A main reason to hire a lawyer to fight a charge of driving while intoxicated in Texas is the attorney’s knowledge of all relevant laws and effective strategies. The legal system is complex and it’s difficult for the average person to understand the details involved with these charges. Some individuals decide they’ll just accept the consequences of a DWI conviction, but for others, it’s imperative to dispute this charge. People who drive for a living, for instance, cannot risk losing their driver’s license. People who have already been convicted of DWI within a certain time frame now face much steeper penalties than they probably were issued the first time.
Being convicted of this offense, even one time, also is very expensive. For many Texas residents, this is a real hardship. Conviction comes with a hefty financial penalty of up to $2,000, depending on the circumstances. Many people simply do not have this kind of money and don’t have any easy way of obtaining it. After a DWI conviction, the driver’s automotive insurance rates increase dramatically and do not decrease for several years. Insurance companies view intoxicated drivers as definitive safety hazards with the potential to cause serious accidents. The driver’s current insurer may not renew the current policy, and he or she may be forced to search for another company.
In addition, the state can decide to add another substantial charge after a driver gets the driver’s license reinstated. Depending on the case, a person can face having to pay $1,000 or $2,000 a year for three years just to have a driver’s license. It’s a method the state uses to make drivers more aware of their responsibility when they’re behind the wheel and to deter them from more negative behavior. People paying this kind of money to retain their license certainly do not want to risk losing it again, or having to pay another three years of expensive surcharges if they do receive a second conviction. A law firm such as Vinas & Graham wants to talk with people who have been charged with DWI and want to fight the accusation.
