Some people may act like being arrested or charged for driving while intoxicated (DWI) isn’t a big deal. However, the state of New Jersey takes DWI offenses seriously, and those who are facing DWI charges may pay a steep cost, socially and financially, if they fail to do the same. Retaining and working with a skilled DWI defense attorney is your best bet if you are facing DWI charges in Trenton, New Jersey.
What Are the Penalties for a Trenton DWI Offense?
Depending on a number of factors, from the age of the accused to the number of previous DWI offenses on record, penalties for a DWI in Trenton can vary widely. For first-time offenders, fines will typically be between $250 and $400. You will be required to receive twelve hours of treatment at a state-certified Intoxicated Driving Resource Center (IDRC), may lose your driver’s license for as long as three full months, and could spend as much as 30 days in prison. The state may also require an Interlock device to be installed in your vehicle, which requires that you install a special ignition bypass in your vehicle for anywhere from one to twelve months after your driver’s license is reinstated.
Mounting Penalties
For second offenses, the penalties go up rather sharply. Fines range from $500 to $1,000, possibly jail time increases to somewhere between the two day minimum and ninety days, the time for driver’s treatment goes up to 48 hours of treatment at an IDRC, 30 days of community service, and the loss of your license will now be for two full years, followed by at least one, but up to three, years of a required Interlock system in your car following the reinstatement of your driver’s license. Third time offenders are looking at a minimum time served of 180 days, 90 of which may be spent inpatient at an IDRC, as well as a ten year suspension of their driver’s license, and a fine of $1,000.
These consequences can be devastating for the person accused of DWI. From loss of your ability to transport yourself to work and your family to anything necessary, such as school or doctors’ appointments, to the potential loss of employment due to incarceration or inpatient treatment at an IDRC, a DWI charge can completely change your life. Working with a skilled DWI defense attorney is one of the only ways to minimize the damage a DWI charge can cause.
How an Attorney Helps with DWI Charges
An experienced attorney, like Stephen Lukach III, has helped clients beat DWI charges in the past, and knows the rules of the courts. From understanding critical precedent and relevant case history in the state of New Jersey to having a working understanding of the operation of IDRCs and community service programs, an attorney with the right experience can help you navigate the DWI charge and defense process with as little collateral damage as possible.
Your attorney will want to know every detail of what happened, so communicating as soon as possible following your arrest or citation is in your best interest. With time, the memories of what happened when you were arrested will begin to fade. It is critical that you make a record of the details as soon as possible in the event that something that happened while you were being arrested or stopped could be helpful for your DWI defense.
Why the Law Offices Of Stephen Lukach III
Those facing DWI charges in Trenton, New Jersey, should act fast to secure the best possible DWI representation. The team at the Law Offices Of Stephen Lukach III will fight to defend your rights. Once we have been supplied with all the details of your stop, sobriety test, arrest, and processing, we can begin considering the best means of orchestrating a legal defense for your DWI charge. There have even been cases where people who have supplied law enforcement with a breath sample that tested above the legal limit have been found to be not guilty!
Our legal team knows how best to proceed to minimize the fallout from your arrest. Whether that means fighting the charges, submitting a motion to have illegally obtained evidence suppressed, or an entirely unique strategy for your case, when you have a DWI defense specialist as your attorney, you can rest assured you are getting the best possible defense for the charges that you’re facing.
