What You Should Do After Being Charged with DWI in Wake County
You have been arrested and charged for a drinking while intoxicated (DWI) violation. After being charged with a DWI, you may be overwhelmed. A DWI charge can have a major impact on your life. You may have your license suspended or completely revoked. You will face high court costs, fees, and fines. You may even serve jail time. You could lose your job or, at the very least, your employment can be affected. Do not take a DWI charge lightly.
If you are charged with a DWI in NC, there are steps you should consider taking as soon as possible. At Sandman, Finn, & Fitzhugh, your Raleigh DWI lawyers, our experience means that we know how the court system and the process work in order to provide you with the very best defense. Contact us immediately to build the defense strategy that will work for you. Additionally, there are other steps you should take after being charged with a DWI.
Note the Court Date
After being arrested, you will be given a court date. It is important to mark this date on your calendar. Missing a court date can result in additional legal issues such as an arrest warrant.
Call a DWI Lawyer
It will be in your best interest to hire a DWI defense attorney, like Sandman, Finn, & Fitzhugh, to help you build a strong defense against the charges. North Carolina DWI sentencing is complex and takes knowledge to work through. This is especially true if it isn’t your first offense. An experienced attorney can evaluate the specifics of your case to construct a defense that best serves your interests.
Arrange Transportation
When you are arrested for a DWI, your driver’s license is automatically suspended for 30 days. This suspension is automatic and can’t be appealed or bypassed once you are charged. Upon being relieved from jail, you will need to get a ride home and make arrangements for transportation during the time your license is suspended.
Get Limited Driving Privileges, If Possible
After 10 days, you may be able to gain limited driving privileges (LDP) and a restricted license, also called a work license. An experienced DWI attorney may be able to get you LDP in order to be able to drive to certain places at certain times of the day. This is important for you in driving to work, school, court-ordered treatment, community service, or emergency medical treatment.
Record Details of the Arrest
While the experience is fresh, record the details of the arrest. Either write the information down or save it as a voice memo on your phone. Include every single thing you can remember from the time the police pulled you to when you left the jail. This information will be helpful to your DWI lawyer. Only share the information with your attorney.
Here is some information to include:
- If you were pulled over, what reason did the police give for stopping you?
- Did the police ask or did they order you to get out of the car?
- Did they ask you or did they tell you to do the Field Sobriety Tests?
- If you did the Field Sobriety Tests, which ones did you take?
- Did you give a breath sample?
- Did the police give you a choice between a breath and blood test?
- Did the police ask you to make a statement after you were arrested?
- Identify potential witnesses.
- Gather potential evidence such as a bill from a bar or restaurant where you were prior to the arrest, or footage from a security camera.
Stay Out of Trouble
When you are arraigned, the judge will more than likely order that you remain out of custody on your “own recognizance” (OR). As part of the order, the judge will order that you “obey all laws.” If you fail to follow these orders, the judge may order that you be put into jail before your trial or add a bail amount. Showing the prosecutor that you have been a good citizen since the DWI charge can be persuasive in plea bargain negotiations, as well as when you are sentenced by the judge.
Be Patient
It can take a long time to resolve a DWI case–perhaps up to a year. Before your case is set for trial, your DWI lawyer needs all available evidence. Your attorney may need to make several motions such as to suppress evidence or to obtain evidence before your case is ready to go to trial, or obtaining an expert witness to testify. An experienced attorney will know that everything is crucial in resolving your case.
Contact Raleigh DWI Lawyers Sandman, Finn, & Fitzhugh After Being Charged with a DWI
When you are charged with a DWI, time is of the essence for you to act. You need experienced DWI lawyers who have a proven history of success. You need legal representation who will advocate for you. At Sandman, Finn, & Fitzhugh, we will be with you to get through the complicated legal process, acting as your ally. Every case is different. We know that there are no cookie-cutter solutions and we will treat your case individually with great care. Contact us for a free consultation at (919) 845-6688 or fill out our contact form to get started.