To reach a driving while intoxicated (DWI) conviction, prosecutors must prove to the court that the defendant was operating a vehicle in public while either intoxicated or with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08 percent. If found convicted, a defendant could see some hefty fines and possibly some jail time. Individuals charged with DWI would do well to employ a criminal defense attorney to come to their aid—one with enough experience in DWI cases.
The Penalties for a DWI Conviction
Penalties for DWI will range from a misdemeanor to a felony primarily based on prior convictions and other factors that took place at the time of arrest. Texas DWI convictions on record last a lifetime, and all previous convictions are considered prior offenses.
Your first and second DWI convictions are typically misdemeanors. The first offense could land you in prison for 72 hours up to six months. On top of the jail time, you could see up to $2,000 in fines. A subsequent, or second conviction, will see the jail time increased to 30 days up to 12 months, while the fines increase to $4,000.
A judge will often give a six-month to two years probation for first-time offenders who have served at least three days in jail on a DWI. Probation often requires additional tasks on behalf of the convicted, such as:
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