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DWI Defense | DWI Penalties

Avoid Texas DWI Penalties in Kingwood


Hire an Aggressive DWI Defense Attorney

If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Texas, you should know what is at stake. You also face license suspension, possible jail time, hefty fines, yearly surcharges from the state and increased insurance rates. In addition, you could face a license suspension of up to a two years for breath test refusal. You need an experienced DWI defense attorney and you need one right away. Contact the criminal defense attorneys at The Garrison Law Firm today. We'll put our extensive resources, backgrounds and skills to good use in preparing your defense.

In Texas, DWI penalties increase if you have had prior convictions. In most cases, first and second offenses are charged as misdemeanors (unless there is an enhancing feature present) and the third offense is charged as a felony DWI. Regardless, Texas DWI penalties can be harsh no matter how many prior convictions you have had:

  • First offense DUI: up to 180 days in jail; 180 days license suspension; up to $2,000 fine, and; an annual surcharge of $1,000 from the State of Texas.
  • Second offense DUI: Up to one year in jail; up to 2 year license suspension; up to $4,000 fine; mandatory ignition interlock, and a yearly surcharge from the State of Texas for the next three years.
  • Third offense DWI (felony DWI): up to 2 years in prison; up to 2 year license suspension; up to $10,000 fine; ignition interlock, and; a yearly surcharge from the State of Texas for the next three years.

  • Enhancing Factors

    In addition to prior offenses, penalties for drunk driving are also directly related to the amount of alcohol in your blood. If your BAC level is .16 or higher, you could face aggravated penalties. You could also face increased penalties if you had an open container, were involved in an accident, someone was seriously injured or died due to your driving while intoxicated, or had a child under the age of 15 in the vehicle with you.

    DWI and License Suspension

    Even for first offense DWI you can face serious consequences in addition to criminal penalties, including confiscation of your driver's license. Upon being pulled over and failing any roadside tests, the arresting officer will replace your driver's license with a temporary 45-day license. This allows you time to request an Administrative License Revocation hearing regarding your license suspension. Unless you request an administrative hearing within 15 days, your license will automatically be suspended by the Texas Department of Public Safety for a period of 90 to 180 days for first offense DWI and even longer for second or third offense DWI.

    Contact Us

    DWI charges are serious. Don't let the matter be handled by an inexperienced lawyer. We offer free initial consultations, are available for evening and weekend appointments and accept credit cards. To contact us, call our offices at 281-358-3565.