Denton Criminal Attorneys

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)

If you are arrested for drunk driving, there are a few things that you need to understand about your case. People can commonly confuse DUI and DWI, but there is a definite difference between the two of them. If you are involved in a case such as this, you should consider contacting your Denton criminal lawyer as soon as possible so he or she can begin working on your case immediately.

Both DUI and DWI are acronyms for other sets of words which are: driving while intoxicated (DWI) and driving under the influence (DUI). DWI, or driving while intoxicated, is the more severe of the two types of charges that you could receive. A DWI means that you are above the legal intoxication limit. This means that when the police pull you over, they will most likely give you some type of breathalyzer test in order to measure your BAC. BAC, or Blood Alcohol Concentration, is the ratio of blood to alcohol in your system at the moment that you take the test. The legal BAC in the state of Texas is .08. If you are above this BAC, then you are considered legally drunk by the state of Texas and will be arrested if you are pulled over and tested. If you are arrested for a DWI, your license is automatically suspended because you are driving while over the legal limit in Texas.

Once you are taken in to jail and booked, you will have a bail hearing to determine what the amount of your bail will be. If you haven’t had any prior criminal history, then they could possibly let you off with a lower bail or on your word that you will come back to appear in court. If you have had a prior criminal background or are considered a flight risk, then they will probably give you a higher sentence depending on the situation and circumstances. They will also assign you a trial date on which you will be required to appear in court.

If it is your first DWI offense, then the court will usually give you a fine, as well as alcohol awareness classes that you need to take in a certain amount of time. Sometimes they will even add some type of community service hours that you are required to do. If you have already had a previous DWI, the fines - and possibly even jail time - can be more severe for your punishment.

For more information, contact Denton criminal lawyers Alexander & Associates by calling 972-420-6560 today.