El Paso Dwi Lawyer Shares Important Steps To Help Get You Through Your Dwi Case

During the time, between your arrest and when you go to trial, there are some things that you could do to prepare for your trial and to show you are proactive in changing your behavior.

YOUR DRIVING HISTORY

Your El Paso DWI lawyer will need to know about your driving history including any outstanding violations, unpaid fines or warrants for your arrest. It is critical that you resolve all of these outstanding issues prior to going to trial. This will help your lawyer in negotiating your case with the prosecutor and it will also look more favorable if you are found guilty and it comes time for the sentencing portion of your case and whether or not the judge will be lenient.

PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS

If this is your first DWI and you have no previous convictions, it will be a simple Class B misdemeanor. You will not be required to go to jail, although if you are convicted you will lose your license, have to pay fines and usually be mandated to complete a drunk driving class. If you have one or more prior convictions in the last ten years, the next DWI conviction will carry a mandatory jail term. Usually, convictions in other states that fall within the time period count against you as long as the conviction in the other state is an equivalent offense.

ALCOHOL and/or DRUG ASSESSMENTS

Just because you are arrested for DWI doesn't mean you are an alcoholic. It could have been one of the few times you are out with friends and just did not realize you were impaired. Your El Paso DWI lawyer could decide that it would help your case if you had an alcohol or drug assessment. If the results of that assessment show that you have a problem with alcohol or drugs, it would be critical to the outcome of your case that you finish any recommended treatments for your problems. You may be required to join Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar organization or possibly go to an alcohol treatment center. If the initial assessment shows no drug or alcohol problems, this will be a positive piece of evidence that your El Paso DWI lawyer may use before your case goes to trial as leverage with the prosecutor to have the charges against you dropped or reduced.

MONEY

The fact of the matter is that defending your DWI charge will cost money. There will be court fees, lawyer's fees, fines, bonds to get out of jail, payments for independent alcohol concentration testing, any drug or alcohol assessments and possibly counseling. The fees and costs for court ordered classes will go up if you are convicted. Convictions may also require you to install an ignition lock in your vehicle and you may be responsible for those costs as well. Most insurance companies will require a raise of your rates if you are convicted of DWI.

COURT APPEARANCES

It is a critical issue that you appear in court when you are scheduled to do so. Most DWI cases require several appearances and if you do not appear you will be fined. If it has not happened already, you will have your license suspended, or you can possibly have a warrant issued for your arrest.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

First impressions matter and how you look when you walk in the courtroom will make a difference to the jury and the judge. Wear a dress or a suit and make sure that you have a conservative appearance. Men should wear ties and jackets. Women should wear longer skirts with blouses that have longer
sleeves and show no cleavage. It is common for DWI offenders to be considered drug or alcohol abusers. So you need to make sure your appearance does everything possible to contradict that assumption. If you have tattoos, wear clothing that hides them. If you have piercings, remove them before you go to court. A good rule of thumb is that you should wear comfortable clothing that you would wear to church or to visit your great grandmother.

STRESS

Being arrested for DWI, facing the criminal and DMV processes, the additional financial strain, the stress related to your work and even family relationships can all increase the amount of stress in your life to intolerable levels. If you feel that you are having difficulty coping with all of these added stressors seek out professional counseling to help get you through.