A DWI plea bargain is an agreement between your lawyer and the prosecuting lawyer to resolve your criminal case without a trial. It typically means pleading guilty to a lower charge than the one you were originally charged with in exchange for a sentence reduction. While the majority of all criminal defendants use plea bargains to resolve their cases, it can be hard to negotiate a beneficial plea on your own.
When our team represents you after a DWI arrest, we work hard to help minimize the subsequent penalties you face. Our criminal defense lawyers may negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecution on your behalf. What a DWI plea bargain does is allow you to avoid the penalties and long-term consequences of a potential felony conviction and help preserve and protect your future.
Potential DWI Penalties in Dallas
The potential penalties of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) conviction can vary for a variety of reasons. Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level, the presence of a child in your vehicle, and involvement in a collision are only a few of the factors that might lead to possible sentence enhancements and lengthy sentences. Penalties for a DWI conviction, according to the Texas Politics Project, include:
- First-Offense DWI: 72 hours to six months in jail
- Second-Offense DWI: 30 days to a year in jail
Each offense can also lead to a loss of driving privileges, which can make meeting the demands of everyday life a challenge for you and your family. We can help you avoid this major inconvenience that can make errands, school, and work costly or even inaccessible.
DWI Penalty Enhancements
In addition to penalties, certain factors of your DWI arrest might lead to harsher penalties. Additional penalties and penalty enhancements might include:
- DWI with a BAC of 0.15 or higher enhances a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor
- DWI with an open container in your car enhances a Class B misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor with jail time
- DWI accident with injuries to others enhances a misdemeanor to a felony
We can help limit the disruption to your personal and professional life that often accompanies criminal conviction. We can also help minimize the stigma that can follow a DWI conviction.
How a Plea Bargain can Reduce DWI Penalties
According to American Bar Association (ABA) guidelines, a plea bargain is mutually beneficial because both sides avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of a criminal trial. When you agree to a plea bargain, you avoid the risk of a trial and gain greater control over your immediate future. You may be able to:
- Plead guilty to a lesser charge
- Reduce several charges into one
- Avoid the time and expense of a trial
Additional benefits of a plea bargain include its ability to safeguard your future. For example, if you are involved in an accident that stems from a DWI, you lose the ability to have your record sealed upon conviction. Hiring our team to represent you can help you avoid this lifelong penalty.
There are Advantages to Having a DWI Lawyer on Your Side that can Strengthen Your Case
Representing yourself in court and at related legal proceedings can be challenging. When you put our team behind the legal fight, we work hard to help you get reduced charges and lighter sentences. We will represent you:
- During police interviews and interrogations
- In criminal court
- At Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearings
Our team also represents younger drivers when needed. While underage drinking and driving in Texas typically leads to charges of DUI, underage drivers can also be charged with the more serious DWI under certain circumstances.
Our Record of Plea Bargain and Sentence Reductions
Just as no two clients are exactly alike, the circumstances of each arrest, potential conviction, and plea arrangement vary as well. We treat each client like the individual they are and fight for results and plea bargains like these:
- DWI Reduced to Obstruction of Roadway
- Class A DWI 2nd Reduced to a Misdemeanor Class B
- Class A DWI 2nd .14 Blood Reduced to a Misdemeanor Class B
- Felony DWI 3rd Reduced to a Misdemeanor
Our team is led by Randall B. Isenberg who has more than 30 years of legal experience in a career as a former prosecutor and state district judge. When you put that experience to work for you, it can help negotiate plea bargains that limit separation from your family and minimize any financial penalties.
Contact an Attorney on Our Today
Learn what a DWI plea bargain is and how one might help you minimize the negative consequences of a conviction. Get a free case evaluation by calling the DWI defense team at Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg right away.
