Douglas Wilder represented me in a DWI case in 2008. I was naive about how the court system worked and just assumed I was handling the situation right by paying an attorney $5000, especially one who claimed to be the best, and that he felt he could handle the case. I tried many times prior to the trial to discuss the case with him, but he continued to put me off, and never took notes regarding my scenario. I was only able to speak with his receptionist, who always seemed put out when I would have a question or want to just discuss an issue which I felt may be important to the case. He never got my messages, never returned the calls, and came to court totally unprepared!
In turn, on the day of court, I was supposed to be seen at 8 am. He asked I be there promptly so we could discuss the case.
In effect, he did not show up until after 10 am. He said this was because he had another trail to attend to. I paid Mr. Wilder $5000 to handle my case; the least I could expect is that he would be at my trial on time.
After 10 am, he came out of the court room having made a totally unsatisfactory settlement with the judge without my presence. Why, because he did not even know all the facts. When he came out the first time and told me the decision he had made with the judge, I asked him if he even mention some important facts regarding the case. He forgot! He then went back in by himself, only to come back out with a verdict that still was not satisfactory. Finally, I asked if I could go in and talk with the judge as well.
When I went in, I explained to the judge that, I was not even driving, my vehicle was parked, it was turned off, the flashers were on, the keys were in my pocket, and the officer pulled on to the street before I had even gotten back in my vehicle. When he did approach my vehicle I still had the vehicle turned off, and was just eating a taco to get something in my stomach. In turn, when I had a chance to speak with the judge, and explain my version of everything, he decided to drop most all charges.
However, being the expert that Doug Wilder claimed to be, you would think he would have requested I get a PI rather than a DWI at that time since it was understood that I was not operating a vehicle, or even had the vehicle turned on. He did not think to do it. In fact, he didn’t even attempt to do anything to assist in my favor. He just accepted the first sentence the judge first proclaimed, because he had better things to do, and he was not aware of the existing facts; WHY? Because he never even reviewed my case in the first place. This was just another slice of pie ($5,000) for him to rob another person that was naive of how to handle being charged with an offense in court. I definitely should have shopped around before hiring him. He just painted a picture of himself as being the best in the field, and that he has handled much more difficult charges then mine.
Furthermore, he tells me he is in a hurry to present on another case, and told me to just sign two documents and was out of there. I was just initially excited about getting most of the fine, and charges dropped; I assumed it was safe to sign what he had presented to me. It was not explained to me what I was signing because he said he had to hurry for a court appointment in Denton.. What he had me sign was a plea that I was guilty of a DWI (which is contrary to what I had hired him for), and that I cannot appeal the case ever. Why would I pay him $5000 to have me sign a document stating that I was guilty of DWI? What was the $5,000 for. I thought he would have at least had some kind of defense arranged.
That is what I hired him for in the first place was to convey what exactly happened, and attempt have the DWI charge removed, or to at least have arranged to be have the charges lessened to a PI.
The reason being for all this devastation to my rights was because Doug Wilder never even prepared for the case in advance. He showed up, and did not even have any the facts until I started to explain them again on the day of court. I basically went in, did his job, and got a majority of the initial restitutions taken off, but was still charged.
Just a Forwarning: If you want an attorney who rides on his ego rather than properly serving his clients, this is your man. If you go to his office and he claims to be “Texas Best DWI Attorney”, he is only claiming that because he paid Texas Monthly, and D Magazine to publish that. If you want an attorney who will listen to you, and work for you, especially after you pay them $5000, do yourself a favor, be smart and go elsewhere besides Doug Wilder!!!
The Wilder Firm Reviews
Douglas Wilder represented me in a DWI case in 2008. I was naive about how the court system worked and just assumed I was handling the situation right by paying an attorney $5000, especially one who claimed to be the best, and that he felt he could handle the case. I tried many times prior to the trial to discuss the case with him, but he continued to put me off, and never took notes regarding my scenario. I was only able to speak with his receptionist, who always seemed put out when I would have a question or want to just discuss an issue which I felt may be important to the case. He never got my messages, never returned the calls, and came to court totally unprepared!
In turn, on the day of court, I was supposed to be seen at 8 am. He asked I be there promptly so we could discuss the case.
In effect, he did not show up until after 10 am. He said this was because he had another trail to attend to. I paid Mr. Wilder $5000 to handle my case; the least I could expect is that he would be at my trial on time.
After 10 am, he came out of the court room having made a totally unsatisfactory settlement with the judge without my presence. Why, because he did not even know all the facts. When he came out the first time and told me the decision he had made with the judge, I asked him if he even mention some important facts regarding the case. He forgot! He then went back in by himself, only to come back out with a verdict that still was not satisfactory. Finally, I asked if I could go in and talk with the judge as well.
When I went in, I explained to the judge that, I was not even driving, my vehicle was parked, it was turned off, the flashers were on, the keys were in my pocket, and the officer pulled on to the street before I had even gotten back in my vehicle. When he did approach my vehicle I still had the vehicle turned off, and was just eating a taco to get something in my stomach. In turn, when I had a chance to speak with the judge, and explain my version of everything, he decided to drop most all charges.
However, being the expert that Doug Wilder claimed to be, you would think he would have requested I get a PI rather than a DWI at that time since it was understood that I was not operating a vehicle, or even had the vehicle turned on. He did not think to do it. In fact, he didn’t even attempt to do anything to assist in my favor. He just accepted the first sentence the judge first proclaimed, because he had better things to do, and he was not aware of the existing facts; WHY? Because he never even reviewed my case in the first place. This was just another slice of pie ($5,000) for him to rob another person that was naive of how to handle being charged with an offense in court. I definitely should have shopped around before hiring him. He just painted a picture of himself as being the best in the field, and that he has handled much more difficult charges then mine.
Furthermore, he tells me he is in a hurry to present on another case, and told me to just sign two documents and was out of there. I was just initially excited about getting most of the fine, and charges dropped; I assumed it was safe to sign what he had presented to me. It was not explained to me what I was signing because he said he had to hurry for a court appointment in Denton.. What he had me sign was a plea that I was guilty of a DWI (which is contrary to what I had hired him for), and that I cannot appeal the case ever. Why would I pay him $5000 to have me sign a document stating that I was guilty of DWI? What was the $5,000 for. I thought he would have at least had some kind of defense arranged.
That is what I hired him for in the first place was to convey what exactly happened, and attempt have the DWI charge removed, or to at least have arranged to be have the charges lessened to a PI.
The reason being for all this devastation to my rights was because Doug Wilder never even prepared for the case in advance. He showed up, and did not even have any the facts until I started to explain them again on the day of court. I basically went in, did his job, and got a majority of the initial restitutions taken off, but was still charged.
Just a Forwarning: If you want an attorney who rides on his ego rather than properly serving his clients, this is your man. If you go to his office and he claims to be “Texas Best DWI Attorney”, he is only claiming that because he paid Texas Monthly, and D Magazine to publish that. If you want an attorney who will listen to you, and work for you, especially after you pay them $5000, do yourself a favor, be smart and go elsewhere besides Doug Wilder!!!