Do I Still Need an Attorney If I Want to Plea Guilty?

YES!

Let’s face it, sometimes people are guilty and did exactly what the police accused them of doing. We have many clients come into our office and say, “I am guilty. I just want to plea guilty and get this over.” If you have similar thoughts about your DWI case, then you may be asking yourself if you really need to hire an attorney. The answer is YES for the following reasons:

To Make Sure Your Rights Were Not Violated

As a United State’s citizen you have Constitutional rights that protect you from unlawful arrests, searches and seizures, as well as, protect you from unlawful interrogations. Police officers are human. Unfortunately, this means that from time to time an officer may violate a person’s Constitutional rights during a stop, detention, arrest or questioning of a citizen accused of a crime. If your rights are violated, then you may have a right to have the case against you dismissed, or in the alternative, prevent certain evidence from being used against you. We ensure that our clients’ rights have not been violated, in any way, on ALL CASES regardless of whether the client wants to plead guilty or have a trial

To Make Sure There Are No Problems with the State’s Evidence

Often, problems arise with the State’s evidence. Videotapes get lost, witnesses have conflicts or cannot be found, officers transfer employment, etc. If you do not have an attorney, then the State may not inform you of any evidence problems. We always review the State’s evidence with our clients and look for problems that may be fatal to the State’s case.

To Make Sure the State Can Prove You Guilty both Legally and Factually

Just because you are arrested by a police officer does not mean that you are guilty of a crime. The level of proof needed for an officer to arrest and charge you with a crime is no where near the level needed for a jury to convict you of the crime. There may be many legal or factual defenses to your case. Our job, with every client, is to review all evidence to look for factual or legal defenses that may prevent a jury from finding you guilty.

To Make Sure You Are Treated Fairly and Receive a Fair Punishment

There is a large range of punishment for a DWI in Texas. For a first offense DWI, the State can put you in jail for up to 180 days, give you a fine of up to $4,000 or put you on probation for up to 2 years. Most prosecutors have cookie-cutter plea recommendations for ALL defendants. Prosecutors rarely consider your background, history, circumstances, how you treated the officers or many other factors that could mitigate your sentence. Our job is to make sure that, should you decide to plea guilty, you are treated fairly and receive a fair sentence.

To Defend Your Right to Drive

One of the most important reasons to hire an attorney if you are charged with DWI is to help protect your right to drive. If you are charged with DWI in Texas, there are two possible license suspensions. The first is an ALR suspension. The second is a suspension if you are found guilty of DWI. An attorney is needed to properly fight for your right to drive at and, if necessary, draft and present a petition for an occupational driver’s license to a judge. Remember, if you don’t address your license suspension, or if you don’t know how to address it, you could face additional criminal charges should you operate a motor vehicle.

Act Now to Protect Your Freedom, Driving Privileges and Legal Rights

If you or a loved one has been arrested or charged with a DWI or DUI within Collin County, Texas and the surrounding cities of McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Richardson, Dallas, Denton, Wylie, Addison, Prosper, Celina and The Colony, Texas and you need the help of an experienced drunk driving defense lawyer, call The Law Offices of Biederman & Burleson, P.L.L.C. today at (866) 439-2182 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Plano, Texas DWI defense trial attorney.