Find The Best DUI Lawyer In Las Vegas (2025)

How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost in Las Vegas, NV?

Under Rule 1.5 of the Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct, criminal defense attorneys cannot charge a contingency fee. Thus, your Las Vegas DUI lawyer can only offer to represent you for a flat or hourly rate.

Some Las Vegas attorneys handle DUI cases for a flat fee. A lawyer might offer flat fees to first-time offenders who did not cause any injuries or property damage. Defense attorneys can often negotiate plea deals in these cases.

However, the most common fee arrangement for criminal defense lawyers is hourly, in which the lawyer bills the client for the time they spend working on the case. In Las Vegas, hourly fees start at $200.

More experienced attorneys with higher profiles may charge far more than that. You can expect to pay $500 per hour or higher, depending on who you hire. It’s also important to remember that the lawyer might spend hundreds of hours working on a DUI case that goes to trial.

How to Hire a Las Vegas DUI Attorney

Shop carefully before choosing a lawyer to represent you. Gather names from family members, friends, and other acquaintances. Then, research the names and determine which have solid records of success and clean disciplinary histories. The State Bar of Nevada provides disciplinary records online via its lawyer search page.

Schedule some consultations. Unlike injury lawyers, criminal defense lawyers don’t always offer free consultations. However, paying a fee, such as $100, to speak to a Las Vegas DUI lawyer could be worthwhile.

Use the consultation to ask questions such as:

• How much do you charge?
• How will you update me about my case?
• What outcome should I expect?

Consider how well the lawyer explains their answers. You need a good communicator to negotiate with prosecutors and advocate for you with jurors.

What Outcomes Can I Expect From a Las Vegas DUI Case?

What happens when you get a DUI in Nevada? Your sentence could include some or all of the following:

• Incarceration
• Fines
• Court-ordered substance abuse treatment
• Driver’s license suspension
• Community service
• Probation

The factors that will determine your sentence include:

• Whether you refused a chemical test
• Blood alcohol content (BAC)
• Prior DUI convictions, including out-of-state cases
• Eligibility for substance use treatment

Nevada has mandatory jail time for all DUI offenses, but it also gives the judge sentencing alternatives for first-time offenders. Instead of sending a first-time offender to jail, the court can suspend the sentence and substitute community service, mandatory treatment, or both.

How Do DUI Cases Start in Nevada?

DUI cases usually start in three ways. First, a police officer could stop you based on a traffic violation. If they notice signs of intoxication, they can request a field sobriety and breath test. If you refuse, you will lose your license under the state’s implied consent laws.

Second, officers can conduct nondiscriminatory DUI checkpoints. They must either stop all drivers or choose them randomly. They cannot single out drivers of a certain race or gender. Again, any sign of driver intoxication can lead to a DUI arrest.

Third, officers responding to a crash might determine one of the drivers was intoxicated. They may verify their suspicions with testing or make an arrest based on the driver’s apparent intoxication.

How Does a DUI Prosecution Work in Las Vegas?

Your first court appearance after an arrest is called an arraignment. The judge informs you of the charges, and you enter your plea of guilty or not guilty. If you do not have a lawyer, the judge will either delay the plea or enter one of not guilty for you.

The judge may also hold a bail hearing at the same time. You will be released from custody until your trial if you meet the judge’s release conditions.

Your lawyer prepares your case while also negotiating with prosecutors for a plea deal. If prosecutors offer a fair deal, you may accept it to avoid trial. If you do not take a plea deal, you will go to trial.

Types of DUI Cases in Las Vegas, Nevada

DUI in Nevada covers all intoxicants, including:

• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Illegal drugs
• Prescription medications

DUIs fall into two types. First, you commit one by driving while intoxicated. This offense does not depend on your BAC. It only depends on your inability to drive. Second, you commit a DUI by driving with a BAC over the legal alcohol limit. This does not depend on your ability to drive. It only requires a blood, breath, or urine test result over the limit.

Contact ConsumerShield for Help Finding a Las Vegas DUI Lawyer

A DUI conviction can ruin your life. ConsumerShield will help you deal with this stressful situation by educating you about your rights and helping you find a lawyer. Contact us for a free case evaluation.