If you are interviewing an attorney trying to decide whether or not that attorney will do the right job in defending you against a charge of DUI, here is a tip. If, during that initial conversation, the attorney does not state that he or she wants to go to the scene of the traffic stop, DO NOT hire that attorney.
I always go to the scene of the stop. There are things you can learn, as defense counsel, only by having your boots on the ground at the site. I want to see the texture of the surface upon which my client did field sobriety testing. I want to know the slope of the surface upon which my client was trying to stand on one foot, for example. I want to experience the lighting, if possible. I want to be oriented to the traffic that passes by the spot of the stop. There are many reasons why going to the scene of the stop is mandatory, in my opinion.
In other words, if the attorney you’re talking to is either too lazy or too inexperienced to know the importance of visiting the scene of the stop, you’re talking to the wrong attorney. Do not hire that individual.