A criminal conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI) is serious business in Texas. The state statutes impose strict punishments for drunk driving, and you could potentially go to jail on the first offense. You may also lose your driver’s license. Even after you have served your time, the conviction will hang around on your criminal record, making it harder to get affordable car insurance and showing up at inopportune times on background checks.
If the state has strong evidence against you, it can be very difficult to get a DWI charge dropped. A better option could be to try to get it reduced to a lesser charge. At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, a Grand Prairie DWI reduction lawyer from our team can help you avoid a DWI conviction that sullies your permanent record and threatens your driver’s license and freedom, even if the case against you is solid.
Our Grand Prairie criminal defense team can get to work for you right away, reviewing the evidence in your case and formulating a defense strategy. We are with you every step of the way and stay in constant communication as we fight your case. To receive a free consultation from a member of our team today, call us at (214) 696-9253.
Texas DWI Laws and Penalties
If you get convicted of DWI in Texas, you could lose your driver’s license, your money, and even your freedom—it is possible to go to jail even for a first-offense DWI conviction. Many lesser charges, by contrast, such as reckless driving, carry much less draconian penalties. If it is not feasible to get your DWI charge dropped or acquitted, reducing it to a lesser offense can help you protect your freedom and future.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, here are the classifications and possible penalties for DWI in Texas based on your prior record:
First Offense
According to Texas Penal Code Sec. 49.04, a first-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor, though certain aggravating factors may bump it up to a Class A misdemeanor or even, in rare circumstances, a felony. For a first-offense DWI in Texas, you could face the following penalties:
- Loss of driver’s license for up to 1 year
- A fine of up to $2,000
- 3 to 180 days in jail (though there is no mandatory minimum jail sentence for a first offense)
Second Offense
A second-offense DWI is a Class A misdemeanor that can be bumped up under certain conditions to a felony charge. If you get convicted, you could be looking at:
- Loss of driver’s license for up to 2 years
- A fine of up to $4,000
- 1 month to 1 year in jail (with a minimum sentence of 3 days)
- Installation of an ignition interlock device in your vehicle as a condition of license reinstatement
Third or Subsequent Offense
A third-offense DWI conviction in Texas is a third-degree felony. A felony conviction can haunt you for the rest of your life, making you automatically ineligible for certain jobs or to live in certain communities or complexes. It can make you a pariah when trying to establish new business relationships or meeting potential romantic partners. In short, you want to do everything possible to keep a felony conviction from appearing on your permanent record.
The penalties for a third or subsequent DWI conviction in Texas are:
- Loss of driver’s license for up to 2 years
- A fine of up to $10,000
- 2 to 10 years in prison
- Installation of an ignition interlock device in your vehicle as a condition of license reinstatement
Aggravating Factors
No matter your prior history or lack of history with DWIs in Texas, certain factors may worsen your charge and subject you to harsher penalties. These factors include carrying a child in the vehicle while driving under the influence and having a measured BAC above a certain level. If your charge has aggravating factors, it may affect our defense strategy, but we may still have plenty of options when it comes to potentially getting your charges reduced and minimizing their impact on your future.
To learn more, call the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg today to learn how a Grand Prairie DWI reduction lawyer may be able to assist you.
How We May Get Your Charges Reduced
At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, our criminal defense team is familiar with the local courts, judges, and prosecutors, having worked in the criminal court system in the region for more than 30 years. Our lead attorney, Randall Isenberg, is a former prosecutor who has worked on the other side. With experience prosecuting rather than defending cases just like yours, he knows what to expect from the opposition and how to push back and make sure you maintain the upper hand in the proceedings.
In order to potentially get your charges reduced, we can employ one or more of several strategies depending on the circumstances of your case. If the prosecution believes that a jury conviction is not a slam dunk, for example, they might settle for a guilty plea to a lower charge just to notch a “win.” Alternatively, some judges and prosecutors are more sympathetic than others to first-time offenders and are thus receptive to plea bargains. We can make this determination based on who is prosecuting and presiding over your case.
Call (214) 696-9253 for a Free DWI Reduction Case Evaluation in Grand Prairie, TX With the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg
A Grand Prairie DWI reduction lawyer from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg may be able to help you move past the charges you are facing and move forward with your life. We offer a free case evaluation and are eager to get started on your defense today. Call us at (214) 696-9253.
