Penalties for DWI Convictions
Driving while intoxicated is a serious crime across the United States,
and Texas is no exception. In fact, the state of Texas currently leads
the nation in drunk-driving accidents, as well as those accidents that
cause death. Because of this, state law enforcement has placed an extreme
focus on Texas drivers, and makes many arrests both of individuals who
are driving under the influence of alcohol, and those who are not intoxicated
in any way but still meet an officer's personal criteria for a
DWI arrest. Your experienced Houston DWI attorney should take an aggressive
legal defense approach that can contend with the vigor that many prosecutors
bring to a trial, especially in cases where victims have died.
Any driver who returns a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent may immediately
be arrested for DWI. In many cases, an officer may request a field sobriety
test which can also result in arrest if the officer believes the driver
is under the influence.
First-time DWI offenders may face up to 6 months in jail, license suspensions up to 1
year, and fines not exceeding $2,000. Those who are convicted a second
time face fines ranging up to $4,000 with a maximum 1-year jail sentence
and license suspensions up to 2 years. Three-time offenders face fines
up to $10,000, up to 10 years in prison and 2-year maximum license suspension.
Each conviction also requires a specified cost that must be paid for a
driver to retain their license, and these costs rise significantly with
each conviction.
DWI Defense Lawyer Serving Harris County, Texas
The Samuelson Law Firm has a wealth of experience in Texas DWI laws. I,
along with my hard-working and loyal staff, have defended the accused
in many cases where drivers have been incorrectly charged with DWI and
thought they were out of options. The focus of our firm is to approach
each case as though we were facing the charges ourselves. We utilize this
method because we know that our clients are open to any option that may
find success in court, and the personal opinions of your attorney should
have little impact on what's best for you and your defense. My name
is Chris Samuelson, and I have worked hard for nearly 15 years to provide
Houston drivers with the kind of straight-forward, powerful defense that
is necessary for success against Texas DWI charges.