Texas law carries harsh penalties for a DWI. Arming yourself with knowledge about how the law applies to you can help protect your rights. But if you or someone you know is involved in a San Antonio DWI case, contacting an experienced DWI criminal defense team like Ramos & Del Cueto should be your priority. Remember, you only have 15 days to seek criminal defense before your license is suspended. We filled this article with more helpful tips so you’ll know what to expect for your situation and can take actions to minimize the consequences of a DWI.
The main consequences of a DWI conviction involve fines, jail time, and license suspension. The severity of each depends on how many offenses you’ve had. A skilled criminal defense can reduce these.
1st offense – Up to a $2,000 fine, 72 hours to 180 days in jail, and license suspended from 90 to 365 days. Class B misdemeanor.
2nd offense – Up to a $4,000 fine, 30 to 365 days in jail, and license suspended from 180 days to 2 years. Class A misdemeanor.
3rd offense and higher – Up to a $10,000 fine, 2 to 10 years in jail, and license suspended from 180 days to 2 years.
The consequences will be more severe if intoxication assault, manslaughter, DWI with a child passenger, or an open alcohol container is involved. Additional penalties could include a DWI intervention program, an ignition interlock device, and an annual surcharge to keep your license. These penalties vary if you’ve been charged with a DUI. Learn more about the differences between a DWI and a DUI in Texas from our previous blog on the topic. Ramos & Del Cueto has extensive experience winning in both these areas of criminal defense.
SR-22A
A DWI conviction will also affect your auto insurance. Texas law requires you to file an SR-22A certificate through your insurance company that verifies you have minimum liability insurance under Texas standards. This coverage must be maintained for two years after the conviction and payments are made every six months. Any lapse in coverage will suspend your driver eligibility and vehicle registration so be careful to renew your SR-22A if you switch providers. To reinstate your license, there is a one-time reinstatement fee, but the real cost will come with your regular insurance payments. According to CarInsurance.com, rates in Texas typically increase by 89% after a DWI that requires you to get an SR-22A insurance policy. However, you could be paying standard rates again if you keep your record clean and stay insured. As you can see, hiring a smart criminal defense attorney is crucial to help you avoid these serious consequences in San Antonio.
Motion to Revoke Probation
It is possible that a DWI conviction will result in probation. Or you may already be on probation when charged with a DWI. In either case, it is important to take steps to avoid a Motion to Revoke Probation (MTRP) with an experienced criminal defense. You will typically be required to abstain from alcohol, go to counseling, perform community service and submit to drug/alcohol tests for the term of your probation. Any infraction of the law or your probation terms can lead to a Motion to Revoke Probation. If your parole officer decides to pursue this, he will issue an arrest warrant with the DA. Even if this happens, you are entitled to a probation revocation hearing before the judge can complete a Motion to Revoke Probation.
A skilled criminal defense attorney can fight to keep your probation and keep you out of jail. An experienced criminal defense like Ramos & Del Cueto can also get you released on bond so you don’t have to wait for the hearing in jail. If a Motion to Revoke Probation has been charged against you or someone you know, call your criminal defense bodyguards Ramos & Del Cueto immediately to reinstate your probation and protect your rights.
The Criminal Defense that Minimizes Penalties
With a competent criminal defense, it is entirely possible to significantly reduce or eliminate these severe DWI consequences. When there’s so much at stake for you, you want the best criminal defense attorneys in San Antonio. You need a criminal defense that knows how to apply successful DWI defense strategies to win you an acquittal. You need Ramos & Del Cueto.
Ramos & Del Cueto has the criminal defense experience, talent, and aggression to successfully challenge the DWI charges against you. With combined experience of over 50 years practicing criminal defense in San Antonio, Ramos & Del Cueto have tried and won hundreds of DWI cases. As former prosecutors themselves, Ramos & Del Cueto knows the tactics of the other side and how to fight them. They know how to contest whether an improper stop was made or if you were questioned properly. They are criminal defense experts at finding holes in the testimony of police officers and lab technicians. There are multiple ways a compelling criminal defense can be mounted that fights for your innocence and keeps you out of jail. Ramos & Del Cueto knows them all.
With all these serious consequences, a DWI can threaten your whole way of life. Don’t let thousands of dollars in fines or serious jail times ruin your life. A Motion to Revoke Probation doesn’t have to end with jail time. Fight back. Call the criminal defense attorneys who genuinely care about you and the outcome of your case. Ramos & Del Cueto devotes personal time and attention to building a convincing criminal defense case for you that appeals to the jury. Your no-risk, free consultation is waiting, but time is critical in DWI or Motion to Revoke Probation cases, so call now. When only the best criminal defense will do, call Ramos & Del Cueto.