Michael Kramer, Attorney at law

1311 Mamaroneck Ave
Suite 340
White Plains, NY 10605
mk@michaelkramerlaw.com

Call for a Free, 20-min,
Traffic Ticket Strategy Session

(914) 709-7161

Michael Kramer, Attorney at law

Interviewer: What’s the difference between hiring a private attorney and having a public defender? Public defenders usually have an immense caseload, right?

Michael Kramer: Yes, and also they don’t necessarily have the expertise.

Interviewer: Do you think the expertise issue would affect your chances to decrease your costs?

Michael Kramer: Obviously, if an attorney doesn’t have the expertise in DWI law then chances are you won’t get the reduced charge and you’ll have the increased expense of having been found guilty of a DWI misdemeanor. You can increase your chances of getting your court costs reduced with a private attorney. However, you do have the added expense of legal fees for a private attorney, whereas with a public defender there are none.

Interviewer: If I’m going to end up spending more money hiring an attorney, why should I do that?

Michael Kramer: Well, if you’re guaranteed the exact same results without hiring a private attorney then there is no incentive to do that. The problem is you can’t be guaranteed of the same result. You never know. What you do know is that if you hire a private attorney who specializes in this area of the law, you increase the odds that the case will go smoothly, expeditiously and that you will most probably achieve the best result possible under the circumstances. Clients tell me it is well worth the expense.

If a DWI case is handled by a public defender who doesn’t have that expertise, the price you’re going to pay in the long run – in terms of worrying about the case, in terms of how the case is handled, in terms of the number of court appearances you’re going to have to make and in time off from work – you’re going to find it’s not worth that expense.

After all, we are talking about your future. To give you an example: if you have to undergo a medical procedure, do you want a medical student to handle a medical procedure? Do you want a first-year intern to handle it? Or, a doctor with years of experience who has undertaken hundreds of similar procedures

It’s a decision that you have to make but I think most people would say that if they hired a private attorney, that in the long run they’re much happier with the results and the confidence in knowing they achieved the best disposition possible.

Increasing Costs

Interviewer: In regard to the cost, is there anything that you’d like to add? Are there any other costs or any other topics that you want to touch on, Mike?

Michael Kramer: The only thing I would say is the costs are increasing, and they’re increasing substantially. The problem is that DWIs have become such a cottage industry, meaning everybody seeks to benefit financially.

The DMV takes their cut, the court system takes their cut, the ignition interlock companies take their cut, the alcohol evaluators take their cut, and attorneys take their fees as well. So it’s something to try to avoid at all costs because DWIs, as opposed to other offenses, are much more expensive because of all layers of people that the legislature has decided are entitled to be paid for whatever benefit they’re trying to give the motorist.

Interviewer: Is this just a New York thing or do you think this is nationwide?

Michael Kramer: Well, I’m assuming that in most states it’s the same but the expenses that I referenced are specific to New York. That’s the state I practice in and that’s the law I’m most familiar with.

Interviewer: In your experience, are you definitely seeing an increase in cost every year?

Michael Kramer: Well, not necessarily every year but every few years. Costs never go down, only up.

Michael Kramer, Esq.

Call for a Free, 20-min,
Traffic Ticket Strategy Session
(914) 709-7161