Smartphone apps perform all sorts of useful functions in our daily lives. One use you may not have considered is helping avoid a driving while intoxicated charge. A recent report highlighted a number of smartphone apps available now or under development that help users determine if they are at risk of driving drunk. Some of these apps have actually been developed by state governments in an effort to prevent DWIs before they can even happen.
Driving while intoxicated means operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level above a specified legal limit. In Texas, that limit is .08 percent. This is actually the limit nationwide as the result of a 2000 federal law which threatened to withhold highway funds from states if they did not adopt the .08 limit. Previously, most states had a higher limit of .10 percent.
When someone is charged with DWI/DUI and they are going through a custody battle, a major concern is whether a DWI conviction will impact their ability to keep their children. This is a legitimate concern since a DWI conviction can impact a court’s assessment of your ability to care for your children. A DUI conviction can affect everything from visitation rights to whether one parent is granted sole custody of the children. That is why it is imperative that you contact a Austin DWI Lawyer as quickly as possible.
A 54-year-old man in Round Rock, Texas was sentenced to life in prison after his ninth DWI conviction, according to ABC News. And this may sound truly astounding – this man had 8 prior DWI convictions on his record, along with a host of other convictions for burglary, credit card abuse, providing alcohol to minors, and more.
DWI charges are serious and can result in serious consequences if a conviction is secured. Once you hire a Austin DWI attorney, it is important that you maintain an open line of communication, so that you will feel part of the defense process and your attorney will have all necessary information. Help to foster this professional relationship by asking your attorney these five questions.
The consequences of a DWI can prove significant and life-changing, but a conviction does not automatically subject you to the loss of your vehicle. However, there are several situations which may ultimately result in your losing ownership of your car, including repeat DWI convictions and the presence of any evidence in the car. Even if you maintain ownership of your vehicle, your conviction may result in the denial of your ability to freely operate it as you wish. In any case, a Austin DWI attorney can help.
Most people assume that a DWI charge requires the act of driving at the time of your encounter with law enforcement. However, within the state of Texas, it is possible to receive a DWI charge when you are not actually driving a vehicle. In fact, you may receive charges even though you were not even inside of a car. While this scenario may seem ridiculous, it is a very real possibility with very real potential consequences without the assistance of a capable Austin DWI attorney.
The repercussions of a DWI conviction can be extensive. Not only are you at risk of losing your driving privileges and even your freedom through a mandatory minimum jail sentence, but the financial hit can be quite large. Why? Because if you have a DWI on your record, insurance companies categorize you as a “high risk” driver and your insurance rates may rise sharply.
Let’s say you had a DWI conviction years ago. Your driving record has been exemplary since the conviction. Can you get that conviction removed from your record? The answer is…maybe. Having a DWI conviction erased (which, in legal terms, is an expungement) depends on a variety of factors. In Texas, you must have either had your case dismissed without probation and not pled to any offense that arose out of the DWI arrest or you were found not guilty by a judge or jury, according to Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 55.01. To make matters worse, if your DWI case was dismissed without probation, you still cannot get a driver’s license suspension removed from your record. If you were found not guilty, you have the ability to get your driver’s license suspension removed from your record. This is a big reason why it makes sense to hire an experienced Austin DWI defense lawyer to advocate for your rights and fight the DWI charge if you are not guilty. In Texas, even a probation deal will result in the DWI staying on your record.
A lawyer can only do so much. If you make certain decisions or take certain actions, you can severely hinder your case and make it much more difficult for your Austin DWI defense lawyer to mitigate the charges, or get you acquitted. Below are five ways to ensure you actually lose your Austin criminal defense case
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