From the get-go, legal fees alone can run anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 and even higher depending on the lawyer. Generally, $3,500 is the average fee. Keep in mind, these are flat fees, meaning that your DUI lawyer in Long Beach should not be charging by the hour. Be very, VERY cautious about hiring a DUI lawyer that charges by the hour. At $350.00 per hour, you can bet that your DUI lawyer is going to spend more than 10 hours on your case.
The flat fee should include everything the lawyer does; motions, research, letters, phone calls, office meetings, all court appearances, including jury trial. Defense expenses outside the attorney’s fees could include expert witnesses and analysis, creating exhibits for trial, and maybe a private investigator. Your DUI lawyer will know whether any of these are necessary and he or she should never incur an expense without asking you first.
Other DUI costs include fines and mandatory court fees that could total over $2,000. Then there are the classes that cost money, community labor or service that costs money, and other requirements like a victim impact panels and hospital/morgue visits that cost money. It is not out of the ordinary for a DUI in Long Beach to cost upwards of $6,000 - $8,000 when it’s a said and done.
