Choosing a lawyer for a DWI or another criminal offense can be a hard decision to make. There are so many options to choose from, and you want to ensure the person you choose will represent you to the best of their abilities. That can often begin with checking their track record. It can be important to check your lawyer’s track record for these reasons: 

Determine Their Success Rate

Any DWI lawyer in Austin, Texas, or elsewhere in the United States can have a fancy website and a professional photo. That doesn’t mean they help their clients experience success in the courtroom. 

You may be able to determine your preferred lawyer’s success rate by checking their track record. You can learn about their past cases and how many of them were able to achieve positive outcomes. The higher their success rate is, the more confident you may be in their ability to handle your case. 

Ensure Their Competence

Browse the average law firm’s website, and you’ll rarely read information about their lawyers’ competence. Instead, most of the information will revolve around the services they provide.  However, asking for information about their track record can be a sound way to ensure their competence. If they have a history of triumphs in the courtroom, that can speak to their competence in managing cases from start to finish.  

Learn More About Their Reputation

Anyone can have an opinion about a person, but that doesn’t mean you’ll hold the same opinion. However, it doesn’t hurt to seek out information that points to a lawyer having a specific reputation. When you read positive reviews from past clients, you can paint a picture of what a lawyer is like. For example, if they have a track record of getting charges dropped, they may have a reputation as being a lawyer with great attention to detail. 

Learn About Their Experience Levels

Every lawyer has to start somewhere, but you don’t necessarily want an inexperienced lawyer if it could mean you would end up in jail. Learning about a lawyer’s track record can provide insight into their experience with cases like yours.

For example, if you’ve been charged with a DWI, it would make sense to meet with a lawyer boasting years of experience helping people with their DWIs. They may have a better understanding of the best DWI defense strategies and the likely penalties than a lawyer who doesn’t deal with DWIs. 

Understand Their Approach 

Many lawyers can provide the same services for their clients, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all have the same approach. Lawyers can all have different strategies for achieving positive outcomes for their clients. Some lawyers focus on finding flaws in the prosecution’s case, while others believe providing prompt guilty pleas for a reduced sentence is the best approach. When you check your lawyer’s track record, you can learn more about their approach and its success rate. 

Checking your lawyer’s track record may not be something you immediately think about, but it can be worth considering. Their record can provide insight into their experience, reputation, competence, and much more.