Q: Live in california but have a DUI charge in eagle county Would I be able to get a lawyer or paralegal to go to court ?
Went to court once and they dropped it to a DWAI and I did not complete payments or community service
I live in california but I need a new court date from the judge
Can I get a paralegal or lawyer to get a new date and go for me so I don't have to drive all the way out from california?
A:
If you have a DUI charge in Eagle County, Colorado, and you live in California, you will be able to hire a lawyer, but NOT a paralegal, to represent you in court. However, there are a few important considerations:
1. In any criminal matter, you have the right to see if you qualify for court appointed counsel through the Public Defender's Office. Generally, you are given the application at your first court appearance.
2. A paralegal is not advisable in this circumstance. For a DUI charge, it is generally advisable to have legal representation, as DUI cases can have serious consequences. A qualified attorney can help you navigate the legal process, assess the evidence against you, and potentially negotiate a plea deal or defend you in court. A paralegal is not permitted to practice law and cannot advocate for you in court.
3. Keep in mind that your court appearances will likely be required to be in person due to the criminal nature of the proceeding. While your attorney will be local in Colorado and may be able to handle some appearances without you, or your attorney could ask you be permitted to remotely appear -- you need to be aware that you will likely have to appear in person for some of this case.
4. The local knowledge of your attorney is really a huge advantage. Local attorneys within Eagle (or nearby) have advantages of them being familiar with the local court system, judges, prosecutors, and possible legal strategies employed in Eagle County. For example, if you hire an attorney out of Colorado SPrings -- the attorney is going to be less familiar with the judges in Eagle and will also bill you (most likely) for travel. So finding someone in Eagle has huge bonuses.
Ultimately, where you live matters not. The incident occurred in Eagle County, Colorado, and so the case is going to proceed there. But you should be considering attorneys and NOT paralegals.
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