Felony DWI charges carry harsh penalties including fines as high as $10,000 and the potential for decades (or more) in prison. You may face felony drunk driving charges if you cause an accident while intoxicated, especially if it results in serious injuries or a fatality. However, having prior DWI convictions on your record could be enough to prompt the prosecutor to pursue felony charges against you.
With decades of experience in the Texas criminal justice system, DWI attorney Randall Isenberg can help. The Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg will fight to get your DWI charges reduced or dismissed or, if necessary, fight for your future in court.
Contact us today at 214-696-9253 to schedule a free case evaluation.
You Face Harsh Penalties for a Felony DWI Conviction
In University Park, you can face felony DWI charges that range from a state jail felony up to a first-degree felony, the most serious possible charge. The penalties you may face for each level of criminal charges are as follows.
State Jail Felony
- Up to 2 years in state jail
- Monetary fine of up to $10,000
- 6-month driver’s license suspension
Third-Degree Felony
- Prison sentence of 2 to 10 years
- Monetary fine of up to $10,000
- Potential 2-year driver’s license suspension
Second-Degree Felony
- Prison sentence of 2 to 20 years
- Monetary fine of up to $10,000
- Potential 2-year driver’s license suspension
First-Degree Felony
- Prison sentence of up to 99 years
- Monetary fine of up to $10,000
- Potential 2-year driver’s license suspension
The court could also give you community service, community supervision (probation), and require you to install an ignition interlock lock on your car. The court may also compel you to go to rehab or counseling at your own expense.
At the conclusion of your license suspension, you must pay an annual surcharge of up to $2,000 to reinstate your license and keep it active. The state assesses this surcharge for three years.
Aggravating circumstances can lead to more serious charges or even additional felonies. These might include:
- Having a minor child in your car (age 14 or under)
- An open container in your car
- Having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .015 or above
- Causing an accident
- Causing property damage
- Causing an accident with serious or life-threatening injuries
- Causing a fatal accident
As a convicted felon, you will lose your right to vote, sit on a jury, or own a gun. And, with a felony conviction on your public record permanently, potential employers could deny you a job and property managers could deny you as a tenant.
A Felony DWI Attorney Can Help You Fight Your Drunk Driving Charges
Based on the seriousness of the penalties associated with this crime, consider exploring your options by talking to a felony DWI lawyer before making any decisions or agreeing to plead guilty.
If you enlist the help of the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we will:
- Protect your legal rights
- Ensure that you understand your charges and what they could mean for your future
- Explain your alternatives and help you select the best option for you
- Represent you in every aspect of the criminal process
- Represent you at your driver’s license suspension hearing
We will fight to convince the prosecutor to reduce DWI your charges or for the court to dismiss your case. Otherwise, we will use the appropriate legal strategies to build a strong case in your defense and prepare to represent you in court.
Potential Legal Defense Strategies for Felony DWI
Fortunately, we have many potential legal strategies that we can use in your defense against felony drunk driving charges.
To determine the most appropriate strategies in your case, we will obtain all available evidence and evaluate it carefully in search of potential legal rights violations and other errors the police may have made. We will also carefully analyze any chemical BAC testing evidence, to identify any problems that could lead to a wrongful conviction.
Reasonable Suspicion & Probable Cause
The police must have reasonable suspicion that you broke the law before pulling you over. Likewise, they must establish probable cause to arrest you for drunk driving. If the officer in your case failed to do so, or if the police made any errors in the course of administering field sobriety testing, we can use this to negotiate a reduction in charges.
Chemical Testing for BAC
Breath or blood testing for BAC must comply with established guidelines and standards. Otherwise, the results from testing can be incorrect, leading to a wrongful conviction. Our team will evaluate the breathalyzer or blood test results for any potential violations of these guidelines. If we identify any problems, we can attempt to have the evidence thrown out.
Whatever the circumstances of your felony DWI arrest, our legal team will work hard to build the most robust possible case for you, based on the facts and evidence we have to work with.
Driver’s License Suspension Hearing for Felony DWI
A felony DWI arrest will subject you to a civil process known as Administrative License Revocation (ALR), overseen by the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS).
Once the police arrest you, you must request an ALR hearing within 15 days if you wish to protest your license suspension. Unless you formally request a hearing, TxDPS will suspend your driver’s license automatically.
For this portion of your case, our legal team will provide the following assistance:
- Scheduling your hearing
- Preparing you to give testimony before the judge
- Obtaining critical evidence to help build your case
- Questioning the arresting officer to obtain valuable information
- Making the strongest possible case against license suspension
During the ALR hearing, our legal team will gain critical insight into the prosecution’s evidence. Not only will this allow us to make a case against license suspension, but it will also help us bolster your criminal case as well, as this will be our first opportunity to examine the prosecution’s evidence.
If necessary, we can appeal the judge’s decision to suspend your license or petition the court to grant you a provisional license, which will allow you to drive to work or school and drive to important personal errands.
Meet with a Felony DWI Lawyer in University Park Today at No Cost
Talking to a felony DWI lawyer can help you make the best decisions for your future. To learn more about how we can help you, the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg offers a no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation. Call today: 214-696-9253.
