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Protect Your Rights And Driving Privileges After A DWI Charge

A conviction for driving while drunk or otherwise impaired can mean expensive fines and/or jail time. It can affect your career, restrict your driving privileges and harm your reputation in both your personal life and professional life. Each driving while impaired (DWI)/driving under the influence (DUI) case is unique, and your defense strategy will depend greatly on the specific circumstances of the event in question – details such as whether your blood alcohol level was recorded, whether anyone was injured, whether there are any prior DWI convictions and more.

To properly defend yourself against drunk driving charges, you will need an experienced attorney who can help you tell your side of the story in order to fight the charges or, when appropriate, negotiate a plea deal that reflects your interests.

Our attorneys at Dobson Law Firm, PLLC, appreciate the high stakes of a DWI charge, and we will use every legal tool available to help you navigate the legal process and avoid unnecessary consequences. We have a deep understanding of North Carolina’s DWI sentencing laws, and we will put our knowledge and experience at your service.

What Exactly Does DWI Mean?

You can be charged with a DWI if you are impaired from the use of drugs or alcohol while in control of a motor vehicle. Depending on a range of factors, a DWI offense can be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony. By law, if you are “appreciably impaired” from drugs or alcohol or have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, you can be charged with a DWI. Police frequently use standard field sobriety tests, breath tests and blood tests to prove impairment.

Even if your BAC is under .08, the state can still find you guilty for being “appreciably impaired.”  The court uses facts such as slurred speech, sobriety test results, erratic driving and more to determine whether you were appreciably impaired even when under a .08 BAC.

Understanding The Stakes Of A DWI Charge

The potential penalties for a DWI conviction run along a spectrum, including the following outcomes:

  • License suspensions: If you are found guilty of DWI, your license will be suspended for a time between one and four years, depending on prior convictions and aggravating factors. We can help you get limited driving privileges so that you can continue to work and take care of your children.
  • Jail time: The maximum amount of time you can face depends on factors that surround your case. As a firm, we will help you establish as many mitigating factors as possible to reduce the maximum time you can face.
  • Fines: Fines range from $200 to $4,000 based on factors in your case. It is possible to keep the fines on the lower end of the range by identifying mitigating factors.
  • Aggravating factors: Some of the factors that can make your case more serious include having a minor in the car, being involved in an accident, causing an injury to someone other than yourself, driving above the speed limit, prior DWI convictions and driving on a revoked or suspended license.

Schedule A Free DWI Consultation

If you’ve been charged with DWI, the first step is to hire an attorney you trust to represent your best interests. Contact Dobson Law Firm, PLLC, to schedule your free consultation at 984-297-0075 or send us an email.

From our office in Raleigh, we represent clients throughout central North Carolina.