I was pulled over for drunk driving while visiting family in Buffalo, NY. But I live in California. If I hire an attorney do I have to show up to court in person or can the lawyer handle this all for me over the phone?
Your appearance could be waived for certain parts of the case, but you would need to be present for the final disposition, whether trial or plea. Much of the court’s requirements can be fulfilled in your home state as well (e.g. alcohol dependency assessment). You should contact an experienced DWI Attorney sooner rather than later to begin this discussion with the Court.
Your attorney can have you sign an affidavit authorizing the attorney to appear on your behalf and authorizing you to enter a plea. The attorney just has to specify what the charge is that he is authorized to enter a plea to on your behalf. It happens all the time.
Best of luck with it.
