Getting started with your defense

If you wish to schedule a free initial conversation, you should do so right away by calling my office at 603-448-2477. I cannot emphasize too strongly how very important it is that anyone arrested for DUI or DWI in this State take immediate action in consulting an attorney. Any delay may put you at a substantial legal disadvantage. I do not like to have to inform a potential client during our initial contact that he or she has waited too long and has already missed a deadline that will result in a significant license loss. Please do not allow yourself to end up in this unfortunate but avoidable predicament.

Even if you have waited more than ten days or even more than thirty days, it may not be too late to act. Even if you feel you have waited too long, you should still contact an attorney immediately, and you may find that you still have a wide range of options for your defense. Depending on whether you submitted to a blood test or a breath test, or refused to submit, different deadlines can apply. Do not give up – promptly contact my office or another lawyer and find out for certain what your choices are. If you wish, you may complete the Potential Client Questionnaire and submit it; I still suggest, however, that you call as well. When you call, we will ask you for much of the information requested on the Potential Client Questionnaire. Any information that you submit about your charges is protected by the attorney-client privilege and will remain confidential within Struckhoff Law Office.

You also may reach us by e-mail at ecsiii@nhduidefense.com. If you have submitted the form, our job will be that much easier. If you do not choose to submit the form, you may want to review it in order to determine and collect the kind of information we will be asking you for. The information we seek is necessary for my office to determine how best to proceed, including how quickly we must schedule you for your initial interview.

You may or may not speak to me on your first call, as I am frequently in Court, at motor vehicle hearings, or with clients. Feel free to give all the information requested to the person answering the phone. All information you provide is confidential. You can be sure that we are quite sensitive to the needs of many prospective clients not to have it known that they have been arrested for DWI. Please feel free to let us know if you do not want calls to certain numbers, or if you prefer the leaving of a simple innocuous message that does not suggest a law firm. We will quickly arrange an initial consultation, either in person at my office or via telephone if time or distance constraints require.

The initial consultation typically will last forty-five minutes to an hour. I will obtain necessary facts from you concerning your encounter with the police, arrest, processing, performance on field sobriety and chemical tests, alcohol consumption pattern, etc., in order preliminarily to assess the chances of a successful outcome. I will want to examine copies of all the documents that you were given, such as bail receipts, summons, or complaints, breath test printouts, police notices, etc. I will need to know about you and what is important to you. I will explain, and attempt to answer any questions you may have about, the law, the penalties you face, and the choices before you. I am frank with my potential clients and honestly attempt to assess their chances based upon the information provided me. I will give you an honest evaluation of your prospects and what, if anything, I think I may be able to do to help.

I do not care to exaggerate your chances of a successful outcome in order to obtain business. Similarly, however, I need honesty from you; if you give me bad information upon which I base my assessment of your chances, I cannot give you the kind of realistic assessment you deserve. Finally, I will discuss with you the cost of your defense. Chances are good that I will quote you a fixed fee – rarely do I find cases that are best handled on an hourly fee basis. You are free to choose to retain my services or not; I do not require anyone to make such a decision while in my office. We do accept VISA and MASTERCARD. If you decide you do want to retain my services, you will be expected to pay a retainer of one-half of the total fixed fee prior to my beginning work on your behalf. You will be given or sent a written fee letter to review and sign that will include the amount and the timing of your fee payments-- typically you will be expected to make an additional payment, usually of $750.00, prior to the ALS hearing (if the police requested revocation of your license under the ALS law); the remaining balance of the fee is payable ten days in advance of your first scheduled trial date. As soon as I have been retained, I will notify the Court of my representation of you, file any necessary motion to continue the scheduled arraignment, request complete police reports records and other discovery, and notify the Department of Safety of your request for an Administrative License Suspension hearing. Then together we will undertake your defense. I will keep you informed about any new developments in your case. When the various documents concerning your case arrive, you and I will meet, review the police reports and other documents, and then figure the best way to proceed to assure the best possible outcome for you. I will let you know what I think is the best route for you to follow, but the final decision is always up to you.