He was driving a friends car . never been in trouble before . he was told to plead no contest. He does have a job. and does not own a car. Does he need a public defender.

He needs a lawyer who will fight for him, not one recommended to roll over and take it. DUIs are very complex cases with many avenues to attack. It is very rare that a first offender should just accept a deal and plea. Find a good local attorney to review the facts and advise him based on the facts of his case.

My colleague is spot on in his recommendation. Conservative estimates put the actual cost of a 1st offense DUI at roughly $15,000.00 over the offender's lifetime, as insurance will be incredibly expensive for the next several years, not to mention the costs associated witih the sanctions requried by statute. Additionally, a PD won't handle the DMV aspect of his case, so he'll end up losing his license administratively for a year if he doesn't move quickly to request a Formal Review Hearing.