DUI Question: Indiana Lawyer or Chicago?
I recently got a DUI in Indiana but I live in Chicago. I’m 21 years old and I blew a .09 on the breathalizer. It ’s my first time.
If I get a lawyer in Indiana, I will have to drive there to meet him / or can have them do everything by phone up to my court date?
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If you get an attorney, he must be licensed to practice in the state where court will be held. Most attorneys near the border license themselves in both states.
Your attorney should be able to do most of the legal stuff without you present. You may have to appear in person at the final hearing, but that varies from state to state. Once you find an attorney, he will advise you of the details
If you retain an attorney in Chicago, he will charge you for travel time to Indiana, likely $150+ per hour. It would be much cheaper to get one in the county you were charged, and do the traveling yourself.
.08 is the legal limit in Indiana and just about everywhere else. If it where me I would hire a lawyer from Indiana as they know all of the in and outs of that States laws, and what plea bargains are acceptable in the local courts…they do very, judges are human. I would hire a lawyer in the same county as your court appearance. Another consideration is that a Chicago Lawyer is probably fairly expensive and you will be charged for his/her travel time to and from Indiana on top of the regular charges! Good luck, and don’t for what too long before hiriring a Lawyer. For what it is worth I am glad you are scared, not that I am a cruel person, it means you have learned a valuable lesson!
get one in Indiana. stay off the roads when you drink. getting people in trouble for .01 over the “legal” limit is becoming a lucrative “gotcha” pasttime for the cops, while I know people who drink a 12 pack and tool around all night…
You need a lawyer who is licensed to practice in the state in which the charges are. Unless you can find a Chicago lawyer who also has a current Indiana license, you’ll probably have to find one in Indiana. They’ll probably want to meet you atleast once in person, but you can correspond from home.