One of the worst repercussions of a DWI is having your license suspended. People need to get to work and school or attend critical medical appointments. Public transportation just isn’t feasible for many people in Texas, and losing your job will only make life harder. Fortunately, an ignition interlock device might be what you need […]
Few people understand that our state’s DWI law applies to more than alcohol—but it does. In fact, you can be picked up for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DIUD) even with no alcohol in your system. That is because Texas prohibits driving when your “normal faculties” have been impaired by alcohol or by any […]
Many Texans drive out of state to meet family or friends, or they rent a vehicle while on vacation. Did you know that if you are arrested for DWI in a different state then you can suffer penalties back home in Texas? It’s true. Texas and 45 other states have joined the Driver License Compact […]
Causing an accident while intoxicated comes with serious penalties in Texas. This is true even in minor accidents when no one was hurt, as drivers face charges not only for driving under the influence, but also for recklessly damaging or destroying someone else’s property. When combined, these charges can have significant repercussions, so if you […]
A DWI accident will always draw the attention of law enforcement. If an innocent person is killed in the accident, the drunk driver can be charged with intoxication manslaughter, a second-degree felony in Texas. As with any DWI case, the prosecution must prove the defendant was intoxicated at the time of the accident, which is […]
A felony DWI can become a murder charge if someone dies at the hands of a legally intoxicated driver. Texas follows what is known as a “felony murder” rule. For example, if you have two prior DWI convictions in Texas, the third DWI is prosecuted as a felony. But if that third DWI also involved […]
You are probably familiar with the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Texas. This refers to a person’s blood-alcohol content (BAC). If a police officer detains you and administers a blood or breath test, a BAC of 0.08 percent or greater is sufficient to prove you were legally intoxicated under Texas DWI laws. Having one […]
There is a common misconception that a police officer is always legally required to advise you of your constitutional rights before asking you questions. That is not exactly true. What the courts have actually said is that when a person has been arrested, or is otherwise “in custody,” they must be advised of their Fifth […]
When police suspect drunk driving played a role in an auto accident, they may seek to force the defendant to submit a blood sample under Texas’ implied consent law. But there are certain rules law enforcement must still follow in such cases. For example, Section 724.017 of the Texas Transportation Code states that only certain […]
One of the basic rights you have in any Texas criminal prosecution is the right to “confront” the witnesses against you. For example, if prosecutors charge you with a crime stemming from an alleged DWI accident, you have the right to confront and cross-examine any witnesses who analyzed the evidence introduced against you at trial. […]