davidknecht, Author at Vacaville Attorney

What to Look for in Your Fairfield DUI Attorney

A DUI case is complex and quite challenging. It is important to have a good DUI attorney managing your case to help you properly navigate this. Here are some tips to help you find the right Fairfield DUI attorney:

Experience

No matter what time of case you are dealing with, you need to find someone with experience. Look for an attorney with a good reputation, and one who has dealt with cases similar to yours in the past. Online reviews are helpful, but it is also beneficial to talk to an attorney about their previous cases.

Empathy and Understanding

A good Fairfield DUI attorney will be understanding about your case and this situation. The attorney will look for options to help you through this case, and even options for where you can go from here.

Honesty

A DUI case can come with a number of unexpected twists and turns in the case. A good attorney will be honest with you about the outcomes you are facing. The DUI attorney will have experience in other cases like yours, and they will be able to let you know honestly what to expect.

Communication

A good attorney will know how to communicate effectively with their clients. The attorney will promptly return the phone calls, emails, and text messages. Having an attorney that is honest and will openly communicate with their clients shows they truly have their clients best interest in mind.

Chemistry

When you meet with the attorney, gauge how well they treat you. If you do not feel that you can trust this person and do not have good chemistry with them, it is a good idea to talk to another attorney. You need to find someone you are comfortable being with, and knowing will protect you and your rights.

Reasonable Fees

The attorney should be up front with you about the fees you will experience related to your case. A DUI is expensive, and you need to be prepared for the costs that you will need to pay. However, there are certain attorneys out there that do try to charge more than their fair share for the case. It is important to look for an attorney that you know will be reasonable and you can trust.

Contact our team at David Knecht Law to discuss your DUI case and determine what is the best option to take for your case.

Filed Under: Contract Law, Criminal Law, General Legal Advice

3 Things People Wish They Knew Before Hiring a Divorce Attorney

When it comes to divorce, it’s always going to be a stressful and emotional process. Some amical couples focus on trying to divorce without the need of hiring an attorney, but many quickly regret this decision. Saving time and money is usually the reason people try and divorce without an attorney. Assets, children, and some other complex factors can make a “simple” divorce complicated. Hiring an attorney is the best way to make sure you are protected and represented fairly in the case. Here are 3 things people wish they knew before choosing someone to represent them in a divorce case.

Experience in Family Law Matters

Some attorneys do not have experience in family law. If your soon to be ex has a top divorce attorney, you won’t want to be left without someone with experience in family law is helping you. Certain attorneys will try and take more than what is reasonable for your ex, so it’s important to protect yourself.

Divorce is emotional, and it can be hard to make rational, clear decisions. An attorney is someone who is focused on protecting you, and they will reduce the risk of you making decisions that are not in your best interest. An attorney is an objective third-party so it is easier for them to be able to provide you with sound advice.

Divorce Attorneys Know Multiple Options

When you work with an experienced divorce attorney, you can be certain they will have experience with a variety of cases. Some attorneys know which judges tend to lean different ways in their rulings. If people work out a ruling they need to know if the judge will reject it or not. Lawyers will focus on creating settlement proposals, which need to be proposed in a specific manner to obtain a fair ruling. A lawyer with experience will come up with similar options that others may not know yet. Always seek out an attorney that does have plenty of experience in all types of divorce cases and is familiar with updated family law.

Divorce Can Take a Long Time

Even when you think you will have a simple divorce, it can take a long time for divorce to be completed. The amount of paperwork that one needs to do for divorce can be lengthy and challenging. Producing the proper paperwork and making sure it is filled out correctly can make a difference in how your divorce plays out.

It is important to meet with multiple lawyers to find the right one who fits your needs. Consider not only the number of divorces they have been involved with, but also one that understands your situation. The personality of the lawyer can make you feel at-ease during this emotional time in your life. Contact David Knecht Law to schedule a consultation to discuss your divorce case.

Filed Under: General

What to Do if You Need a Vacaville Divorce Lawyer

Depending upon your situation, you may need to hire a divorce attorney to help you with your case. If your soon to be ex-partner has hired someone to represent them, it might be a good idea to contact an attorney on your own to help you. Many people try to avoid hiring divorce lawyers because they want to save money, but it normally costs them in the long-run. Here are some tips to follow if you need to hire a Vacaville divorce lawyer.

Experience

One thing you need to consider is the experience of the Vacaville divorce lawyer. Not all divorce cases are the same, so it is vital to make sure you are finding someone who knows how to handle cases like yours. If you have children involved, it will add a different element to your case. A good attorney will have experience handling other cases like yours, but they will focus on making sure your children are cared for as well. A good attorney wants the best outcome for your entire family.

Understanding

Everyone is in different life situations. When you go through a divorce, you may be at a time when you or your spouse was financially dependent upon each other. Separating money and assets will become complicated quickly. It pays to look for a lawyer who is going to listen to you and will be understanding about your situation. Their goal should be to help you and to make sure the divorce goes off as simply as possible.

Communication

One of the most frustrating things when going through a legal case is dealing with someone who doesn’t take your case seriously. If you feel like your attorney isn’t communicating with you, you are probably right! Look for an attorney who prioritizes your time and answers your questions. How promptly do they answer the phone or return your phone calls? Do they update you often with news about your case?

Costs

A Vacaville divorce lawyer is someone that needs to be up-front with you about their fees. People need to know what they will be paying for the divorce costs, along with the settlement agreement that will occur. People need to know if they can even afford hiring a divorce lawyer. Here are some things that you need to discuss with the attorney:

Spousal support costs or estimates as to what you will owe or receive monthly
Child support needs
Proposed agreements and if they are legally enforceable
Explanation of your legal rights and making sure your rights are protected

Dealing with a divorce is hard, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life. Working with a Vacaville divorce lawyer will make sure you are taken care of, and your best interests are kept in mind at all times. Contact David Knecht Law to discuss your divorce case, and to ensure you are working with an honest, fair lawyer.

Filed Under: General

How to Find the Best Vacaville Family Attorney

When you deal with a divorce case, it’s hard to know who to trust and has your best interests at heart. No divorce is as simple as a cut and dry method. There are several things to handle like the division of assets, boundaries, custody, etc. A good child custody lawyer can help with this case as they have experience in similar cases. Finding the right one can come down to selecting through several Vacaville family attorneys. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Experience With Similar Cases

Family law cases will work with a variety of areas in family law that include custody. There is a difference when you find an attorney who truly cares about their clients, and wants to help them individually versus an attorney who is in it for money. Focus on finding a lawyer who wants to help everyone in your family including your children as they will make decisions that are in their best interest.

Proximity

If you are going across state lines, you need an attorney who is in proximity to you and your region. Having a working knowledge of the case’s jurisdiction is important. Another thing to consider is where you live and how close it is for you to get to.

Personality

The personality of the attorney can make a difference in your case as well. You need to be able to find someone you can connect with. The attorney needs to be someone you can trust. If you feel like you cannot tell the attorney about your experiences and things that might help your case, you could end up with an unfair deal in whatever family law situation you are dealing with. You need an attorney that is kind, understanding, level-headed, and has your best interests in mind.

Communication

A good attorney will be prompt in the way they communicate with their clients. A good attorney will make sure they return phone calls from clients. Attorneys will send regular emails and updates to clients so they don’t end up feeling like they are not aware of what is happening with the case.

Experience

One of the important things to consider when working with an attorney is to review their experience. What do their other clients say about them? Read online reviews to learn more about the attorney and how their reputation is in the industry.

It’s not uncommon for people to have three or four different family law attorneys over time. It can be hard for people to find a person they feel does have their best interests at heart. Working with the right family law attorney doesn’t have to be hard. Contact David Knecht Law today!

Filed Under: Legal Advice, Locations Served, Vacaville Attorney, Vacaville Lawyer

3 Most Important Things to Avoid Doing When Getting 2nd DUI

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a second DUI in California, hire an attorney immediately. Under California vehicle code section 23540, individuals with a second DUI will find themselves dealing with more jail time, expensive fines, and a DUI program including filing a SR-22.

Anyone with a previous DUI will now deal with stricter penalties including:

Increased jail time, including at least 96 hours in county jail
Larger fines of $390 or more in addition to court penalty assessments which can total upwards of $1950
Longer jail time or community labor requirements

License Revocation

Following a second DUI within a 10-year timeframe, your license can be revoked for at least a year. You can get a restricted license following the installation of an ignition interlock device. SB 1046 will explain in detail how the ignition interlock device and legal requirements one must follow.

Mandatory DUI Program

A mandatory DUI program is the next thing you will be ordered to do when convicted of a second DUI. The mandatory DUI program ranges from 18-30 months. When you complete the program, you can receive your license again.

AA Programs

Some judges will require that you attend AA programs. The goal of the program is to help you understand the seriousness of the DUI, and to help you make better decisions in the future.

Why You Need a DUI Attorney

Many people are not sure of the seriousness of the offense. In many situations, a DUI attorney is the only voice of reason. A good attorney can assist you with several things including

DUI Stop
Sobriety checkpoint misconduct
Rising blood alcohol defense

An attorney will investigate your case and determine if there are issues with the DUI. Certain elements of your behavior will impact the severity of your case as well. It is important to cooperate with officers when you are pulled over for a DUI. If you become combative with the officer, it will only cause additional charges and problems. Contact the Law Offices of David Knecht today to have your legal rights protected!

Filed Under: General

3 Things to Look for in a Fairfield Attorney

Finding a good attorney can be challenging for many people. While there was a time when attorneys were not as prevalent, there has been a significant rise in the number of practicing attorneys in the United States. In fact, the attorney population has increased 15% in the past decade! A good attorney is someone who will fight on your behalf. Their goal is to focus on using ethical, cost-effective, and reasonable methods to help their clients receive the best outcome possible. Here are 3 things to look for in a Fairfield attorney.

Comfort and Personality

A good attorney will make you feel comfortable when you are working with them. While you want someone who is going to be good in the courtroom, you want someone who will valve your time in their offices. Do you feel like you can be honest and open when speaking with an attorney? An attorney cannot help you if they are not willing to pay attention to you. Reading some online reviews from past clients can help you find out if you are working with someone who does value their clients.

Attorneys who value their clients will spend time with them no matter how large or small their case is. You want to find an attorney who does answer phone calls, emails, and text messages. Even for a routine case, a good attorney understands how stressful the entire process can be for their clients, and they are here to help you through it.

Fee Structure and Record

The fee structure is something the attorney will be up-front with you right away. A good attorney will lay out how their fees work, and if there is a possibility if you do have additional charges possibly coming your way. If you have a small case, some attorney’s will do a flat rate fee while others may bill by the hour. Do some research before you start meeting with attorneys so you do have an idea of how much this case will cost you.

Before you meet with the attorney, you need to check on their record. What type of cases do they specialize in, and how successful are they in their industry? Look at the online reviews to find out what people are saying about the attorney, and make sure you know everything you can find out before meeting with them so you can bring up some issues. One bad online review doesn’t mean you have an attorney who won’t value you and your time. Check with the state bar association to read up on any complaints against the attorney.

Experience

Going along with the track record of the attorney, you want to find out what their experience is. What areas of law are the focus of their practice? What is their win-loss record in the industry? Based on what your case involves, you need to find the attorney with the experience that will win your case.

When it comes to finding a great attorney, you need to spend time researching. Do not just call the first number you see in the search engines. Spend time meeting multiple attorneys, feeling out how their personality works with yours, how successful they are, and if you feel they will be a good fit for you. We hope these tips will help you find the right Fairfield attorney to represent you in the court of law!

Filed Under: Fairfield Lawyer, General Legal Advice

How to Start Over After a Painful Divorce

Going through a divorce is an emotionally grueling process. If you do not have the right people on your side to help support you on your new path, it can be even harder to move into this new phase of your life. Here are some things you can do to start over after a divorce:

Take time to grieve. You need to take some time to cry and grieve for the end of your marriage. If you do not grieve and you only hang onto anger and resentment, the internal turmoil you have will worsen.
Learn who you are. The other thing you need to do is start learning who you are. You need to start finding things that are important to you, and what you enjoy doing. Take some time to try new hobbies and find out what causes you to be happy. You need to re-establish your identity as a separate person and no longer as “we”.
Get a therapist. It is important to hire a therapist to speak with on a regular basis. Therapy will help you to process your feelings, and they can help you manage some of the harder days such as holidays, birthdays, and vacations. Therapists and coaches are trained and qualified to make your new life easier, and they want the best for you.
Trust yourself. You have talent. You have worth. Trust yourself to make the right decisions. As you start relying on yourself, you can start gaining confidence in new talents and skills. Try doing some projects around the home on your own or tackling new things that you used to hire people to do. As you continue to learn new things and trust yourself, you will start to feel accomplished in your life.
Become social. Even if you are an introvert, you will want to teach yourself to become social. Join a gym and start going to classes. Not only will it help to improve your health and manage stress, you might end up meeting some new friends. Other things you can try doing is to go out with friends or co-workers. Church and support groups are other great ways to start getting out of your house and experiencing life with others.
Change up your lifestyle. If you have been doing certain things the way your spouse liked it, and not necessarily the way you like it, change things up! You need to find yourself in everything like redecorating in a way you appreciate or changing in your car for something you enjoy driving or enjoying. Even small things like rearranging furniture can help you to establish a new identity.

The divorce process is life-altering, and one of the hardest challenges you will ever face. Contact your divorce attorney in Vacaville to help you navigate the divorce process and ensure your legal rights are protected.

Filed Under: General

3 Things to Do When You Think You Wife is Cheating

Anger, hurt, grief, all of these feelings come to full light when you find out your spouse is cheating. If you have suspicions, it is a good idea to find out if your wife is cheating as it can assist you in the divorce process if you do end up taking this road. Sometimes it can be challenging to know if your spouse is cheating. There are some signs to watch for such as changes in social habits, their behavior at home, and changes in their appearance.

Stay Calm and Gather Information About Your Spouse

If you have confirmed that your spouse is cheating, you need to remain calm. Collect information about your partner to help you in the decision-making process from this point. Was this affair a one-time thing, or is this on-going? If it seems the marriage is destined to fail, you’ll need as much information as you can when you move into the legal proceedings.

Step Away and Surround Yourself with Support

Staying with the person who has hurt you deeply can make it almost impossible to make decisions, and to start the healing process. Take a step back from the relationship and find people to help support you. Surrounding yourself with good company will allow you to start to process these feelings you are dealing with and can help you walk through several scenarios to start this new chapter in your life.

Carefully Consider Your Future

Once you know if divorce is right for you, it is time to call a divorce attorney. The attorney can help you with multiple elements in separation of you and your soon to be ex. Here are some things you need to carefully consider:

Children – who will be the primary caregiver? How can you protect your children as much as possible including their education costs, housing needs, and custody?
Assets – how do you plan on dividing the assets?
Alimony and child support – there will be new costs to deal with, are you planning to ask for alimony or child support? Will you need to pay alimony and child support?

Emotions run high when you find out your wife is cheating. It is important to compose yourself and carefully deal with the situation. Our experienced divorce attorneys can help you navigate your divorce tactfully and ensure that you are taken care of and able to start building a new future. Contact the Law Offices of David Knecht to help you with your divorce case.

Filed Under: Divorce Lawyer

3 Secrets to Finding the Perfect DUI Attorney

One person dies every 48 minutes in America due to drunk driving. Each year, more than 1.28 million people are arrested for DUIs. Unfortunately individuals involved in an DUI car crash have a serious issue they need to face. Hiring the right DUI attorney can assist in ensuring their clients are giving a fair outcome for their trial. Here are 3 secrets that will help you find the perfect DUI attorney.

Experience and Skillset

The number one thing you want to search for is someone who has plenty of trial experience with DUI cases similar to yours. A DUI conviction can cost upwards of 20K a year! Search for an attorney based on their skills and their overall qualifications. Put together a list of attorneys in your area with the experience in cases similar to yours and start setting up interviews with them.

Online reviews are helpful to find out what other people think about their experience with the attorney. Read through the good reviews and the bad reviews to know what type of person the attorney is, and how hard they worked for their previous clients. In addition to online reviews, spend some time looking over their website to learn more about the attorneys and the team that will be assisting with your legal case.

Meet With Attorneys

When you set up the interviews with multiple DUI attorney’s, you will want to have several different questions set up to discuss with them. A few of the things you need to cover in that initial consultation include:

Discuss the facts of your case. Be upfront with what happened so they can assess your situation and come up with a strategy.
Bring documentation. Another thing you need to do is bring in the DMV letters, police report, and other documents related to your case.
Discuss the attorney’s experience. During the meeting, you need to ask the attorney about their experience. How many cases have they handled similar to yours, and how many cases have brought a successful outcome?
Who will handle your case? Will you work with the attorney you are meeting with, or will they pass you off to another person?
Comfort level. How comfortable do you feel with the attorney? If you do not feel like you can talk to them and be up-front with them, consider meeting with another attorney.

DUI Attorney Fees

When it comes to a DUI, you need to expect you will pay a lot of money for your case and for penalties. The cost for a non-injury, non-property damage DUI can cost $5,000 to $12,000. Some DUI attorneys will charge more based on their experience and expertise in winning difficult DUI cases.

David Knecht Law in Vacaville has years of experience in criminal law. Our job is to represent your legal rights and provide you with the best outcome. Contact our legal team to set up a consultation and let us help you navigate through this difficult time in your life.

Filed Under: DUI, Legal Advice

How to Know If You’ve Selected the Wrong Divorce Lawyer

With over 1.35 million lawyers currently practicing in the United States, it is easy to say not EVERY lawyer is going to be a good one. How do you know if you are hiring the right person? How do you know if you’ve hired the wrong divorce lawyer? Over the years, our Vacaville lawyers have dealt with a number of good and bad lawyers. We can give you some clear signs of what makes a good lawyer, and what makes for a bad lawyer. Here are just a few of the things that show you that you’ve hired the wrong divorce lawyer.

Failure to Communicate
One of the most important things you need in a good lawyer is someone who will communicate with you. A good lawyer will tell you what is happening with your divorce case. While it is expected for a lawyer to be busy, they should have a good team in the office who will handle responding to your case. An attorney who takes days or never responds to emails, phone calls, and text messages is one that doesn’t value your time.

Lack of Interest
When you meet with the divorce lawyer, do they seem to take an interest in you? Do they seem to care about how difficult this time in your life actually is? One of the biggest issues people find with their divorce case is the fact that they have a lawyer that doesn’t seem to care about them. If the lawyer keeps pushing you to settle on something that seems unfair, or they just don’t want to fight for you, it’s time to look for a new divorce lawyer. Some other signs of a bad lawyer include:

Showing up late to court and appointments
Failure to file documents on time or filing the paperwork wrong
Ignoring phone calls
Making decisions without consulting you first

Expensive Fees and Hidden Fees
A good lawyer is always upfront with their costs. Some lawyers will find ways to nickel and dime their clients, and that is what you have to be worried about. Lawyer’s aren’t cheap, but if you are seeing a lot of charges or overbilling charges, contact the lawyer right away. Clearly something isn’t right with their billing and fee structure, and they were not up-front with you in the beginning.

Unethical Behavior
There are some lawyers out there that have poor communication, and overall just lack integrity. If you feel like you are working with someone who you feel is lying or engaging in practices that are not ethical, it’s time to move on. Breaking the law or lying is not acceptable from a divorce lawyer, do not work with them!

Lack of Empathy
Divorce cases are some of the toughest out there for emotions. A good divorce lawyer will show empathy for you and your situation. A divorce case needs to have a lawyer with experience in several divorce trials, with favorable outcomes for their clients. You need to be able to trust your lawyer to assist you with your case, and ensure they have your best interest in hand.

For more information about divorce lawyers in Vacaville, contact David Knecht Law today!

Filed Under: General