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ATTORNEY CORY ROTH IS A
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TRIAL LAWYER.

At Cory Roth Law Office, we don’t shy away from a fight. We are
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Houston First-Offense DWI Lawyer

Protecting Your Driving Privileges After a DWI

If you were arrested for driving while intoxicated, you’re likely worried about what will happen next in your DWI case, especially if this is the first time you’ve been accused of breaking the law. Fortunately, you don’t have to face your DWI charge alone since you have the option of hiring a DWI defense lawyer to fight for you in court. If you’re interested in learning how criminal defense lawyers can help you get the best possible outcome on your case, contact the Cory Roth Law Office for a consultation.

When you hire our Houston law firm after a first-time DWI offense, you will have an experienced lawyer on your side who can give you the best chance of keeping your driver’s license and avoiding jail time. Our team is known for being strategic and aggressive in fighting for clients facing serious criminal charges, so you can count on us to work hard on your behalf. Call today to schedule a time to discuss your case with a skilled Houston DWI attorney.

What Leads to a First-Offense DWI in Texas?

If a police officer pulls you over and determines that you’re intoxicated while driving, you could be charged with a DWI. In most cases, you’re required to take a blood or breath test to calculate your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) before you’re arrested for a DWI offense.

If the test result is 0.08% or higher and this is your first DWI arrest, you’ll be charged with a Class B misdemeanor DWI. If your BAC is 0.15% or higher, you’ll be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which is slightly more serious.

While a first-offense DWI in Texas is usually a misdemeanor, certain aggravating factors can turn it into a felony. For example, if you had a minor passenger under the age of 15 in the car with you during your DWI arrest, you’ll be charged with a felony DWI. Additionally, if you seriously injured or killed someone when driving while intoxicated, you’ll be charged with a third or second-degree felony.

Depending on your specific charge, you could be facing jail time or even a lengthy prison sentence for a first-time DWI conviction in Texas. This is why it’s so important to hire a DWI attorney who will work hard to get your charges dismissed or reduced. Contact our Houston law offices today to learn how experienced criminal defense lawyers can help with your Texas criminal case.

What Penalties Do First-Time Offenders Face?

The consequences of a first-time DWI conviction depend on certain facts of the case, such as what your BAC was measured at and whether anyone else was involved in the incident. If you’re facing a regular first-time DWI charge that’s considered a Class B misdemeanor, your penalties could include:

  • Up to $2,000 in fines
  • 72 hours to 180 days in jail
  • 90 to 365 days of driver’s license suspension

If you’re charged with a Class A misdemeanor due to a BAC of 0.15% or more, your penalties could include:

  • Up to $4,000 in fines
  • 72 hours to 1 year of jail time
  • 90 to 365 days of driver’s license suspension

If there are aggravating factors that make your DWI charges more serious, your penalties will be more severe. For example, if you had an open container of alcohol in your motor vehicle when you were arrested, your minimum jail time will increase to six days.

Felony DWI offenses carry even more serious penalties. If you’re accused of drunk driving with a child passenger, you could end up with 180 days to two years of jail time and up to $10,000 in fines. In addition, your driver’s license will be suspended for up to 180 days.

The consequences are worse if you injured or killed someone while drunk driving. If you caused a collision that seriously harmed someone, the charge of intoxication assault will result in two to ten years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. You’ll also lose your license for at least two years.

If you’re charged with intoxication manslaughter after killing someone while drunk driving, you could spend two to 20 years in prison and be fined up to $10,000. In addition, you’ll likely lose your driver’s license for two years to life.

Depending on the severity of your criminal charge, a judge could also require you to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle, buy a costly SR-22 insurance policy, enroll in an alcohol treatment program, pay additional court fines, and more. If you’re hoping to avoid these common penalties for DWI convictions, you should seek legal counsel to fight your charges in court.

What Are Some Possible Defenses to First-Time DWI Charges?

It’s important to keep in mind that DWI charges don’t always lead to DWI convictions. If you hire an experienced lawyer to represent you, your charges could be dropped or reduced, or you could be acquitted of the crime. The outcome of your case depends on the evidence against you and which criminal defense angle your attorney chooses. Some of the most common criminal defense options for DWI cases include:

  • There’s insufficient evidence that you were intoxicated while driving
  • The BAC test results are inaccurate
  • The evidence was illegally obtained
  • The police lacked reasonable suspicion for the traffic stop
  • The police ignored your rights during the arrest

When you hire the Cory Roth Law Office, we’ll review the details of your case to find a suitable defense angle for you. As we gather evidence, we’ll look for proof that can refute the accusation that you were driving while intoxicated. We’ll also look for any mistakes the police may have made during or after your DWI arrest. Our goal is to avoid a DWI conviction and the resulting penalties when possible, so you can count on us to work hard to get the best outcome for you.

Why Should You Hire a Houston First-Offense DWI Lawyer for Your Case?

When you contact our Houston law office, you’ll get legal advice from a caring attorney who has won numerous DWI cases for clients over the years. We know how important it is to keep your criminal record free of DWI convictions so you don’t have to deal with long-term consequences, such as expensive fines and the loss of your professional license.

That’s why you can rest assured we’ll strive to get your case dismissed or achieve a not-guilty verdict. If this isn’t possible and you’re found guilty of this offense at the end of your case, we’ll use our legal knowledge and negotiation skills to reduce the penalties you get for your criminal conviction.

We’re committed to protecting your rights in order to minimize the criminal penalties for your first DWI offense. If you’re ready to learn more about how skilled Houston criminal defense lawyers can assist you as you face serious charges, call 832-400-4133 for an initial consultation with a compassionate attorney in Texas.

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