Aggressive DWI Attorney

One of the first steps in this process is the ALR license hearing. You or our office must set up a hearing within 15 days of your arrest to contest your license suspension.

Next, you are probably eligible to get an “occupational driver’s license” if your driver’s license is suspended at the ALR hearing. This license enables you to drive to work, home, school, and perform essential household duties. You may be allowed to drive up to 12 hours in any 1 day for the entire period of suspension.

The next step is to get a court date, see all the government’s evidence, including the video of your stop, and get the legal ball rolling. There will be many court dates before this process is over. The court will require both the attorney and the client to attend all court dates, or the judge may order a warrant for your arrest.

Another critical step is to decide whether you want a trial or to plead guilty and take probation. If you choose to “take a plea,” keep in mind that the law forbids “Deferred Adjudication” on DWI’s, so this case will be on your record forever. You may be asked to perform some tasks upfront for your DWI to get a more favorable outcome: “DWI Education Class,” 24+ hours community service hours at a non-profit venue, “The Victim Impact Panel” (found on the MADD website), a “Drug and Alcohol Evaluation.”

The final step is to go to take probation or go to trial. With probation, classes, community service, and evaluation are required. If YOU perform all the tasks beforehand, the Judge may consider a lower fine, less probation, allow YOU to serve jail time instead of probation, and other options. If you take probation, there will be a fine and court costs, a once-a-month (at least) check-in with a probation officer, and a 3-year surcharge on your driver’s license and the tasks required by the Judge and Probation Officer. If you decide to go to trial, the case will be put on the trial docket, and the case could be continued for a couple of weeks to a year. The trial process is not for everyone. You and Virginia Carter will look at your video, talk about the State’s evidence and probation or jail-time offer, and then discuss the pros and cons of a trial so that you can make the best decision for yourself.