New Orleans DWI Lawyer
A DUI or a DWI is a serious criminal charge that carries consequences well beyond a simple traffic ticket. When you are charged with DUI or DWI in Louisiana, you could face fines, jail time, a permanent criminal record, the loss of your driver’s license, higher insurance rates and even a requirement to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. The penalties for a DUI or DWI are even more serious if you have prior offenses. Penalties also can be aggravated by circumstances such as having a child in the car when you were driving under the influence.
In DUI and DWI cases, you can lose your driver’s license as a result of a DMV action or as part of sentencing for your criminal case. You need to take action to preserve your license as soon as you have been arrested for a DUI or DWI. Your first call should be to New Orleans DWI lawyer at J.C. Lawrence and Associates, LLC so that we can try to protect your license and help you avoid conviction or jail time and minimize any penalties.
How a New Orleans DWI Attorney Can Help With Your Case
Under Louisiana law, you can be charged with a DUI if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 or higher or if you are otherwise intoxicated and impaired when you are operating your vehicle. Under Louisiana’s zero tolerance laws, drivers under age 21 can be charged if they have any discernible alcohol in their blood stream. Drivers holding a commercial driver’s license also have a lower BAC threshold and can be charged with driving under the influence if they have a BAC of .04 or higher. If you refuse to take a BAC test to determine your blood alcohol content level, your license may be temporarily suspended and your refusal can be used as evidence against you in court if you are tried for DUI.
The consequences of a DUI are serious and extend beyond potential incarceration. The loss of a driver’s license is a major inconvenience for many people and high insurance rates after the license is reinstated act as an ongoing penalty as you pay increased premiums month after month. In addition, a DUI can show up on your background check, making you ineligible for certain jobs and ending the careers of many commercial drivers.
Because of these serious consequences, it is important to contact a New Orleans DWI lawyer at J.C. Lawrence and Associates, LLC as soon as possible after a DWI arrest. We will explore all of your options with you, including diversion or first time offenders programs, plea-bargaining down to lesser charges to minimize penalties, and raising DUI defenses. For example, if law enforcement violated your legal rights by “searching” you illegally (i.e., pulling you over without probable cause or giving you a BAC test without probable cause), then evidence against you may be kept out of court and you may be able to get the charges dropped or win a not-guilty verdict.
Contact a New Orleans DWI Attorney at J.C. Lawrence and Associates LLC
To learn more about your options in defending DUI and DWI charges, contact an experienced New Orleans DWI lawyer at J.C. Lawrence and Associates, LLC today. We know how to help you avoid a DUI conviction and the penalties that go along with a drunk driving record. Contact us today to learn how we can put our DUI/DWI defense experience to work for you.
New Orleans Personal Injury Attorneys