How to Choose an Attorney for Your Georgia DUI Case

When you are charged with a Georgia DUI, it seems as though you are bombarded with advertisements and solicitations for legal help. At such a critical time in your life, making the decision on who you should trust to represent your interest and defend your DUI case must seem overwhelming especially if you have never worked with a lawyer before. How do you know who you should trust with protecting your future?

The Philosophy

Is the person I am hiring an excellent lawyer or an excellent marketer?

Atlanta DUI cases are very common and many lawyers choose to advertise for DUI clients, because they feel as though it is an area of the law that is easy to master. Be very careful because many attorneys will give you bad advice. For example, some Atlanta area DUI attorneys advise their clients to plead guilty to DUI because the penalties are “not that bad”. This is malpractice if you ask me. At the Law Offices of Douglas B. Chanco, WE DO NOT SHARE THIS PHILOSOPHY.

When we defend a DUI case,we go all out in an effort to fight and win. This is an exhausting process and involves many long hours of review of the evidence and preparation of your case. Regardless of the facts in your case, regardless of the evidence against you, we will never suggest you plead guilty to a DUI. Their are better options available that need to be explored first. To succeed you need an Atlanta DUI attorney who will fight for your best interests. We are that law firm.

The Skills

In many respects, defending a DUI case is more difficult than defending a murder case. This is because DUI cases are highly technical and involve a lot of science. This is why advanced DUI training is vital to defending DUI case. A successful case cannot be built without a deep understanding of the complex procedures and sciences involved in these cases. As a responsible and professional Atlanta DUI attorney, I pride myself in being highly trained in the advanced issues in DUI cases. Some of the highlights of my training are:

NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Practitioner certified.
This is the same training that the police officer who investigated your DUI received. This training involves every aspect of the DUI investigation you have been subjected to.

NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor certified.
This training qualifies and allows me to train others, including police officers, in the standardized field sobriety testing used in roadside DUI investigations. This is a higher level of training than what the majority of police officers receive.

NHTSA/IACP Drug Recognition Expert
This certification involves all of the aspects involved in DUI drugs investigations. If your case involved prescription drugs, marijuana, or any other narcotic or controlled substance, you should look for an attorney who has completed a DRE program to defend your case. Unlike alcohol, there is no one type of drug. In fact, drugs influence the body in many different ways and can result in questions as to whether or not this substance is responsible for rendering the driver impaired.

National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and National College for DUI Defense Fall 2010 DUI Defense Seminar
This multi-day national conference was attended by the brightest experts in DUI. The focus of this intensive semina was on perfecting the skills of the participants in reference to issues in DUI blood testing, cross-examining police officers and the state’s experts and effective jury selection.

National College for DUI Defense and Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Spring 2011 Mastering Scientific Evidence in DUI cases Seminar
This high-level, grueling seminar dealt exclusively with confronting the scientific evidence presented in DUI cases. The lectures featured DUI experts from across the country and focus on the issues of DUI blood collection, testing and results along with issues associated with DUI breath testing and its reliability.

The Results

Every case is individual and unique. The results of one case can never guarantee similar outcomes in subsequent cases. However, based upon our willingness to use every possible legal option in a DUI, we have achieved favorable results for many of our clients. We have won many cases that other lawyers had deemed “impossible to win”.

Here is what our clients are saying about us:

Doug did a great job on my case in Atlanta. He was tenacious and got a dismissal very quickly. I cannot say enough good things about his representation of me in my case. I will certainly hire him again if I need him.

Thanks to Doug, my DUI was dismissed and my arrest record was expunged. I don’t see arrest record on the criminal history record I got from Local Police department after expungement! I really thank him for all his help and guidance during the whole process. I truly admire his professional guidance and prompt communication at every stage. I would recommend him to anyone who is in trouble.

I would like to thank Doug for his excellent work in handling my son’s case. We are glad that his driver license was saved.
Doug’s efforts in getting my son’s DUI dismissed were phenomenal. He said it would take up to a year to resolve the case, yet it was done in only four months!
Thank you again for all your great work on my son’s case. We really appreciate it.

Here is what other lawyers in the community are saying about us:

I went to a conference with Attorney Chanco. As a result, I was able to see personally the care he takes in attending to the needs of his clients, and in developing his skill constantly. Attorney Chanco attends the training that all of this nation’s top DWI/DUI defense lawyers attend. He is a credit to his profession, and if I was in trouble in Atlanta, I would have no problem hiring Attorney Chanco to represent me. I wholeheartedly endorse Attorney Chanco.

-Attorney David Brengle , St. Louis (MO)

Doug Chanco is a very experienced attorney who is extremely passionate about his work. We share the same past experience of being prosecutors which is excellent trial and litigation experience. Doug goes the extra mile of making sure he is completely well versed in his subject areas, and he will always fight for his clients. Dough Chanco would be an excellent choice for you.

-Attorney Kimberly Frye , Marietta (GA)

Doug practices in one of the most difficult jurisdictions in the State, and he consistently grinds out excellent results. I have a great deal of respect for Doug for standing up for his clients in very difficult circumstances.

-Attorney Richard Ryczek , Lawrenceville (GA)

If you would like to speak with us about defending your DUI case, please call us at 1-855-9-ATL-DUI