Being arrested for driving while intoxicated can be stressful and scary. People commonly feel humiliated and ashamed that they behaved this way, and now everyone will know about it. Even a first-time offense has high financial penalties and the risk of jail time. Louisiana has some of the strictest DWI laws in the country, so someone who has been arrested on this charge benefits from hiring a DWI Defense Attorney in New Iberia LA.
Mandatory minimum sentencing on a first-time DWI conviction in Louisiana includes a 90-day driver’s license suspension and two days in jail as well as time spent in community service. Judges have the option of imposing jail sentences of six months if they so choose. Fines are steep and do not include court costs.
Police officers can arrest someone for DWI even if that person’s blood alcohol content is not more than .08, which is the legal limit in all states. If someone has been driving erratically and appears to be impaired upon being pulled over, that still may qualify for a DWI charge. If the blood alcohol content is higher than .15, the driver can expect even more severe penalties on conviction than if it was between .09 and .15.
Repeat offenders risk losing their freedom for considerable amounts of time. In Louisiana, a third DWI conviction is a felony with a minimum incarceration sentence of one year. A judge can order a prison sentence up to five years. The individual will be required to spend at least four weeks as an inpatient in alcohol rehabilitation and to fulfill 30 days of community service. In Louisiana, community service doesn’t necessarily include relatively pleasant jobs like raking lawns in a park. It may very well include municipal garbage pickup.
It becomes apparent why having a DWI Defense Attorney in New Iberia LA for legal representation is important. A DWI defense lawyer works to avoid the client receiving a guilty verdict. If that is not possible, the lawyer works to make sure the client receives the minimal level of sentencing possible under the circumstances. Anyone facing this situation may view a website such as chrisrichardattorney.com to schedule an initial consultation.
