Drug-Related DWI Attorney
Defense from a Fort Worth DWI Lawyer
After you have been arrested for driving under the influence of a drug, your first action should be to seek knowledgeable and powerful legal guidance. By working with a Fort Worth DWI attorney, every step of your case will be professionally and thoroughly handled. Our firm can build a strong defense on your behalf to aggressively fight for the best possible outcome.
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How a Drugged Driving Charge Can Come About
In the state of Texas, it is a crime to drive while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or even a prescription medication. While most people associate the crime of DWI with alcohol consumption, it is important to understand that the same charges would apply if it is decided that you have been impaired by the immediate effects of a controlled substance. The only thing that separates alcohol-related DWI and drug-related DWI is that there is no established legal limit for driving under the influence of drugs.
Rather, discovering any measurable amount of a controlled substance or drug in a driver's system would be reason enough to charge them with a crime—including legally prescribed medications. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you enlist the help of a criminal attorney as soon as you have been detained for suspected DWI.
Penalties You Can Face for a Drug DWI
If you have been charged with drug-related DWI, you would be subject to the same legal penalties as those that are imposed for alcohol-related DWI—which, in this case, are actually quite severe. According to Texas Penal Code § 49.04, DWI is a Class B misdemeanor. If you are faced with your second, third or subsequent DWI, however, the penalties would be enhanced for each additional conviction.
Under the law, the penalties for drug-related DWI would be as follows:
First Drug-Related DWI (Class B Misdemeanor)
- Punishable by 72 hours to 180 days in jail and $2,000 in fines
Second Drug-Related DWI (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Punishable by 30 days to 1 year in jail and $4,000 in fines
Third Drug-Related DWI (Third-Degree Felony)
- Punishable by 2 years to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines
Additional penalties can be waged if a law enforcement officer uncovers an open container of alcohol in your vehicle at the time of your arrest, as well—even if you did not have a measurable amount of alcohol in your system. In most cases, this would require a minimum jail sentence of six days. Regardless of the circumstances for which you were arrested for DWI, it is extremely important that you trust in the Fort Worth criminal lawyer from The Law Office of Samuel R. Terry, P.C. to defend you.
Call our office 24/7 to discuss your case!
After being arrested for drugged driving, you may not know what steps to take next. Fortunately, all of the heavy lifting can be done on your behalf when you turn to The Law Office of Samuel R. Terry, P.C. for assistance. All you will need to do is contact our office today at (817) 882-9977 or submit a free case evaluation form online.