How Can I Find The Best Lawyer to Defend DUI Charges In Oklahoma?
A DUI conviction in Oklahoma carries harsh penalties, including jail time and hefty fines, even for a first-time offense. A conviction can also cause further complications in your life, such as loss of driving privileges, problems finding employment, and increased insurance rates, to name a few.
To achieve the best outcome in a DUI case and have the best chance of avoiding conviction, most people search for the best attorney to represent them in the hope of walking away without a conviction. However, deciding which DUI lawyer is the best, and specifically which lawyer is the best for your circumstances, can be challenging.
There can be many factors to consider when looking for a criminal defense attorney to represent you in your DUI case, including their experience with cases similar to yours, and what their previous clients have to say about them.
At Cannon & Associates, we believe that everyone has the right to the best legal representation, and we understand the importance of finding an attorney who meets your requirements and works in a way that suits you. With a reputation of fierce advocacy, glowing client testimonials, and over 30 years of experience, we are confident that our team can support you in finding the best lawyer for you.
With offices located in both Edmond and Oklahoma City OK, Cannon & Associates successfully represent clients in both felony and misdemeanor DUI cases across Oklahoma. Schedule a free consultation with a highly experienced lawyer to defend DUI charges by calling 405-591-3935 to discuss if we might be the right fit for you and your case.
DUI Charges In Oklahoma
Oklahoma DUI laws are strict and outline harsh punishments if you are convicted of a DUI, including jail time, license suspension, and fines. You may be charged with a DUI offense if you are in actual physical control of a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. The inclusion of the term ‘actual physical control’ means that you do not even have to be driving the vehicle to be charged. Similarly, if you are under the age of 21, you can be arrested for a DUI even with a BAC of lower than 0.08.
For drivers over the age of 21 who are arrested with a BAC of 0.05% but less than 0.08%, they may be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), which is a lesser form of a DUI charge in Oklahoma.
First-time DUI
A first-time DUI conviction is punishable by up to 1 year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
Your driving privileges may also be revoked by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). If you have a commercial license, the stakes are even higher, and you may lose your commercial license and be banned from driving a commercial vehicle, impacting your ability to work.
Recurrent DUI offense
Penalties for DUIs typically increase with every repeat offense. A second DUI conviction carries a potential prison sentence of 1-5 years and a maximum fine of $2,500. For a third-time offense, this increases to 1-10 years of incarceration and a $5,000 fine.
DUI Resulting In Great Bodily Injury
If your DUI offense caused great bodily injury to another, the charges and associated penalties you are facing increase substantially. Regardless of whether it is your first DUI offense, a DUI resulting in great bodily injury is a felony DUI charge and carries harsh penalties. This conviction carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 1 year, up to a maximum of 10 years in prison. Likely, you will also lose your driving privileges for an extended period and be fined up to $5,000.
Oklahoma law defines great bodily injury as an injury that:
- Creates a substantial risk of death to the injured party.
- Causes the loss or long-term impairment of a bodily member or organ.
- Results in a serious and permanent disfigurement to the injured party.
Any DUI case involving injury to another may also result in a personal injury case in civil court, whereby the driver may be liable for compensation to the injured party. A criminal conviction often makes it more likely that a driver will be found liable in a civil lawsuit.
6 Qualities To Look For In An Attorney to Defend Against DUI Charges
When choosing the right legal representation for you, several essential factors must be considered to ensure you secure an attorney who will best support your case. Key things to look out for include experience, reviews, customer service, and reputation.
AVVO is an online service where you can search for lawyers to represent you in many practice areas, including DUI criminal defense. AVVO can be particularly useful when evaluating attorneys because it has a review and rating service where clients can provide feedback on attorneys and rate the quality of service they received. Our Cannon & Associates owner and founder, John Cannon, is a top-rated attorney on AVVO, with a rating of 10.0. This level of service is something that John Cannon instills throughout the Cannon & Associates firm.
1. Experience
It goes without saying that experience successfully representing clients in similar cases to yours is crucial when choosing an attorney. Consider choosing an attorney with a strong history handling both DUI and DWI criminal cases, including misdemeanors and felonies, in both state and federal court. DUI and DWI lawyers with many successful cases and a broad range of experience in DUI cases should be best placed to represent you.
2. Broad Legal Background
Although you want an attorney with specialist experience in DUIs and similar cases to your own, a breadth of experience in various areas of criminal defense can also be beneficial to your case. Many elements of criminal law overlap and a precedent may be set in a case involving a different crime that could still apply to your defense. An attorney with experience in other areas of criminal defense, such as white-collar crime, traffic offenses, federal crimes, and domestic violence, can use lessons learned from this wealth of experience to benefit your case.
3. Understanding Of The Prosecution
An understanding of the prosecution in your case, the strategies they may use, and how they could react to negotiations can be extremely beneficial to the outcome of your charges.
Cannon & Associates’ founder John Cannon, and Associate Douglas Elliot are both former Assistant District Attorneys and Prosecutors. The Cannon & Associates team comprises highly skilled individuals, former prosecutors, and lawyers with experience working in various Attorney General’s offices, with over 30 years of experience fighting criminal charges. Our in-depth understanding of the inner workings of state and federal prosecution services gives us a unique edge when it comes to defending our clients against the prosecution.
4. Reputation
Any respectable law firm prides itself on its reputation. A good reputation reassures potential clients of the quality of service they will receive from attorneys at that firm. A reputation of frequently winning cases can also indicate the likelihood of an attorney from that firm helping you beat your DUI charge.
5. Client Testimonials
Client testimonials are essential to understand the success of a law firm and how they have managed previous cases and clients. You want to ensure that a firm’s previous clients speak highly of them and the service they provided. Similarly, personal recommendations from a friend or family member who has used their services previously can be beneficial.
At Cannon & Associates, we pride ourselves on positive client testimonials. Our clients mostly comment on our attorney’s empathetic and personal approach and the excellent representation they received during their cases. Currently, we have over 300 5-star google reviews on our legal services and our attorneys’ criminal defense successes.
6. Communication
Although you can’t expect your attorney to be on call 24/7, regular and effective communication between a client and their attorney is a crucial element of any successful case. You need a lawyer who is easily contactable and responsive as much as realistically possible. Similarly, your attorney should provide you with regular updates on milestones and progress in your case to ensure you are up to date and prepared for any upcoming hearings, for example.
Why Choose Cannon & Associates
A DUI charge can have a serious impact on your life and your future. As such, securing the best lawyer possible to fight your charges is of utmost importance. In addition to over 30 years of both broad criminal defense and specialist DUI defense experience, Cannon & Associates have the knowledge, reputation, and skill to give you the best possible chance of avoiding a DUI conviction. This confidence is echoed by our client testimonials and top lawyer AVVO rating.
Cannon & Associates have a reputation for being fierce advocates for all of their clients, regardless of the type of charge they are facing. To maintain this reputation and provide the best possible service to our clients, Cannon & Associates lawyers will always go above and beyond to build the best defense possible to secure a successful outcome for you.
Additionally, many Cannon & Associates clients comment on our attorney’s passion and empathy during the cases they work. Our team empathizes with our clients’ situations and combines diligent preparation and strategy building with aggressive representation to protect our clients’ freedoms and future.
Free no-obligation consultation
If you are facing DUI charges, schedule a free consultation and strategy session with a Cannon & Associates lawyer to discuss your case and review potential strategies to beat your charges.
Our consultation has no fees or obligations to continue with representation if you choose not to. Regardless of your decision, our aim is that you leave your consultation equipped with more information and knowledge of the options available to you in your case.
Contact Cannon & Associates Oklahoma Lawyers to Defend Against DUI Charges Today
Secure your experienced attorney to defend against DUI charges with Cannon & Associates today. Visit a law office in Oklahoma City or Edmond, or contact us at 405-591-3935 to book your free strategy session.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the chances of winning a DUI case in Oklahoma?
With skilled representation, there are several options available to you to avoid a DUI conviction in Oklahoma. Before a case goes to trial, your attorney may be able to get the state to dismiss your charges if they find an error or inconsistency in how your charge was handled, or if there is insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
If this is not possible, your lawyer could negotiate a deal with the prosecution, which may include you pleading to a lesser charge, such as a DWI or reckless driving, thus avoiding a DUI conviction and the penalties that it carries.
In some situations, a plea deal may not be the best option for you. Another option is to fight your case at trial. With a strong defense and experienced legal representation, DUI charges can be defeated in court.
The Oklahoma criminal justice system is not designed for individuals to represent themselves against charges. To ensure that you receive the best possible chances of winning a DUI case and avoiding a conviction, an experienced attorney is essential.
How much does a lawyer for DUI defense in Oklahoma cost?
The cost of a reputable defense lawyer for DUIs isn’t as expensive as some people may think, especially when weighed against the cost of a DUI conviction. The fine and the possible impact on earning potential from a DUI conviction and a suspended driver’s license can quickly outweigh how much you will pay for an attorney.
However, this does not mean that you should always choose the cheapest option available when looking for an attorney. You should weigh up the cost of an attorney against their skills, standards of service, and overall likelihood of winning your case based on experience, passion, and training.
During your free initial consultation with Cannon & Associates, an attorney will transparently outline our fees upfront and discuss what these fees will cover with you. Before agreeing to representation, you will have all the information you need about the cost of Cannon & Associates’ legal fees in your case to allow you to make an informed decision.
