DWI Arrest in Minnesota

Nothing can put damper on an otherwise fun filled evening quite like being arrested for a DWI. A DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) is considered a serious crime in Minnesota and the penalties are equally serious. You would be well advised to call a qualified and experienced lawyer who specializes in DWI charges as soon as the police hand you the phone. The police in Minnesota are required to allow you to call a DWI lawyer before you are subjected to have your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) verified by chemical testing. The officers are even required to give you the telephone directory so that you may look up the phone number of a good DWI lawyer if you do not know who to call. This call may be the most important one you make and choosing a good DWI lawyer could mean the difference between sitting in jail for 90 days and losing your driver’s license or vehicle and being found not guilty if this is your first offense. There are many factors that can affect your BAC and your lawyer can advise you on how this will affect your case. You will want to avoid having this on your permanent record if at all possible and of course you will want to learn from this dreadful experience and never get behind the wheel after drinking again.

After the initial discomfort of being arrested, carted off to jail and booked on DUI charges, you might think you have suffered enough for a seemingly small indiscretion (after all you weren’t really drunk, were you?), but the fun is just beginning. You will have multiple court appearances to make as a DWI charge is actually two separate charges against you. You have a criminal court case and also a civil case. In the criminal case the prosecutor will attempt to put you in jail for anywhere between 90 days (for a first offense with no aggravating factors) to 7 years (the maximum for a felony DWI charge with 3 or more aggravating factors). On top of the jail term, the prosecutor will also seek monetary punishment in the form of a large fine (someone has to pay the bills, right?). Even if you were to win this case you would still have to face the civil suit and since it is a separate charge you can win one and lose the other. In the civil case the traffic commissioner will attempt to revoke your driver’s license (for at least 90 days and your lawyer will have to petition to get it back beginning immediately after your arrest in order to get it back in that time frame), they will also attempt to confiscate your license plate and may even want to seize your car.

The inconvenient court dates, fines, possible jail time and hoops that must be jumped through to get your license back are enough to completely consume your life for a period of time. You should do everything in your power to avoid being in this situation. Arrange a designated driver or call a cab before you go out for the evening. If you have already made this mistake, get a good DWI lawyer in Minnesota and make sure it never happens again. The penalties for repeat offences increase significantly. Don’t allow a DWI arrest to ruin your life, if you have been arrested learn from your mistakes and don’t drink and drive!