If you or a loved one has been charged with driving under the influence or any criminal offense, you need an experienced, aggressive, and trustworthy attorney.

"Call me. I am here to help."

John Heilbrun is one of Cincinnati's most experienced criminal defense attorneys with over 28 years of experience. He is a member of the Ohio and Greater Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Associations and was the former Chairman of the Criminal Law section of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers.

I am available to represent persons charged with a variety of criminal and serious traffic offenses, including:

1. DUI/OMVI, driving under suspension and other serious traffic offenses
2. Domestic violence
3. Drug cases
4. Theft
5. Other misdemeanors and felonies
6. Juvenile Court delinquency proceedings.

What is DUI?
DUI stands for "driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs." Another term that is often used is, "drunk driving." These names can be quite misleading, however, as a person does not need to be drunk or intoxicated to commit the offense of driving under the influence. The offense is defined as operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination thereof to the extent that the person's mental and physical capacities, and thereby his/her ability to operate a motor vehicle, is impaired to an appreciable extent. The offense is also committed if a person operates a motor vehicle with a certain level of blood alcohol in their system as determined by an appropriately administered blood, breath or urine test given within 2 hours of the time of the violation. In Ohio, that limit is commonly referred to as .08 BAC or above.

Do I Need to Hire an Attorney if I am Charged with DUI or a Criminal Offense?
Every person has the right to represent himself if charged with any traffic and/or criminal offense. There are, however, serious potential consequences of being convicted of any traffic or criminal offense, including possible or mandatory jail or prison time, fines, driver's license suspension, community control sanctions and a resulting criminal record. If you are unfortunate enough to have been charged with such an offense, you should seek the advice of a qualified and experienced attorney.

Your case will be prosecuted by a prosecutor, who is a lawyer trained in the law and duty-bound to seek your conviction. Neither the Judge nor the prosecutor has any duty to provide you with legal advice nor to assist you with your case. You need the assistance of a qualified, well trained and experienced attorney to advise and assist you with your defense.

I have been representing people charged with serious traffic and criminal offenses in southwest Ohio since 1977. I am a member of the Greater Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the DUI Group and the Ohio Academy of Criminal Defense Lawyers. I am also the former chairman of the criminal law section of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers.

If you have more questions about Ohio DUI (Driving Under the Influence) law, please click here...

Fees
Minimum fees and retainer payments are also charged for DUI and Criminal cases. The total amount of the fee depends upon the offense(s) with which the client is charged and the manner in which the case is resolved. That decision is made by the client following my investigation of the facts and the law and a discussion with the client outlining the alternative ways in which the case can be resolved, the fee that will be charged for proceeding in accordance with each available alternative, and my advice to the client.