can Help You
When you face a drink driving charge, you suddenly realise how your life rests on the ability to drive. For many people, not driving means not being able to get to work. A disaster. If you're in the capital, this makes hiring a drink driving solicitor in London a vital first step in protecting yourself.
But there are many drink driving lawyers out there. And solicitors fees aren't cheap. So, what do you do?
First of all, know that just because you have been found to be over the legal alcohol limit, that is no guarantee you have to be found guilty. At DFR Solicitors, we have helped many people in your situation avoid driving bans – and worse.
Reach out to our drink driving specialists on 033 03411690 or complete a Free Online Enquiry to have us start looking into your case.
Know that you aren't alone. We find that most people in your position who contact us really want to know:
Is it worth getting a solicitor for drink driving?
The real question is how much does your life rely on your ability to drive? Because if you are found guilty of drink driving, you face a mandatory driving ban of at least 12 months.
The court isn't allowed to reduce this. If you are found guilty, you will be banned for at least a year. That though is the minimum. If you have similar offences on your record or there were aggravating circumstances (perhaps you caused an accident), your ban can last as long as three years.
So, how important is driving to your life? If you only drive to get out of the city on weekends, you might be able to get by without driving. But if you drive to work – or for work – a driving ban can destroy your lifestyle.
Lost jobs. Lost income. These are standard outcomes for people found guilty of driving over the limit. So, is it worth getting a solicitor for drink driving? It's actually relatively easy to work out:
- How would your life change if you couldn't drive? (How would you get to work, for example?)
- Can you afford to pay the fine? (This can be as high as £5000)
- Are you putting yourself at risk of community service or prison time? (Drink driving can come with six months' prison time in the worst cases)
- Do you know how to communicate with the police and the courts? (Simply pleading guilty is not always the best choice)
- Do you know how to maximise your chance of the best possible outcome? (Again, pleading guilty is not your only choice even if you were found over the limit)
Can drink driving charges be dropped?
Yes, drink driving charges can often be dropped. In fact, while many people ask about the possible defences for drink driving, these are often far less effective than trying to get your case dropped before you need to defend yourself in court at all.
There are several ways we have done this to great effect with other people who have come to us very worried about their own drink driving charges.
These have included doing things like:
- Questioning the effectiveness and accuracy of the testing equipment used in your case
- Forcing the Crown Prosecution Service to disclose the evidence they have against you
- Drawing attention to errors in police or court procedure during the handling of your case
How do I choose between London's drink driving solicitors?
Drink driving solicitors in London are not in short supply. So, how do you choose between them? We always suggest that you:
- Ask for recommendations
- Check online reviews
- Reach out in person to get a feel for how keen they are to defend you
- See if you get a good feeling about the way they communicate (Are they fast? Responsive?)
- Ask for a free quote and confirm their solicitors' fees and structure
Armed with this information, you can decide what the best choice is. In our experience, your gut feeling about your ability to build a good working relationship with your potential solicitor and how supportive and dedicated to being on your side they sound go a long way.
How can you help me with my drink driving charge?
Let us walk you through the process we've used to defend so many people in your situation from a drink driving charge. We will assess your case, investigate the evidence against you, and advise you what your best defence will be.
This often involves forcing the CPS to disclose that evidence, with a view to drawing their attention to evidential shortcomings and failings of procedure that may see your case dropped before you even get to court.
Chat with one of our highly experienced drink driving solicitors in London now, by calling us today on 033 03411690 or Click here to make an Online Enquiry.