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DWI Arrest In Houston TX
Houston DWI Arrests
A DWI arrest is a nightmare even for responsible drivers on the road. For most people, a DWI arrest is their first run-in with the law, which means it feels intimidating. Of course, a DWI arrest is a serious embarrassing matter that is often made worse by the intense emotions and confusion that you feel as you get placed in handcuffs and booked in jail.
Fortunately, an experienced and Board Certified DWI defense and criminal defense lawyer can answer all your questions and help you fight your DWI charges.
What You Should Know About DWI Arrests In Texas
Harris County DWI Arrests
In a typical DWI arrest in Texas, the arresting police officer will read you your rights after taking you through a number of tests to see if you are sober or impaired. After you are arrested you will face an administrative process and a criminal process. An administrative process involves your driving privileges while a criminal process involves establishing whether you are guilty of a crime or not.
DWI Criminal Process
Houston DUI Arrest
Typically, after an arrest, the DWI offender will be brought in, booked, and then released or kept in jail awaiting bail. There will be an arraignment held to inform the offender of the charges they face and then the offender may either plead guilty or not guilty. Pleading guilty leads to a sentence but not pleading guilty starts a trial process.
Brace for negotiations, motions to the court, and hearings after you plead not guilty just before trial begins. The entire process may or may not go smoothly because of delays or the number of DWI charges you face. You also have to worry about the costs involved because they will determine your financial future.
Things may be easier if your DWI charge is a first offense because you may be able to expunge it from your records later if you are convicted. But you may not get convicted if you hire an experienced DWI lawyer to defend you and answer some of the questions you might have about the process or law.
Steps To Take After A DWI Arrest
Arrested For DWI In Texas
What you do during the arrest can impact your case significantly. So, do the following if you are arrested:
- Only provide identifying information like your name and address but don’t speak to them about any other thing
- Never plead guilty when you are arraigned
- Contact a DWI lawyer immediately to represent you during the administrative license revocation hearing
- Make sure you get an administrative license revocation hearing within 15 days of your arrest
It is likely that you may forget these steps in the confusion following an arrest. For that reason, your top priority after a DWI arrest is to contact a DWI lawyer that can also represent you during the trial.
Losing Driving Privileges After DWI Arrest
What Is A DWI Arrest In TX
Police officers may suspend the driver’s license of people who refuse field sobriety, chemical or BAC tests. But you can continue driving using a temporary driver’s license. You need to request for an administrative license revocation (ALR) hearing before the Texas Department of Public Safety within 15 days. If your lawyer is successful in the hearing, you will receive a hardship license to allow you to drive to school, work and other essential locations.