When entering a plea deal, a DUI criminal defense lawyer charges anywhere between $700 and $1,500. However, if your DUI case goes to trial, the costs associated with this legal process range between $1,500 and $4,000, or as high as $10,000 for complex DUI cases.
How much you’ll pay a DUI lawyer depends on the experience of the attorney and the amount of attorney training in the DUI Act. Other reasons vary between DUI attorneys, such as lawyer overhead. Also, what you’ll pay will depend on your DUI case, especially the complexity of your case. Thus, if your case is complex and needs to go to trial for more days, your final cost will be higher compared to average DUI cases.
Many DUI lawyers structure their payment in one of two ways--offering a flat or hourly rate:
Hourly rate. The average cost is $300 per hour. Depending on your DUI attorney and their location, you might pay $200 to $500 per hour. If your DUI case is resolved quickly, you’ll be billed for the short time period where the DUI lawyer worked on your case.
Flat rate. This covers your entire DUI case. Depending on the circumstances of your DUI case, you may pay $3,000 in flat lawyer fees. Your attorney may suggest this option if he or she believes they can negotiate an ideal plea deal to avoid a long and costly trial.