To underscore the steep financial cost of a DUI conviction, you could look at the average cost of a first-time DUI conviction, one where no one was injured, and no property was even damaged. Taking into consideration court fees, legal expenses, license reinstatement fees, and more, you could be looking at a $5,000 to $12,000 price tag for a conviction, and to be honest, that is a low estimate. Costs could easily soar beyond this, even for a first DUI. Keep reading to get a further breakdown of the financial losses you could face.

• Court Fees: Depending on the laws in your state, or even in your county, you could be fined $250 to $1500.
• Legal Costs: It may be well worth it to avoid trial if you can, but that could still cost you $2,000 if you go with a lawyer, $5,000 if the case goes to trial. At least.
• Reinstating Your License: Varying by state, you would have to pay somewhere around $250 to $500 to get your license returned to you.
• DUI School/Substance Abuse Treatment: Whatever courses you are ordered to take, you could be looking at $100 to $500 coming out of your own pocket.
• Installing an Ignition Interlock Device: To install this in-car Breathalyzer of sorts, it can cost you $100 or so. Then you have to pay $50 to $100 to rent this every month. If you're ordered to install an IID, then expect this sentence to last at least 3 months.
• Insurance Rates: A DUI conviction means that insurers will view you as a high-risk motorist. This could easily mean a spike of $1,000 to $5,000 in your yearly insurance costs for at least the following three years.
• Lost Earnings: When you combine a jail with hours of community service, attending court hearings, and court-ordered courses, you would be looking at a minimum of one to four weeks away from work. On average, this could mean $1,000 to $4,000 of missed pay.

What if you're faced with your second or third DUI charge? Then your expenses likely doubled, if not tripled. While those are certainly sobering amounts, the reality is, if you want to fight your charges and get them lowered or dropped altogether, then you need to go with a lawyer, else you could face the full loss that a conviction entails. Going without a lawyer is likely to cost you more than sticking with a public defender or representing yourself.

Finding the right DUI lawyer is a value. Not only could rigorous defense prevent consequences such as jail, lost driving privileges and a devastated public record, but an attorney could further save from the financial costs of a DUI conviction. Find the skilled defender you need today!