DWI / DUI

Mankato DWI/DUI Attorney

Driving while intoxicated is a serious criminal offense and it is one that can impact many areas of your life. If you are pulled over by a patrol officer who believes that you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could be facing jail time, fines, and license suspension. If your blood alcohol content shows to be .08 or higher, then you will be arrested.

For those individuals under the age of 21, there is to not be a single drop of alcohol found in the blood stream. If there is, that is an automatic DWI arrest. Other offenses include boating while intoxicated (BWI) and snowmobiling while intoxicated (SWI). If you are operating any vehicle considered a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol on or off the road, you could be charged. If you are, you need to call your Southern Minnesota DWI/DUI attorney as soon as you can.

DWI Charges

When you are charged with DWI, you are facing possible conviction. The conviction could be a felony, gross misdemeanor, or a misdemeanor depending on your history and the factors that were present during the arrest. The aggravating factors include:

  • Whether or not you have a prior DUI conviction within the preceding 10 years of the current offense
  • If there is a child under the age of 16 in the vehicle
  • If you refuse to provide a blood or urine test or refuse a breathalyzer test
  • If your blood alcohol concentration is .20 or higher

Aggravating factors mean that a misdemeanor can be increased to a gross misdemeanor or a gross misdemeanor to a felony. It is even possible for a misdemeanor to become a felony if multiple aggravating factors are present.

DWI Penalties

There is a lot at stake, which is why you need to talk to your Mankato DWI/DUI Lawyer as soon as you are given the opportunity to make a telephone call. It is also your right to refuse to say anything to law enforcement so that you do not say something that could be used against you in court. Your attorney will advise you on what you should or should not say.

As for the penalties, a misdemeanor offense could result in 90 days in prison, a gross misdemeanor conviction results in one year in prison, and a felony offense results in up to 7 years in prison. The fines can range anywhere from $1,000 to $14,000 and you could lose your license, go through driver education training, have an interlock device installed on your vehicle, whisky plates, and you have a black mark on your criminal record. Your driving record is also impacted, which can have an influence on your job or getting a job that requires a clean driving record.

Contact A Southern Minnesota DWI/DUI Lawyer

If you have been accused of DWI or DUI, the consequences could be very serious if convicted. At Birkholz Law, LLC, you can work with an attorney who knows Minnesota’s complicated and confusing DWI laws. This will allow you to navigate the system with the guidance and knowledge that you need. You will receive the advice required for you to make the right decisions and move forward with your life. To learn more about what we can do for you, call our Westbrook office at 507-274-6501, our St. James office at 507-375-3374, or our Mankato office at 507-387-2100 to schedule a free consultation.