If you were charged with a DWI (driving while intoxicated) offense, you may be able to fight these charges with help from one of our lawyers serving the Corinth, Texas, area.
DWI offenses can result in fines, jail time, and other personal and legal consequences. Consider hiring a criminal defense lawyer to help you build a case to fight these charges. You can learn more about how our firm may be able to help your case during a free consultation.
What Happens If You are Charged with a DWI Offense in Texas?
You may be charged with DWI if you are found driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level that is over the legal limit.
However, this is not necessarily a guarantee that you will go to jail, especially if it is your first DWI. If you have no prior criminal record, you may not face consequences that are as severe as they could be. If you decide to fight the charge, a lawyer can represent you and work to ensure you do not shoulder penalties that are more severe than you deserve.
Possible Consequences of DWI Charges
The most common penalties for DWI charges are fines and jail time. In general, the consequences of DWI conviction in Texas are based on the circumstances surrounding the alleged offender’s charge. However, people with prior DWI charges may see additional or harsher punishments.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), DWI fines are as follows:
- First offense: up to $2,000
- Second offense: up to $4,000
- Third offense: $10,000
TDOT lists the following sentences for DWIs:
- First offense: minimum of three days in jail, up to 180 days
- Second offense: minimum of one month in jail, up to one year
- Third offense: minimum of two years in prison, up to 10 years
Personal Penalties of DWI Conviction
In addition to incarceration and fees, you may see effects on your life due to drunk driving. These could include:
- Being fired from your job or having trouble finding work
- Changes to your legal rights, depending on the charge, such as the right to carry firearms
- Effects on your relationships and home life
- Losing custody or having supervised visits with your children
- Having your license revoked
- Having to submit to an in-car breath test in order to drive
Starting a Case to Fight the Charges
While you can serve your jail time and pay the fines, the effects of a DWI on securing a job, your credit score, or other day-to-day happenings can be far-reaching.
Beginning a DWI case to fight your charges may be able to help you lessen the long-term consequences of a drunk driving offense.
Factors That May Affect Your DWI Case
Several factors may affect the outcome of your DWI case, including the following:
If You Agreed to a Blood or Breath Test
If you are pulled over due to suspected drunk driving in Texas, you must submit to a blood or breath test when requested.
Should you refuse, you can have your license suspended or revoked, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Whether you submit to a test can also affect the outcome of your case—the court may not look favorably on someone who refused a test.
Your Blood Alcohol Concentration Level
According to TxDOT, the legal BAC level is below 0.08%. Any BAC level that reaches 0.08% and higher is considered legally intoxicated. However, a person can be found in violation of the law as soon as drugs or alcohol affect their driving, flying, or boating ability. If drugs are also found in your system when you are tested at the hospital, you may receive separate drug charges, as well.
Fortunately, a lawyer from our team can help you address all the charges you face in Corinth, Texas by building a defense or negotiating a plea deal.
Possession of Open Alcohol or Drugs
It is illegal to have an open alcohol container in the car while driving, per the TxDOT, even if you are already intoxicated. Open containers of alcohol or any quantity of drugs may further affect the severity of your DWI charges.
If You had Minor Passengers in the Vehicle
Endangering minors due to drunk driving is a serious offense in Texas.
Consequences for driving drunk with minors in the state may include:
- A fine of up to $10,000
- Jail time of up to two years
- Losing your license for 180 days—in addition to the time you lose it for drunk driving
- Separate charges for child endangerment, when traveling with minors under age 15
If You Got Into a Car Accident
Whether you were involved in a car accident during the drunk driving incident may be considered when the court is evaluating your charges.
If no one else was injured, the charges may not be as severe. However, the court may also consider the possibility that someone could have been harmed.
Whether Anyone was Harmed
If you were charged with driving while intoxicated and this involved an accident that injured someone, you may be found liable for that person’s injuries.
This means you could face being sued by the injured party in addition to receiving DWI charges. If the person or persons were severely harmed or died, you could face further fines and incarceration.
How a DWI Lawyer Can Help with Your Corinth, TX, Case
A lawyer from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg can help you in several ways. We can strategize your defense, gather evidence to build a strong case, and offer you legal support along the way.
It is important to fight your DWI charges, as you cannot get your record sealed if charges are successful. Our criminal defense lawyers know the laws on DWIs in Texas, and we are ready and willing to help you fight.
Reach Out to a Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you are ready to start a case to fight DWI charges, call on the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg today. Attorney Isenberg, a former chief felony prosecutor and state district trial judge, knows how to defend his clients.
Our lawyers serve clients in the Corinth, Texas, area, and we are ready to get started on your defense. Call (214) 696-9253 today for a free consultation to discuss the legal options in your DWI case.
