Driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges can abruptly change your life. Missed work, loss of your license, a criminal record, and expensive fines can easily overwhelm anyone. But it doesn’t have to. If you or someone you know faces a DWI charge, contact Gloucester Township DWI Lawyer Stephen Lukach III as soon as possible. Working with an expert attorney in DWI defense will help you get your life and career back in order. After all, Gloucester Township, New Jersey takes DWI offenses very seriously, and so should you.
Why Are DWI Charges in Gloucester Township a Big Deal?
Simply put, state law in New Jersey ensures that even first time DWI offenders face steep penalties, such as hundreds of dollars in fines, prison, license suspension (and mandatory Interlock installation when reinstated), and a 12-hour highway safety course. There is a potential for jail on a first offense. For second time offenders, the fines increase to as much as a thousand dollars, as have the alcohol education credit hour requirements, number of days in jail, and length of license suspension. For third time offenders, driver license suspension will be for eight years, in addition to a fine of a thousand dollars, a mandatory 180 days in jail (you go right from the court room to the jail), community service, and alcohol education. All of those penalties can have a devastating impact on the person accused of the DWI offense.
From needing to use a bus, ride share, taxi, or loved one driving them as a means of transportation, mobility becomes both onerous and expensive. Even if you manage to get to work on time every day, your job may still be at risk. While they may wait for the outcome of the case, many employers have and enforce a “no convictions” policy. Even if you plead guilty in the hopes of minimizing your sentence, that criminal record can come back to haunt you. Criminal background checks are performed by most employers these days. Even housing can be impacted by a criminal conviction on your record. With the right attorney, however, that impact can be reduced.
How to Fight a DWI in Gloucester Township
If you are facing a DWI charge in Gloucester Township, you should immediately retain the services of a skilled Gloucester Township DWI defense attorney. An attorney with the right experience can help you mount the best possible defense for your individual situation. The team at the Law Offices Of Stephen Lukach III is ready to go over every detail and each moment of your arrest and processing to ensure procedure was properly followed. If there is an issue with a confession or how a breathalyzer test was administered, the right attorney can file a motion with the court to have the evidence excluded from consideration during your trial. A good attorney can also request that the charges be dropped or changed to a lesser offense without the consequences of a DWI, depending on your situation. The right attorney will fight for you to ensure that you receive justice instead of being railroaded.
The Gloucester Township Municipal Court is at 1261 Chews Landing Road, Gloucester Township, NJ 08012.
Remember Your Right to an Attorney
The most important thing that individuals facing DWI charges can do is invoke their right to silence until they can speak with an attorney. Until you’ve discussed the situation in depth with an attorney, speaking with law enforcement could make your defense more difficult. Only after an attorney has reviewed the details of your pending DWI charge can a determination be made as to the best route of defense. Law enforcement and prosecutors want your guilty plea or conviction. An attorney with the right experience, like the team at the Law Offices Of Stephen Lukach III, is your best hope of fighting your DWI charge or reducing its impact on your life.