Most lawyers claim to be "trial lawyers". Few actually feel comfortable in front of a jury. My son was charged with DUI in Athens in 2011. The case was not perfect from the prosecution perspective and there were issues upon which a "reasonable doubt" defense was available. I am in the business of... defending large insurance companies and our clients in civil litigation. I knew who to ask about criminal litigators and I trusted my advice. My son is sure glad we were referred to Mo Wiltshire. The jury was selected on a Monday. The trial was on the following Friday. I attended the trial and watched as every word was said - we clearly had the State "out-lawyered". An attorney's job is to defend his client to the fullest of his abilities using all the legal and factual defenses available. That is just half of it. In front of a jury, an attorney must be able to call upon "trial skills" including being likeable to the jury. If the jury hates your lawyer, you are sunk. If the jury likes your lawyer, you are in a lot better shape. When your lawyer weaves the story together during the trial and wraps it up in a closing argument where every juror is glued to each word he says, you know you hired the right guy. Our case was clearly one that could have been lost. The difference was the attorney and it was a true work of art. I have taken the time to write this not because I ever expect to need Mr. Wiltshire again or even expect to see him again (unless he will let me buy him a beer sometime). I write this because someone might read this and realize that a young man or woman charged with a crime or DUI truly has a ton to lose if convicted. There are defenses to utilize and you are not "sunk" just because you are charged. The prosecutor does not negotiate or "plea down" many criminal cases like ours. We had one choice - try the case or take what the State offered. Not much of a choice actually because if we lost at trial, the punishment wasn't much worse than the plea. Hire the right lawyer. Hire the lawyer who does trial work day in and day out and does not just claim to do it. Ask when was the last time you took a case like this to a jury? What is your track record in the last 3 - 5 years in trial? Then check it out. Not everyone will know who to call like I did to get the referral for the best DUI defense trial lawyer in Athens and really, anywhere around this State. My son has turned his life around and he does not have a DUI conviction on his record. He is 22 and a DUI harnessed around your neck will follow you. The jury was deliberating for 15 minutes before the clerk called us back in for the verdict. That is always a good sign for the defense but when it is your son, you are still sweating (I know). As for what it cost, I think you will find that it will be very reasonable. There was no blustering from Mo about needing more money than he forecast. We paid exactly what he asked and it was money well spent. I hire lawyers on civil cases everyday that bill insurance companies tons more than he billed me. I know a bargain. I would recommend him over any attorney for criminal / DUI defense work and especially in Athens. You cannot overestimate the value of being known to the legal community and liked in the courtroom where your practice. Everyone spoke to Mo - from the clerk to the Judge, to the Sheriff at the security check in. They all called him Mo. They asked about his kids and his wife. I can tell you - all of that matters and if your lawyer is a jerk, all of those people know it and so will the jury.

My son was in trouble in Athens for DUI and drug charges and after interviewing several lawyers we hired Mo Wiltshire. Our decision just seemed right, no one we meet with could match his experience and he really understood our concerns and worries for our son. He clearly explained how he could help ...us, told us what to expect and then followed through. Every time we went to court it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing. The judges, prosecutors and even the deputies all recognized him as a friend and treated him with respect. Our son was facing a felony record, prison time, loss of his license and expulsion from college. Mo Wiltshire saved the day. He kept our son out of jail and prevented him from having to take a felony charge. This outcome gave our son a chance to pursue his future career and eductation.

My decision to drink and drive was a very poor decision and also was hiring Mr. Wiltshire. On the phone he assured me that he had a lot of pull in the city I was arrested in. I told him that I admitted to the officer that I had been drinking. I also told him that I did a road side breathalyzer and a ...field sobriety test and failed both. Wiltshire assured me that I would be alright. He claimed that I did the smart thing by being co-operative with the police officer. Needless to say, court rolls around and he went against his word and said that there was nothing that he could do for me. Be careful what you believe from him and don't ever get your hopes up on him because he was a waist of time and money. I would have gotten the same result going by myself and pleeding guilty.