Of all traffic court issues in New Jersey, an arrest for DWI (also known as DUI or drunk driving) can have the greatest personal, professional and financial impact on your life. If you or a family member was stopped for DWI, you need an experienced and aggressive defense lawyer on your side.
Don't Let One Night of Drinking Leave You With a Lasting "Hangover"!
In an instant, your whole future can change for the worst. One minute you are out partying- celebrating a birthday, anniversary, special occasion or just enjoying a night out- and the next thing you know you are in jail, your car has been towed, and you are facing serious, life-altering charges! Just as shocking as it was to see that jail door slam shut with you inside, a DUI conviction will close doors of opportunity immediately.
If convicted, you cannot drive in New Jersey for whatever reason for anywhere from 3 months to 10 years! You will likely lose your job if you can't carpool or take public transportation. You can't drive to your children's Little League games, the mall, or even to the grocery store. If a family member is sick, you can't drive them to a doctor or the hospital. Your work and family life are thrown into instant turmoil! Here is what you are facing:
First Offense DWI Penalties
A. Blood alcohol content between .08 percent and .099 percent:
A fine of between $250 and $400
Incarceration ranging between 12 hours and 30 days
Three month driver's license suspension
Approximately $700 in other fees, charges and costs
B. Blood alcohol content of .10 percent or above:
A fine of between $300 and $500
Incarceration ranging between 12 hours and 30 days
Seven months to one year driver's license suspension
Possible six month to one year installation of an ignition interlock device
Approximately $700 in other fees, charges and costs
Second Offense DWI Penalties
A fine of between $500 and $1,000
Thirty days community service
Two days to three months in jail
Two year driver's license suspension
Either a one to three year installation of ignition interlock device
Third Offense DWI Penalties
A fine of $1,000
At least 180 days imprisonment
Ten year loss of license
Either $1,000 or $1,500 in DMV surcharges per year for three years, depending upon if the prior conviction occurred within the previous three years
Either a one to three year installation of ignition interlock device
Did You Refuse the Breathalyzer? Then You Need a Lawyer Too!
By driving on a "highway" in New Jersey, our Implied Consent law states that you are "consenting" to having samples of your breath taken if you have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. For the results of these tests to be admissible at trial, specific procedures must be followed in conducting them, as I have already mentioned.
The officer will read a statement to you concerning your rights and the consequences of refusing to take the test. If you refuse to submit to a breath test, you will face the same penalties as drunk driving, but without the jail time. In addition, you can still be found guilty of the DUI charge based on testimony from the arresting officer and the field sobriety test!
I have helped many drivers in New Jersey who have refused to submit to blood or breath tests after being pulled over. If you need help with this type of case, contact me today.
Even a first offense DWI will cost you a minimum of $250 in fines, approximately $700 in other charges and fees and $1,000 in DMV surcharges a year for three years. The total cost of conviction: $3,950. And that does not factor in the cost of potential license suspension, rising insurance rates, or the affect on your personal and professional life, especially if you rely on a clean driving record to maintain a commercial driver's license (CDL) in order to do your job.
If you have been arrested for DUI, there is no time to waste! Call my office right away!
NJ Drunk Driving Law is Extremely Complex!
The aggressive defense of a DUI charge can give rise to many potential legal and technical defenses. Finding them involves diligent and scrupulous review of page after page of technical data on the breathalyzer, as well as hours of careful examination of video footage with an experienced eye to catch mistakes by the police officers. Furthermore, the law is constantly changing; Trial and appellate courts are regularly issuing opinions on a wide variety of DUI issues. I make it a point to keep up on developing case law that may affect your defense.
Left to its own devices, New Jersey’s justice system applies little or no discretion in imposing punishment upon a defendant charged with a DUI offense. You can't even plea-bargain the charge with the prosecutor! Ensuring that you obtain a different outcome in your case requires an attorney who understands the obstacles facing DUI defendants and is willing to fight the legal obstacles for his clients.
Let's be clear, though; having an attorney to represent you will not be cheap; in fact, it should be expensive! But that cost is nothing compared to the cost of a conviction that could have been avoided!
But If There Are Defenses, an Experienced DUI Attorney Will Find Them!
Don't think, though, that just because you were arrested for a DUI, that there is nothing you can do and that you will be convicted. Don't lose hope! You may have defenses! Did you know that:
- The police officer or state trooper may not have had the right to stop you on the roadway?
- That officer may have screwed up the field sobriety test that you took?
- That officer may not have had grounds to arrest you for the DUI?
- Breathalyzer readings aren't always accurate, and that the judge may throw it out?
At the Law Offices of Steven J. Richardson in Woodbury, you will find an attorney with more than 20 years of legal experience who can help you fight the serious consequences of a DWI arrest and conviction. Again, there are no plea bargains in DWI cases. You have to fight the charge or plead guilty. I will fight for you.
If you realize the seriousness of the charges, want an experienced advocate to challenge them, and are ready to take action now, then call my Woodbury, New Jersey, office today at
