damn people its a DUI in which he was only .01 over. I could walk up to the prosecuter and say "I have a clean record, this is not a habit, and I was only slightly over. Could you drop it down?" Thats what a lawyer would say....not gonna matter if you pay them thousands or its free. The prosecutor deals with about 100 of DUIs per day. They aren't going to care what lawyer makes the deal, why not make it with one they work with everyday.
I am not saying a state appointed lawyer is the way to go everytime, but in this case I think it is. If your in a case that needs some research or some savy, then yes go pay for a lawyer. But whatever.......not like I see it everyday.