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DWI / DUI Charges

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Texas DWI Attorneys

Blanchard & Thomas: Putting People & Results Over Profit

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or other drugs are serious crimes. The consequences of a conviction can affect the rest of your life.

Our experience and training could stand between you and thousands of dollars in fines or jail time. Let a Texas DWI lawyer review the evidence against you to help devise a solution that protects your rights.

The Difference Between a DUI & DWI in Texas

In Texas, DUI is not the same as DWI. Both refer to driving with alcohol and/or drugs in your blood stream, but the difference between the DUI and DWI in Texas boils down to age. If the individual is under 21 and has any trace amount of alcohol in his or her system, that individual can be charged with a DUI. Anyone 21 or older will be charged with DWI.

Penalties for a First-Offense DWI

A first-time conviction for DWI in Texas is considered a class B misdemeanor. If the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was .15% or more however, this would be bumped to a class A misdemeanor.

Penalties for a DWI class B misdemeanor include:

  • A minimum of 72 hours in jail and a maximum of six months in jail
  • Maximum fines ranging from $2,000 to $4,000

On top of that, offenders often face administrative fees, education programs, community service, probation, or some combination of the above. Penalties only increase if you are convicted a subsequent time within a 10-year period.

What Happens If I Refuse a Breath or Blood Test?

If you have been arrested for driving while intoxicated and you refuse to take or fail a breath or blood test, you may have your license suspended for a minimum of 90 days or up to two years. This amount of time depends on whether this is your first or subsequent offense.

What Can I Expect in Court for a DWI?

If you've been arrested for DWI, then you will have to appear in court for your arraignment. During a DWI arraignment hearing, you will be called before the judge and read the charges against you, as well as the maximum penalties for your alleged offense(s). He or she will ask if you have a DWI attorney representing you or if you need time to find and retain one. Then he or she will ask if your please is "Guilty" or "Not guilty." Lastly, the judge will explain your options for bail.

Call for Defense from a Former Police Officer

Drunk driving charges can land you in jail and cost you thousands in fines and legal penalties. However, our firm has the experience and training to counter the State’s case, whether based on an Intoxilyzer sample, blood test, or standardized field sobriety test (SFST). The firm’s primary lawyer, Barrett Thomas, is not only educated on the procedures law enforcement must follow, but he has actually practiced those procedures himself while serving as an officer. If there is a policy or procedure that has been violated, or if your rights have been violated, he will know and you can rest assured he will use it to your advantage.

Contact Blanchard & Thomas, PLLC at (866) 219-6119. Our Texas criminal defense attorneys are ready to help.

The Blanchard & Thomas "Clients' Bill of Rights"

We Want To Earn The Right To Be Your Attorneys From Now On,
Not Just For The Duration Of Your Current Legal Issue.

We Aim to Win

We play to win. While we cannot guarantee outcomes in any case, we always do our best to see that our clients come out on top. We want our clients to know without question that their success matters to us personally.

Strategic Planning

We play hard, we play fast, and we stick to the game plan. We work with every client to develop a strategy most likely to bring about their success. We work hard to ensure the strategy gives our client every advantage possible and their very best chance at success. We then implement that strategy as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Honesty and Integrity

We build our relationships upon a foundation of total honesty. Absolute honesty allows the client and the attorney to develop trust that will be absolutely critical to success in and out of the courtroom.

Commitment To Communication

We make a commitment to communication. We begin and end many of our days communicating with clients. Our clients can count on us to return phone calls and/or e-mails within 24 to 48 hours except in emergencies or during announced absences from the office. We want our clients to know what we know and vice-versa. We want to ensure they can make informed decisions from start to finish.

Client Attorney Relationship

While the attorney client relationship may not always result in friendship, we believe it should always result in mutual respect. We zealously advocate on our clients’ behalf whether we agree with their choices or not. We do not judge our client’s choices; we simply attempt to help them learn from them, live with them, and overcome them.

Our Promise

We serve at the clients’ pleasure. If for any reason whatsoever the client decides he/she is better off with a different attorney or law firm, we will respectfully and professionally do whatever we can to get the new attorney or law firm up to speed and ready to handle the case. We vow to never object to a client’s request to seek alternative counsel, and we promise to return 100% of any unearned advance payments.

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