IS THIS YOUR SECOND DWI ARREST? YOU COULD FACE STIFFER PENALTIES

April 17, 2017

Is this your second or third DWI accusation in Texas? If a court convicted you of one or more DWIs in the past, you need to figure out what your potential penalties could be. Knowing the possible punishments will help you decide how to defend yourself in court.

Let’s say your first DWI happened five years ago before you cleaned up your life and resolved a serious alcohol problem. That was your first conviction, and maybe you really were intoxicated at the time of your arrest.

Now, you’ve been arrested a second time and charged with DWI, but you weren’t intoxicated at all. You didn’t even drink a drop of alcohol the night of your arrest. Nevertheless, due to your previous conviction, you’ll face stiffer penalties this time around.

Here’s what you can expect with multiple DWI convictions

For your first Texas DWI conviction, you may need to pay fines as high as $2,000 and spend three days to six months in jail. You could also lose your drivers’ license for a long as a year. Additionally, for three years, you may have to pay an annual charge of $1,000 to $2,000 to maintain your drivers’ license.

For your second conviction, fines go up to $4,000, and potential jail terms go up to 1 month to as long as a year. You could also lose your drivers’ license for as long as two years. Annual fees for your reinstated drivers’ license last for three years, and they could be as high as $2,000.

For your third DWI conviction, fines are as high as $10,000, and prison terms could be as long as ten years. You could lose your drivers’ license for as many as two years, and annual fees are again as high as $2,000 for three years after reinstatement of your drivers’ license.

Try to reduce the severity of your criminal consequences

A Texas DWI attorney can help you minimize the threat of conviction. He or she can also employ criminal defense strategies on your behalf to reduce the severity of punishments in the event of a conviction.

If you were not drunk at the time of your arrest, then you’ll want to defend yourself against the charges. A criminal defense lawyer can review the facts of your case to determine the most suitable legal strategy given your situation.

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